Calico Ryukin?

Question

I got him recently because I had to get a good build up of stuff in a tank for other things. I was thinking a goldfish would suit my need perfectly and I always wanted a Ryukin. I went to Petsmart and was checking them all out when i noticed this one guy was swimming around all funny. now I know they all swim like they're having seizures but he would go upside down and freak out and such. so after a closer look I found he had something weird going on with his tail. it's like it's folding over itself, just a small bend, like someone is holding a pencil under it. the lady at the pet store said he was just holding it funny and they all swam like that (they we're all clearly NOT freaking out the way he was) and tried to push his tail back, when it didn't go she repeated herself and trailed off. so of course I had to get him. I've had him for well over a week and he's perfectly happy and loves people. I was just wondering if this is common with Ryukins? I'll try to get a pic and link it

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7493/johnnyrottnsb9.jpg

it's not the best pic, but it shows how it's weirdly bent. it's not like it's caught in a current it's always bent like that, it's also pointing forwards and almost touches his pectoral fins (the ones in the front)

also, just to let all of you know, there is no worries about him being in a good home, I'm rather experienced with fish and have a lot, and love them all to death. I cry when any of them die. just curious as to whether or not common and such because I've never had a Ryukin.

lol thought I'd add some more details (I love my fish and looove talking about them). he has really gotten the hang of swimming with his messed up tail recently. he barely flips over at all. he looks rather funny swimming around though. he loves people and comes right to the front of the tank when anyone comes near it, and he gets all excited and his little fins go so fast the messed up one hits him in the face a lot. I thought about a tankmate for him, but at the petstore he seemed to get pushed around a lot and he seems much happier alone in his tank, so I'll just have to get him really nice decorations to much up for it, and maybe but one of my betta's tanks next to his for company. all my bettas are pretty mellow and won't flare at him. he loves peas, and I read Ryukins are prone to swim bladder problems so it's good to give them peas like once a week. lol that would be tragic, a messed up fin and swim bladder disorder! Thank you Loollea, I will definitely give him lots of love.

sorry, Jason but all my fish are pity buys. I don't understand how people like you think, you think you're saving animals? you're not. some one else will buy it, and they may not be able to take care of it. or no one might buy it, and it will just rot at a pet store that doesn't care about it. just because ONE person didn't buy ONE fish doesn't mean they're going to revamp they everything they do; inspect every fish they order for good quality. most places are about making money. so excuse me for wanting to save a life instead of dreaming that not buying one poor fish will save them all. not to mention he is very healthy and happy, so what if he has a weird fin? that's like saying no one should adopt a kid in a wheelchair because of bad genes and we shouldn't encourage adoption centers for taking in defective kids. so he's a little weaker does that mean he doesn't deserve a loving home? well I for one would be a weaker one, a runt, and I like to think someone would adopt me.

the tank was ALREADY cycled, for your information. I was doing other things to it that basically gave me an excuse to get this fish. I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF FISH. if you haven't noticed I answer a ton of fish questions on here and give good detailed answers. I simply asked if anyone has seen this before and if it were common. I KNOW he still can be happy and healthy HE IS. I just wanted to know if the was common. that's ALL. for goodness sake some of you are acting like I'm keeping him in a goldfish bowl and paying and keep all my pets in tiny jars or something.

ALL OF MY FISH ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF. so back off. it is none of your business what size tank he is in because I simply asked if this was a common deformity, I didn't ask how to take care of him, i didn't imply that i didn't do research on how to take care of him, so stop with the answers on how to take care of him. if it's not about deformed Ryukins don't bother.

Answer 1

deformaties are common in goldfish, he can still be a good pet
one thing you can do to make him more comfortable is to lower the water level so that he doesn't have to struggle so much--
just love him and feed him well

Answer 2

It's just a deformity, nothing to worry about he should live a normal life since it is only his tail fin and nothing serious.

You say that you have lots of fish but you needed to buy this fish to build up good things in a different tank, instead of putting a fish through a cycle it would have been better to borrow some beneficial bacteria from one of your other tanks, or add the new filter media to an established tank for a few weeks to build up its own bacteria. I still suggest doing that just in case your fish is too weak to handle the cycle and doesn't make it. Even if the fish does make it sometimes going through a cycle can have long term affects on a fish that you may not notice until all of a sudden one day there is something wrong and you are unable to fix it. Here is a great site that you should check out, http://kokosgoldfish.com/
You can show your pic on their message board too if you want more opinions on your fish

Answer 3

you'll only may favor to do quite some study on them. Shubunkins are foot-lengthy pond fish, so that you'll rule that one out except you're planning for a one hundred+ gallon tank. The "worry-free" kinds of goldfish (commons, comets, shubunkins, others with familiar lengthy bodies) might want to no longer be kept with the flamboyant varieties like Ryukins as a results of very truth the fancies are round-bodied and slow. The commons will %. on them and out-compete them for foodstuff. a pair of fancy goldfish (like a Ryukin and a fantail) may be kept in a 20 lengthy (now no longer a 20 severe) or a 29/30 gallon tank. the finest rule for fancies is 20 gallons for the first fish and 10 for each extra. at the same time as now no longer concrete (few fish "regulations" are), it truly is a competent starting off handbook. As for care, i'd recommend a planted tank and great weekly water adjustments. reliable filtration isn't a foul theory both, questioning how messy they're. Fancies look to have situation eating flakes or different floating foodstuff, so locate a first-classification type of sinking pellets for them. be effective you in worry-free words feed them a splash as with out delay as an afternoon, as a results of the truth they're pigs and ought to continually beg and eat. different than that, i'd say only save interpreting! i visit't have the means to inform you the way many situations i have were given theory i'd done sufficient study, then desirous to look at only an additional beneficial cyber web web site and ended up sorting out some situation significant with reference to the fish. there is no longer one in each and every of those component as too a lot! :)

Answer 4

Most of the goldfish that are in petstores are kulls of goldfish breeders. So ya its probably deformed. Here is a healthy looking ryukin. http://katsu2.cside.com/kingyo/ryukin/ryukin11.jpg

What size tank do you have him in? Know that what nunya biznis said is correct. But also know that the only fish that can be housed with goldfish is other goldfish and the rule is 10 gallons PER baby-juvenile fancy goldfish and 20 gallons PER long bodied goldfish. Adults will need no less then 50 gallons PER fish. Ive seen 14 inch black moors and here is a pic of a 15 inch oranda. http://hometown.aol.com/_ht_a/kmam1/MyPond/GiantGoldfish.html

Answer 5

It isn't normal. I have a Ryukin and they are a large, strongly-built goldfish that are very strong swimmers with a reputation for being aggressive. There certainly should be no "freaking out".

I know it's hard, but it's not encouraged to do "pity buys" at pet stores. If the pet store is at fault for the fish's behaviour, it just encourages their bad practises.

Answer 6

yeah, it looks like a deformity. It happens a lot with gold fish not just ryukin because of their weird genetics.

Answer 7

It's been a long time since I had ryukin. It's hard to tell if it's normal without actually seeing the movement.

Answer 8

yea, put out a link of the fish. I want to see how weird this tail could possibly be.