These days, Prussian carp still inhabit a wide range across Central Asia, living in ponds, ditches, lakes, rivers, and other slow-moving waters. These fish were first described by Bloch way back in 1782. Origins of Comet GoldfishĪll goldfish that you see today can be genetically traced back through centuries to the Prussian Carp, Carassius gibelio. Often, they are kept in outdoor ponds alongside Koi Carp. When kept in a large pond in a community with other single-tailed, speedy swimmers, Comets will thrive, readily spawning, too.Ĭomets typically live for around 14 years but the range we would expect is between 5 to 15 years, there are examples of pond-kept Comet Goldfish living for longer when kept in the right conditions. Just remember to keep a gap in the ice open so that the fish get the oxygen they need. Hiding out in the leaf litter, substrate, and plants at the bottom of the pond, they can continue to thrive even when the mercury plummets below zero. These hardy fish can tolerate surprisingly frigid water temperatures. Outdoor Pool PreferredĮlongated goldfish, including Comets, are happiest when kept in a pond. Not surprisingly, many Comets don’t survive for very long. These fish can grow to measure 14 inches in length, making them far too big for the average home aquarium.Īll too often, that results in the unfortunate fish being kept in a small tank or bowl without enough space for swimming, poor oxygenation, and often in solitude. Unfortunately, Comets are often purchased as pets for kids. These are also sociable fish, thriving in a busy community of similar types. Comets are powerful swimmers, leaping right out of the water sometimes, especially at feeding times. These fish will eat pretty much anything that’s on offer, and they’re entertaining, too, often taking food from your hand. This makes them a great choice for beginners! Hardy and EntertainingĬomets are one of the hardiest goldfish types and are extremely easy to keep when compared with the more delicate breeds of Fancy goldfish. You can also find Tancho Comets that are completely silver in color except for a bright scarlet cap. They often have the red-and-white “Kohaku” coloration that’s characteristic of Koi carp. The Sarasa Comet is a beautiful variant with long, flowing finnage. Comets are also typically smaller than Common goldfish. Most noticeable is the deeply forked caudal (tail) fin, which is carried fully erect in both species.

However, the Comet has much longer finnage than the Common variety. This can often cause people to get the two types confused. This variety of goldfish was developed in the 19 th century in the United States and was the first type of single-tail goldfish.Ĭomets are closely related to Common goldfish and have an almost identical body shape. Comet goldfish are also sometimes called Comet-tail goldfish or Pond Comets.

Small goldfish aquarium