Fish

Welfare implications of selective breeding in goldfish . It’s not just dogs that suffer when we selectively breed them for desired traits. Our fishy friends, including the bubble-eye goldfish, are suffering too.

When looking out for the welfare of our pets, there are two key questions we need to ask ourselves: Are they healthy? And do they have what they want? As (sadly) we are not able to communicate with animals verbally, we need to carefully observe and understand their body language.

Fish can be fascinating pets! They are intelligent, delightful and charismatic animals. However, they are not an “easy” pet to care for. There are some key factors to consider before choosing to take on the responsibility of a fish.

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) are an intelligent and friendly breed of ornamental fish. Their natural habitat are the cool streams, lakes and ponds throughout Asia. Goldfish have an average lifespan of 10-15 years, with some species living up to 30 years!

The humble goldfish tends to be misunderstood. They make great family pets, but they are plagued by myths that insult their intelligence, and individual personalities.