Fairly good quality fantails, unlike the rest of the twintail goldfish types, can be bought from many shops and at a reasonable price, so they - are the common goldfish - and a sensible starting fish for the novice breeder; that said, it is very possible to buy poor quality fish from many shops, so it helps to know what a good fantail should look like! A few specialist shops sell high quality fantails, although often with finnage too long for the ideal, show-standard fantail.
One successful breeder bought 8 fantails from a shop six years ago: the fish had good colour, body shape and finnage but not-so-good tails. He has stuck with his original fish rather than make any outcrosses and now has a breeding stock of 20 fish (10 males, 10 females). As a general rule, pairing is mother-to-son, but always the best fish are selected for breeding. In six years no improvement in the strain has been noticed, but nor has there been any deterioration, and they were quality fish to start with.
The fish start chasing in March and are mostly left to spawn naturally, with perhaps 10% hand-spawned for specific pairings. The adults are fed on pellets, daphnia and frozen bloodworm; the fry are fed on brine shrimp for the first 2-3 weeks and then on porridge, daphnia and pellets.
The first cull is carried out when the fry are 4 weeks old, selecting for twin tails; a second cull is made at 8 weeks selecting for body shape and tail shape; then a third cull at 12 weeks selecting again for body and tails; a final cull at 16-20 weeks selects for colour. Out of 3,000 fry bred each year 20 or so are kept, giving a return of 150:1 which is similar to the success ratio for lionheads and Bristol shubunkins.
The young are raised in tanks in the fish house, then brought on in ponds where they overwinter, being very hardy. Water changes in the fish house are typically 100% weekly on a continuous flow system. Trouble from pests and diseases is usually minimal, owing to the high degree of isolation from other fish or other bodies of water.
Fantails live for about 10 years and, as described above, are hardy fish, happily living outdoors in ponds.
One successful breeder bought 8 fantails from a shop six years ago: the fish had good colour, body shape and finnage but not-so-good tails. He has stuck with his original fish rather than make any outcrosses and now has a breeding stock of 20 fish (10 males, 10 females). As a general rule, pairing is mother-to-son, but always the best fish are selected for breeding. In six years no improvement in the strain has been noticed, but nor has there been any deterioration, and they were quality fish to start with.
The fish start chasing in March and are mostly left to spawn naturally, with perhaps 10% hand-spawned for specific pairings. The adults are fed on pellets, daphnia and frozen bloodworm; the fry are fed on brine shrimp for the first 2-3 weeks and then on porridge, daphnia and pellets.
The first cull is carried out when the fry are 4 weeks old, selecting for twin tails; a second cull is made at 8 weeks selecting for body shape and tail shape; then a third cull at 12 weeks selecting again for body and tails; a final cull at 16-20 weeks selects for colour. Out of 3,000 fry bred each year 20 or so are kept, giving a return of 150:1 which is similar to the success ratio for lionheads and Bristol shubunkins.
The young are raised in tanks in the fish house, then brought on in ponds where they overwinter, being very hardy. Water changes in the fish house are typically 100% weekly on a continuous flow system. Trouble from pests and diseases is usually minimal, owing to the high degree of isolation from other fish or other bodies of water.
Fantails live for about 10 years and, as described above, are hardy fish, happily living outdoors in ponds.
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