Common Goldfish vs Electric Eel

Carassius auratus comparado com Electrophorus electricus

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Nome Científico	Carassius auratus	Electrophorus electricus
Ordem	Cypriniformes	Gymnotiformes
Família	Cyprinidae	Gymnotidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Comprimento Máximo	45,0 cm	250,0 cm
Peso Máximo	2,0 kg	20,0 kg
Cor	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

Atributo	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Tipo de Água	Brackish	Freshwater
Faixa de Profundidade	0-20m	—
Distribuição Geográfica	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 …
Habitat	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

Atributo	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Tamanho Mínimo do Aquário	150 L	—
Temperatura	10-24	—
Faixa de pH	6.0-8.0	—
Nível de Cuidado	Easy	—
Temperamento	Peaceful	—

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Common Goldfish	Electric Eel
Peixe Esportivo	Sim	Não
Classificação de Resistência	—	—
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

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.