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  • Results 1 to 7 of 7

    Thread: Can Shubunkins improve over time?

    1. #1
      pickerel's Avatar
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      Can Shubunkins improve over time?

      I saw a couple of Shubinkins in Petsmart the other day. They were very light gray/blue with a few speckles on them. They were pretty fish, but I like the more dramatic looking ones. Is it 'what you see is what you get' or can they change and improve over time?

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    2. #2
      My2butterflies is offline Senior Member
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      The ones I had were pretty much what you see is what you get. I do feel their color got richer looking, but any pattern to their spoltchiness is what it is. And new color didn’t pop up.

    3. #3
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      Thanks for the response. That's kind of what I thought but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask those who have kept them for years.

    4. #4
      *Ci*'s Avatar
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      It also depends on your definition of “improve”. A good Shubunkin has a sky blue background plus red and black, and the black is usually speckled. This is from the American Goldfish Association standard:

      “ Since coloration is so important to this fish, it is important that three primary colors are shown on the fish. The first of these colors is black, which should appear on the body, as well as in streaks which appear on the fins. The second primary color that must appear on the fish is red. The red should be as deep as possible, with an intense vermillion color being preferred. The third primary color that must appear on the fish is blue, which should be as intense as possible. Shubunkins often have the most intense blue coloring of any goldfish, and the color is often so deep that it appears purple.
      Other colors are permissible on the fish, as long as these three primary colors are included. Other colors seen on Shubunkins include: pink, yellow, white, and orange. An exception to this rule occurs in the case of the “Midnight Blue” Shubunkin, which is a black, blue and white fish. The color red is not present in the “Midnight Blue” Shubunkin. Recently, Bristol Tail-like fish have been produced in single colors, including: blue, brown, chocolate and purple. These are not considered “true” Bristol Shubunkins and should be benched in the “Other” or “Miscellaneous” categories in goldfish shows.“


      Sometimes the more purely sky blue fish (like the fish you describe) are bred on purpose for their appeal. Blackwater creek offers them. If you want them to get more solid blocks of color like koi, you need to seek them out (again, Blackwater Creek markets them as “Sanke Golds”). I have had many like this, plus Midnight Shubunkins and I’ve generally found that blocks of black are fairly stable in my pond, and often increase while reds seem to deteriorate over time (in some fish). Sometimes, the reds come back, as well.
      Generally speaking, in good water, colors can intensify and patterns can consolidate. However, it is far less predictible what you will end up with compared to koi.
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      Ci


    5. #5
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      My definition of improve would be what you said in your last sentence "colors can intensify and patterns can consolidate." Thank you for your very thorough information. I don't care a thing in the world about having show fish. I just know what I think is attractive when I see it, and that's all that matters to me.

    6. #6
      LadysSolo is offline Senior Member
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      I breed Shubunkins, being out in the sun (and raising the fry in the sun) intensifies the blue, and IMHO having algae to nibble on seems to help the red in the fry. In my experience the black is what the black is. YMMV.

    7. #7
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      Quote Originally Posted by LadysSolo View Post
      I breed Shubunkins, being out in the sun (and raising the fry in the sun) intensifies the blue, and IMHO having algae to nibble on seems to help the red in the fry. In my experience the black is what the black is. YMMV.
      It's nice to hear your personal experience. Thanks so much for sharing. I wish you were closer.

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