China Holds

China holds world’s first beauty contest for goldfish

 SHINY scales and super strong fins replaced tiaras and sashes at the world’s first beauty contest for goldfish in China.More than 3,000 fish from 14 different countries competed in the newly established International Goldfish Championships held in Fuzhou at the weekend .Breeders battled it out for a range of different titles, with the World Goldfish Queen crown the most fiercely contested category.Lined up on rows of tables in giant bowls, the ornamental fish were judged across 12 categories including the longest and heaviest goldfish.‘We judge goldfish mainly by five criteria: breed, body shape, swimming gesture, colour, which is very important, and overall impression,’ explained Ye Qichang, a member of the judge panel.The judge was particularly impressed with a giant 1.75kg (3lb 5oz) prized specimen fish competing in the competition.‘I have raised gold fish for some 40 or 50 years, and it is the first time I’ve seen such a big creature,’ said Mr Qichang.Goldfish breeding is big business in China, said to be worth millions to the economy.‘I have started running this business since 1984, it’s been almost 28 years,’ said local fish farm owner Wang Aimin. ‘Our fish was mainly exported to Japan and southeast Asia, but the domestic market has grown really fast in recent years. ‘In Fuzhou, we export goldfish worth $30million every year and the domestic market has reached over 100million yen.’                        –GN