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Is Goldfish kosher?

Yes — Goldfish is kosher under Jewish dietary law.

Goldfish has fins and scales, which are the two requirements for kosher fish under Jewish dietary law (Leviticus 11:9-12).

Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Image: Photo by לינה אבוגוש · licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Scientific name
Carassius auratus
Also known as
Goldfish Carp
Habitat
Freshwater ponds, lakes, slow-moving rivers
Kosher status
Kosher

About Goldfish

See: Carps The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of the order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have become an invasive pest in parts of North America and Australia. Native to China, the goldfish is a relatively small member of the genus Carassius (which also includes the Prussian carp and the crucian carp). It was first selectively bred for color in imperial China more than 1,000 years ago, where several distinct breeds were developed. Goldfish breeds vary greatly in size, body shape, fin configuration, and coloration. Various combinations of white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black are known. The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of the order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have become an invasive pest in parts of North America and Australia. Native to China, the goldfish is a relatively small member of the genus Carassius (which also includes the Prussian carp and the crucian carp). It was first selectively bred for color in imperial China more than 1,000 years ago, where several distinct breeds were developed. Goldfish breeds vary greatly in size, body shape, fin configuration, and coloration. Various combinations of white, yellow, orange, red, brown, and black are known. History Various species of carp (collectively known as Asian carp) have been bred and reared as food fish for thousands of years in East Asia. Some of these normally gray or silver species have a tendency to produce red, orange, or yellow color mutations; this was first recorded in Imperial China, during the Jin dynasty (266–420). During the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907), it was popular to raise carp in ornamental ponds and water gardens. A natural...

Source: kosherfish.co/kosher-fish-list (snapshot 2025-12-19); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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