What’s astonishing is that this is not a photograph of goldfish in a tank. Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori creates three dimensional images of goldfish by painting them, layer by layer, separated by very thin sheets of resin. You can look at them from any angle and they look just like fish. Watch a video at the link demonstrating how Fukahori does it.

Link | Artist’s Website (Google Translate) | Photo: Dominic Alves

You Tube Link

Olivia Riley enjoys fishing for catfish in Kansas City’s Troost Lake. On Saturday, however, she caught something a little more unusual than a catfish.

Instead of coming up with a catfish, Riley captured the biggest goldfish she’s ever seen.”

I don’t know, it’s beautiful!” Riley shouted as she smiled and showed her massive catch to a friend’s camera.

Riley did throw the beautiful goldfish back.

Link

YouTube link

Animal activists in China have raised objections to a stage performer’s “magic trick” which appears to involve goldfish swimming in synchronized formations.  Some allege that magnets or iron particles have been cruelly implanted in the fish (others suggests that these are not real fish at all…)

The performance is highly reminiscent of one first posted at Neatorama in 2007; that video has been removed, but another copy is available elsewhere on YouTube.  And it’s worth remembering that it is possible to train goldfish.

Edit:  Updated with better video, found at BoingBoing.

The Edwardian Ball is an annual art fair and dance focused around steampunk and goth styles in reflection the work of artist Edward Gorey. The most recent one took place just a few days ago in San Francisco. One costumed attendant was spotted wearing a helmet that looked convincingly like a fishbowl with life fish inside.

via Crackajack | Official Website

UPDATE 1/28/11: Commenter Laurasita clarifies the term “Edwardian”. It refers to artist Edward Gorey, not King Edward VII.

Richards, from Camberley, Surrey, was fishing for carp close to his parents’ holiday home when he noticed a flash of orange under the water.

He positioned his rod and bread bait close to the spot and seconds later began reeling in the mystery fish. He said: "I’d heard rumours there might be some big carp there and thought I’d see for myself. I was there for two days running and caught some big common carp.

"Then suddenly I saw this big orange fish cruising along the top of the lake. At first I thought it must be a really fat koi carp, but when I saw it properly I realised it was a common goldfish – just like one you might keep as a pet.

"It looked like it was healthy and in good condition. The lake is sheltered with plenty of food, so it’s doing pretty well. Earlier in the day I’d joked that if I caught a big fish I’d call it Billy, so of course the goldfish got the name."

Billy the goldfish clocked in at 5 lb (2 kg) and 16-inch (40 cm) long. Oh, and Nick did the right thing by tossing it back to live (and not to mention grow) another day: Link – Thanks Katlynn!

Japanese researchers have succeeded in developing see through goldfish, whose beating hearts and other organs can be seen through their transluscent skin.  The move to develop see through goldfish (and other animals) was spurred by the desire to reduce/eliminate dissections of animals, still a sore point for many.

The joint team of researchers at Mie University and Nagoya University in central Japan produced the “ryukin” goldfish by picking mutant hatchery goldfish with pale skin and breeding them together.

“Having a pale colour is a disadvantage for goldfish in an aquarium but it’s good to see how organs sit in a body three-dimensionally,” Tamaru told AFP.

The fish are expected to live up to roughly 20 years and could grow as long as 25 centimetres (10 inches) and weigh more than two kilograms (five pounds), much bigger than other fish used in experiments, such as zebrafish and Japanese medaka, Tamaru said.

Link

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.

Maya says a few solemn words about Lucky the goldfish before flushing him down the toilet, even though her mom keeps cracking up.

– via arbroath

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Marilyn Terrell.