Tsugaru Nishiki
This variety goes back to 1770, when it was bred in Tsugaru in the far North of Japan, in the prefecture of Aomori. Adapted to a cooler climate, these fish were quite tolerant to cold, more so than other fancy varieties.
The original line was lost by the end of WWII. In 1948 only 2 female Tsugaru Nishiki were found to have survived.
Breeders re-established the variety by crossing Azuma Nishiki (calico orandas) and Ranchu.
They are still rare, even in Japan.
A similar variety is called a Shukin, I suspect that those are lines that were bred in other prefectures of Japan, but I am not sure about that.
The features of these goldfish are: long flowing double caudal fins and a smooth back without a dorsal fin. Their bodies are longer than those of Ranchus, and less deep. They will develop a wen. This distinguishes them from the Chinese bred Egg Phoenix, a similar variety that has no wen.
Tsugaru Nishikis demelanize late, and will turn red or red and white after up to 4 years.
| After 2 weeks of heavy feeding these young fish were ready to spawn for the first time. |
| 4 days after spawning 237 fry hatched and now cling to the glass, working their way up to the surface for a gulp of air to fill their swim bladders. |
| After 2 days the fry are free swimming and start to feed on baby brine shrimp and whatever they find in the carpet of algae. |
| I haven't seen
iridescent scales like these
before. |
| At 6 weeks, I find
some really nice fish growing up,
the tails are spread out and divided, the backs are smooth. |
| This little oranda-wannabe was among the fry too, a reminder of the oranda x ranchu heritage. His body is deeper and shorter than those of his siblings. |
| Tsugaru Nishiki
3.5 months old, 5.3cm (2 1/4") long. They should be larger at this age,
but this was the first spawn
from young parents, and the eggs were
quite small to begin with. The fish are being kept outdoors now in a
tub. The "dust" in the water is pollen from pine trees. |
