Common Goldfish vs Electric Eel

Carassius auratus verglichen mit Electrophorus electricus

Taxonomy & Classification

Eigenschaft	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Wissenschaftlicher Name	Carassius auratus	Electrophorus electricus
Ordnung	Cypriniformes	Gymnotiformes
Familie	Cyprinidae	Gymnotidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Eigenschaft	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Maximale Länge	45,0 cm	250,0 cm
Maximales Gewicht	2,0 kg	20,0 kg
Färbung	Brilliant orange to deep golden-yellow body with a metallic sheen across all scales; domesticated forms range from white, yellow, and red to black and calico bicolor combinations.	Dark olive-gray to grayish-brown cylinder-shaped body with a pale yellowish-orange throat and chin; back uniformly dark; scaleless skin has a smooth appearance; long ribbon-like anal fin is pinkish.

Habitat & Environment

Eigenschaft	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Wassertyp	Brackish	Freshwater
Tiefenbereich	0-20m	—
Verbreitungsgebiet	Originates from rivers and lakes of eastern China and possibly Korea; domesticated for over 1,000 years. Wild relatives inhabit slow rivers, ponds, and slightly brackish …	Native to the Orinoco and Amazon river basins in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. Inhabits murky, oxygen-depleted floodplain pools, swamps, and slow-moving streams in lowland …
Lebensraum	Ponds, lakes, slow rivers across East Asia; introduced worldwide. Tolerates wide temperature range (10-30°C) and turbid water. Prefers shallow, vegetated areas with soft substrates. Domestic …	Estuaries

Aquarium Suitability

Eigenschaft	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Mindest-Aquariengröße	150 L	—
Temperatur	10-24	—
pH-Bereich	6.0-8.0	—
Pflegeschwierigkeit	Easy	—
Temperament	Peaceful	—

Angelinformationen

Eigenschaft	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Sportfisch	Ja	Nein
Kampfbewertung	—	—
Weltrekord	—	—
Quecksilbergehalt	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Common Goldfish

Not consumed — a classic ornamental aquarium and pond fish; its vivid color and hardy nature make it one of the world's most popular decorative species.

Electric Eel

Not consumed — an ornamental and scientific novelty species kept in specialized aquarium exhibits; edible in principle but extremely dangerous to handle due to powerful electric discharge.

Species Overview

Common Goldfish

The goldfish was one of the first fish to be domesticated, with selective breeding in China dating back over 1,000 years. Despite common misconceptions, goldfish can live 10-15 years with proper care and require far more space than a small bowl.

Electric Eel

Despite its name, the electric eel is not a true eel but a knifefish. It can generate electrical discharges of up to 860 volts to stun prey and defend itself. About 80% of its body is dedicated to three electric organs.