Goldfish Coloring Pages

A fish made by people, born from carp

Goldfish are fish born from the carp family.
Long ago in China, a red carp was found among normal grayish carp, and that is how it all started.
People raised that red carp with great care. They chose children with pretty colors and shapes, and raised them too.
They repeated this for a very long time, and the Goldfish we know today was created.
Goldfish are fish created by people over a long time.
Goldfish do not live naturally in rivers or ponds. They are fish that live with people.
When you keep them, feed them every day and keep their water clean!

A round body and fluttering tail fins

The 1st coloring page shows a Goldfish called a Ryukin.
When you look from the side, its body is round and high, and its back arches up high.
Its special feature is its long, fluttering tail fin.
The Ryukin's tail fin is split into 3 or 4 parts, and it sways like the bottom of a dress when it swims.
Its body has red and white patterns.
Each pattern is different, so no two Goldfish are ever the same!

Goldfish swimming in a goldfish bowl

The 2nd page shows two Ryukin Goldfish swimming in a round goldfish bowl on a wooden table.
The edge of the bowl is wavy and fluttering.
There are small, round pebbles on the bottom, and water plants are growing.
Next to the bowl, there is a container of Goldfish food.
In Japan, many homes keep Goldfish in goldfish bowls or tanks, so they are very familiar fish.

A big gathering of Goldfish with many shapes

The 3rd page shows many kinds of Goldfish swimming in a large tank full of water plants.
Besides the round Ryukin, there is also a Wakin with a long, thin body.
The Wakin is a Goldfish shaped close to a carp, and it swims around full of energy.
Near the bottom, there is also a Demekin with big eyes popping out to the left and right.
There are many other types of Goldfish too, like ones with bumps on their heads or ones with no dorsal fin.
It is fun to compare them with the coloring pages of other small fish like Killifish and Guppy!

Enjoy the Red and White Patterns

Color the red parts of the Goldfish with red or orange.
If you make the back a bit darker red and the tummy orange, the body will look nice and round.
For the white parts, leave the paper white and add just a little light yellow or light pink along the edges.
Where the red and white meet, color right along the lines to make it look just like a Goldfish.
It is also okay to make it all orange, all red, or even a black Goldfish!

Make the Fins Look See-Through

A Goldfish has thin fins that you can see right through.
Try coloring the fins dark near the body and lighter toward the tips.
If you leave a little white at the very tip, it will look light and see-through.
Move your colored pencil along the lines on the fins to make them look like they are fluttering.
If the Goldfish has a red body, light red or pink fins will blend in nicely and look pretty.

Water Colors and Green Water Plants

Color the water in the second and third coloring pages with light blue.
If you leave the area around the Goldfish a little lighter, the red of the Goldfish will really stand out.
For the water plants, mix yellow-green and dark green to make them look bright and full.
It is fun to color the pebbles at the bottom one by one in different colors, like gray, brown, and cream!
For the glass fishbowl in the second page, just put a little light blue near the edges to make it look like real glass.

Goldfish Came to Japan About 500 Years Ago

It is said that Goldfish came to Japan from China during the Muromachi period.
At first, they were very expensive, and only rich people could buy them.
In the Edo period, many people were able to keep Goldfish as pets.
Goldfish sellers walked around selling Goldfish, and people started enjoying Goldfish scooping, too.
Goldfish scooping at summer festivals is still a fun Japanese summer tradition today!

Look at the Whiskers to Tell Goldfish and Carp Apart

Goldfish and carp are both part of the carp family, so they look a lot alike.
The secret to telling them apart is the whiskers around their mouth.
Carp have whiskers around their mouth, but Goldfish do not have any whiskers.
Take a look at the carp on the carp streamers in May to see if they have whiskers!

Ryukin Has "Ryukyu" in Its Name

The name Ryukin on the first coloring page is said to come from "Ryukyu," the old name for Okinawa.
One story says it got this name because it came to Japan from China through Ryukyu.
There are many fun names for types of Goldfish, like Demekin, Ranchu, and Oranda Shishigashira.
It is fun to look at a guide and compare their names and shapes!