The
Migrating Goldfish (
Carassius salus), is a small gold colored fish, that sometimes can have a pinkish tone. It is the only known saltwater member of the carp fish family. It is also the only known carp fish that is able to fly. Native to the
West Coral Sea and the fjords of north eastern
Greenland (
Independence, Hagen, Danmark) and the
Wandel Sea.
In February, every seventh year great shoals of goldfish gathers in the West Coral Sea and then takes to the air and flies north to the northeastern Greenland fjords to spawn and lay their eggs, afterwards they perish by exhaustion.
The spawn lives in the fjord the first year, but migrates to the
Wandel Sea around year
two. The goldfish fry are at this stage small and grey and has not yet gotten its vibrant
colors. During the years they find their way south to the
West Coral Sea where they
during the years five to six gets their golden and pink colors, and by the seventh year they fly north like their parents to create the next generation. The migration is a sight to behold, but it is problematic for shipping and aviation.
The last goldfish migration was in
1995, while the biggest goldfish migration recorded occurred in
1890.
