Lionhead Goldfish
The Lionhead goldfish is a popular type of goldfish that is often referred to as being a “hooded” fish breed. Lionheads were first discovered and developed in China, and are a “fancy” type of goldfish. The Lionhead breed of fish is often designated as being the “precursor” fish to the Ranchu breed of goldfish, since Lionheads were bred in order to create the Ranchu breed. The Lionhead goldfish gets its name from the unique, protruding growths that extend past the front of their fairly large heads. This growth usually fully covers most of the fish’s head, hiding the cheeks and gills from view. Lionhead fish also have characteristically short, wide bodies that display a fairly straight back line. Lionfish don’t have a dorsal fin, and their back usually displays some of their color markings.
There are not very strict specifications on the proper appearance of a Lionhead goldfish’s tail. The tail may be either webbed, partially separated or fully separated. The Lionhead goldfish’s back is fairly broad, in order to support the size and weight of their head growths. This special hood is more pronounced in male Lionhead goldfish, though female Lionhead goldfish have a hood as well. From the time that they are a baby, the Lionhead goldfish typically take about a year to develop their hood. Lionhead goldfish were developed in China to resemble the “shishi”, which is a special type of mythical lion-dog in Chinese legends. Over the years, several modifications have been made to the Lionhead goldfish.