The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order
Cypriniformes. It was one of the earliest fish to be domesticated, and is one of
the most commonly kept aquarium fish.
A relatively small member of the carp family which also includes the koi carp and
the crucian carp, the goldfish is a domesticated version of a less-colourful carp
native to east Asia. It was first domesticated in China more than a thousand
years ago, and several distinct breeds have since been developed. Goldfish breeds
vary greatly in size, body shape, fin configuration and colouration, various
combinations of white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black are known.
The mutation that gave rise to the domestic goldfish is also known from other
cyprinid species, such as common carp and tench.
Goldfish were bred from Prussian carp in China, and these usually olive green fsh
remain the closest wild relative of the goldfish.
As of April 2008, the largest goldfish in the world was believed by the BBC to
measure 19 inches, and be living in the Netherlands.
