Culling by Coloration

Metallic Varieties At sixty days metallic fry will begin to lose their olive-green color and become a pale orange or yellow. They sometimes get darker just before they change color. To improve color, sunlight is very important to goldfish, as are water temperature and diet. Any fish that does not have a relatively deep color by twelve months of age should be culled.

Nacreous or Calico Varieties These will start to develop colors in their second month. While blues usually show up much later, orange and black are usually the first colors. Some experts recommend that you keep your top calicos at least two years before making the final culling, as their colors change over time. Darker colors in young fish tend to stick, and as stated previously, these are thought to be the most highly prized of these types.

Matt Varieties Matt varieties of any breed are usually wonderfully different. They can easily be picked out by their solid black eyes and flat pink bodies. These can be picked out at quite a young age.