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The First Goldfish

The Chinese first caught fish from the wild 4,500 years ago, and kept them as a source of food. T he crucian carp (Carassius carassius), a small brown-colored fish, was a frequent sight in the cool, slow-moving freshwater rivers and streams of southern China. The Chinese caught carp from the wild, and then set up their own fish farms to breed and sell as food. Fish farmers noticed that some fish were brighter in color, more orange than brown, and they decided to breed these fish to produce gold- colored fish. By the time of the Chinese Sung Dynasty, 1,000 years ago, the goldfish was recognised as a species in its own right. But goldfish were not for eating. They were kept in beautiful ponds, planted with water lilies. Soon keeping fish was a popular hobby among the Chinese.

The history of the goldfish.

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Goldfish