What is the difference between a ryukin vs fantail

[Bubbles2112]

In looking at Flaringshutter's poll of goldfish pictures (some very nice photos on there!) I see that the poll is broken down into fantails and ryukins. I have thought that they were one and the same. I am not a goldfish expert by any means--I just like them. My daughter rescued two of them at the fair and we bought one for a feeder and bought one to place with the others. So now we have four. They are so very peaceful to watch!

So can someone who knows about goldfish tell me what the difference is between ryukin vs fantail goldfish?

 

[Lupin]

Only difference is ryukins have deeper bodies, taller tails, more pronounced back hump and exaggerated dorsal fins with a curl at the tip and in mohawk style (in some cases). More info here.
http://www.exoticgoldfish.net/breeds-ryukin.html

 

[Bubbles2112]

Thank you Lupin! :thumbsup: I knew I would get a quick response!!! I have the fantails then as mine lack the large hump. Thank you so much for that excellent reference! Just as a note--I see one of the big box stores selling fantails as Ryukins :lipssealedsmilie:

 

[geekboy]

Another consideration is that a young Oranda and regular fantail will be very similar in appearance until the Oranda begins to develop its "wen". I've got a couple of small ones that I've been watching closely to see if that staff at Petsmart had them mislabeled. No verdict yet.

 

[Flaringshutter]

You can also see the difference (and read a little about Steve's opinion on fancies v. ryukins) here, at Raingarden: http://www.raingarden.us/goldfish-fantail.htm

In your standard LFS, you won't see much difference between a fish labeled "ryukin" and one labeled "fantail". However, as Lupin mentioned, in the more highly bred fish a ryukin will be short-bodied and nearly as deep in the body as it is long. It will sport a prominent hump between the head and the dorsal fin. Large individuals can be quite fat, too.

 

[SubRosa]

Strictly speaking a Ryukin is a Fantail, but not every Fantail is a Ryukin. A fantail is a specific physical trait possessed by several types of Goldfish. Like in geometry all squares are paralellograms, but not all paralellograms are squares.