Veiltail Goldfish
The Veiltail goldfish is a type of fancy goldfish that can actually trace its origins back to the United States. In the 1890′s, a man named Franklin Barret who lived in Philadelphia decided to breed a Ryukin goldfish (Japanese bred) with a telescope eye goldfish that had very distinctive features. The fry that resulted from this breeding were the first of a long line of fish that were called “Philadelphia Veiltails”. Today, there are different variations of the Veiltail goldfish that are present in countries in Europe, as well as in parts of China. These variations may or may not exhibit the telescope eyes that resulted from the crossbreed.
The body of the Veiltail goldfish is rounded, with a deep chest that is slightly similar to that of the Ryukin goldfish. However, the Veiltail goldfish does not display the characteristic “hump” that occurs in the Ryukin goldfish. The most notable feature of the Veiltail goldfish is its tail, which is double-finned and very long. The edges of the tail are fairly long, and square-shaped, which is fairly unique for goldfish breeds.
Veiltail goldfish do have a dorsal fin, which extends from roughly halfway down the back to the base of the tail. The anal fins are also very well-developed, being long enough to warrant recognition. Many fish owners mistakenly use the term “Veiltail fish” to describe any type of goldfish breed that exhibits a long, flowing tail. However, a true Veiltail goldfish must have a square-edged tail that is double-finned.