Shubunkin offspring colours

[PeterB]

Four years ago we added 6 shubunkins of various bright colours to our pond. We now have around 40!
However, 30ish are brown/bronze. What can we do to increase the bright, coloured types? What should we do with the bronze fellas. Do the have any value?

 

[j.w]

@PeterB
I have heard it can take awhile for some of them to change, maybe by the time they are and inch or so long or more? I would just wait and see. Then you can let us know how it went.

 

[PeterB]

The bronze fish are now 1 to 3 years old and 2" to 4" in length. No sign of changing yet.

 

[j.w]

The bronze fish are now 1 to 3 years old and 2" to 4" in length. No sign of changing yet.

Uh oh, not sure why? Could it be too many from the same genes and they are breeding back to the former colors of common carp? I really don't know.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

From what I understand, goldfish genetics can be quite complicated. The only way I can see to achieve and continue the nice colors is through selective breeding. IOW, you would have to cull any fish you didn’t like, in favor of the ones you did like. After a year or so old, you probably won’t seen changes in any particular fish…..but you never know, which makes it a waiting game.

I have about 30 goldfish that are mostly either gold or white (non-colored), or bi-colored (gold and white). A few of them are bronze, but they will eventually change to whatever-color. About 10 years ago, I started out with mixed colors and mixed fins. Now, all I have are boring offspring. But I just left mine to Mother Nature.

 

[PeterB]

Culling won't go down well in this household. If I can find someone who likes brown fish, they are very welcome to them

 

[Mmathis]

Culling won't go down well in this household. If I can find someone who likes brown fish, they are very welcome to them

The bronze fish probably will change color…….eventually.

 

[JRS]

Welcome to the forum Peter.

Usually the only folks that like the natural brown fish are those using them for cheap feeders. I did once have a brown one change to all white at around 4 inches but hard to wait that long with limited space and it may never happen.

When I worked at a shop, I liked to take in locally bred goldfish, especially smaller ones. They were typically much healthier than the those from the supplier, especially in the summer. Nice colored ones went in the display tanks for sale, the drab brown ones to the feeder tank, although occasionally someone did want to buy a brown one for their aquarium.

 

[PeterB]

Thank you for your reply. Can you explain what you mean by "feeders and feeder tanks". Please excuse my limited knowledge.

 

[JRS]

In addition to fish for aquariums and ponds, we stocked fish to feed other carnivorous animals or large fish. Feeder goldfish and guppies, plain colored fish purchased for a few cents each from the wholesaler in bulk lots, which we would sell for a $1.00 a dozen, circa 1990.

The goldfish were usually plain light orange or brown but sometimes had some nicer colors which we would sort out and sell in the display tank. The nicer colored single tail goldfish in the display tanks were sold for $1.00 each. The overcrowded, undecorated feeder fish tanks were kept in the backroom.

Some customers would stock their pond with feeder fish for cheaper cost if they were looking for quantity.

 

[PeterB]

Well we live and learn.
Thank you JRS for enlightening us. The only things that want to use our fish as feeders are local herons.

 

[Laaf]

I love the darker ones. I call them ghost fish since you often can't see them until they are close.

Yes some of mine have dramatically/quickly turned orange after several years. Some have stayed dark.

Baby goldfish are often this color, then change to orange.

I purposely chose some dark bigger fish out of the sales tank since I like them.

I have one white goldfish that has been white since it was a tiny white fry with black eyes.

If you have room, keep them to see what they change into. If you want to rehome them, there is often a market for free or inexpensive goldfish. But there is no guarantee what happens to them after they leave your home.

Some online sellers sell the dark ones as special.................

 

[PeterB]

I love the darker ones. I call them ghost fish since you often can't see them until they are close.

Yes some of mine have dramatically/quickly turned orange after several years. Some have stayed dark.

Baby goldfish are often this color, then change to orange.

I purposely chose some dark bigger fish out of the sales tank since I like them.

I have one white goldfish that has been white since it was a tiny white fry with black eyes.

If you have room, keep them to see what they change into. If you want to rehome them, there is often a market for free or inexpensive goldfish. But there is no guarantee what happens to them after they leave your home.

Some online sellers sell the dark ones as special.................

Thank you for your reply Laaf. We call them our "stealth" fish. Food just disappears before our eyes!
We may keep one or two out of curiosity.

 

[Laaf]

They are magical the way they blend in so well. And if they change to orange it can happen in less than 2 weeks.

Here is a formerly dark bronzey black fish, mid transformation to orange. First I noticed a lighter colored belly and it transformed in a very short time to solid orange. They only way I could tell it apart from my previously orange fish is that it was a lighter orange.