Ranchu (top view Ranchu, TVR or Japanese Ranchu)
Origin
Statement to judges and exhibitors: The Ranchu breed originated in Japan and is considered a top-view goldfish with metallic scales occurring only in red (or orange/yellow), red and white, or white and should be judged separately from all other Ranchu-like, or Ranchu derived fish including side view “Ranchu”, Lionhead’s, Lionchus, Boxerheads, or any other colored fish including black, blue or calico. As a top-view fish, Ranchu are not required to have double anal fins, and no points are deducted for single anal fins, however, breeders should generally select for double anal fins in their breeding program. Judges may handle Ranchu fish and view them from all angles during competitions. No points are allotted on the basis of size, color or color pattern, however judges may consider these factors when placing closely matched fish.
Judging
Schedule of Points: An excellent fish may score 100, maximum deduction per segment is limited to possible (+) points allotted.
Overall balance and deportment 25Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionListing to one side while swimming-5Twisted spine-5Swimming with head tilted up or down-5Rounded shape/Overly compressed body-5Too long and skinny, and lacking rectangular shape-5
Tail 20Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionUndivided tail (only a small split is required)-5Kinked tail rays/twisted or upturned tail lobes-5Thickened, raised tail core-5Weak or drooping tail shoulders/too soft-5Tail angle to peduncle too small or too large-5Tail is vertically compressed (side view type)-5Tail too rigid/inflexible-5Tail is excessively large or small, disproportionate-5
Head 20Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionPointed head shape-5Distance from eyes to mouth is too short-5Underdeveloped head growth(funtan, cheeks, token)-2 per subregionCurled or open gill covers-5Excessive head growth of the wrong type– e.g. Wen covers eyes, shape is not rectangular-5
Back 15Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionIrregular contour—bumps, dips, humps-3 to -5 depending upon severityArch of back is too severe, or too little (flat)-5Dorsal spines, dorsal fin, adipose finDQ
Peduncle 10Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionToo long or too short-5Narrow or pinched-5Lacking obvious oza (bracelet)-5Inserted tail core- tail core may penetrate first row of scales in oza, but any webbing, or deeper insertion is a fault-5
Eyes 5Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionUneven eye placement (top view perspective)-5Uneven size of eyes or pupils-5Protruding eyes (but not telescope)-5Eyes too large or small for size of fish-5Missing eye, telecope eyes, upturned eyes, pinhead small eyes, or pupils, sacs under eyesDQ
Scales 5Fault DescriptionPoint DeductionScales too large, or irregularly sized-5Very irregular pattern-5Multiple missing scales, Raised scales-5Pearlscale or mirror scalesDQAny other scale type or colorDQ
Total Points 100
General Type: To appear strong, thick and rectangular in shape and able to swim powerfully and with ease. Should be balanced and symmetrical from head to tail and side to side.
Tail- The twin tail should be set at approximately a 45 degree angle to the slope of the peduncle. When viewed from above, the leading rays of the caudal fins, or tail “shoulders”, should be roughly perpendicular to the body but preferably sweeping forward such that the contour is slightly curved, and the shoulders should be neither too rigid nor too soft. Ideally, the tips of the lower tail lobes should be flexible enough to bend backward when the fish swims and return to a nearly perpendicular position when at rest. The fin rays do soften with age, so a tosai fish with a slightly rigid tail may improve with age. The lower lobes of the caudals should also be angled downward enough that they will propel the fish forward with ease, but still be fully visible from above. The tail should be partially divided, but the split should only be between 30% – 50% complete. The tail core, or connection between the two caudals, should not appear raised or thickened, which would suggest fusion of more than the two adjacent rays. The size of the tail should be in balance with the size of the head and body and never so large that it appears collapsed or drooping.
Head- The head should be broad, long and square so as to accentuate the overall rectangular appearance. The width between the eyes and the distance from the eyes to the mouth should be maximized. The headgrowth, or wen, should be neat and contribute to the rectangular symmetry. The wen should appear in discreet, refined sections including the top of the head (token), the front of the face on either side of the mouth (funtan), under the eyes and over the cheeks. The wen should never cover the eyes, and should not be so developed as to appear like a snowball.
Back- The back should appear thick, muscular and long enough that the abdomen does not appear compressed or excessively rounded. The effect should be rectangular, and not pear shaped. The spine should be straight from head to tail and not crooked or twisted. Individual ranchu will vary in length, but the overall symmetry and balance should be prioritized over the body size alone. Although a top-view fish, any apparent bumps or dips in the back are a fault. The back should curve smoothly from the head to the peduncle and no “ryukin-like” hump should be visible. Any partial dorsal fins or spines are a disqualification.
Peduncle- The peduncle is the distal portion of the spine where the caudal fins are attached. The peduncle should appear thick and rounded and as a natural continuation of the line of the back. The peduncle should be neither too short nor too long. If the peduncle is too short, the tail angle will be too small and the fish will not swim properly. If the peduncle is too long, the fish will appear narrower at the hind end, detracting from the rectangular shape. The peduncle may slope downward more steeply than the rest of the back, often called the “tail tuck”. This sudden slope correction can improve the tail set, particularly in longer-bodied fish. A good peduncle allows the tail shoulders to be close to the body, and nearly touching the abdomen, when viewed from above. The peduncle should remain rounded all the way to the tail, and should not be pinched at the end. An unbroken ring of upward facing scales should be apparent at the juncture with the caudal fin; this is called the oza or bracelet. The medial rays of the caudal fin, tail core, should not be inserted into the oza beyond the first row of this ring of scales, and when it does break all the way through the oza, it is considered a fault.
Eyes- Eyes should be normal sized, symmetrical and visible (from the side). The wen should not cover the eyes. The size of the eyes should be proportionate to the body size, giving the fish a natural and alert expression. The iris should appear metallic and may be silver or red/yellow-orange. Protruding eyes are a fault and fully telescoped, or upturned eyes are a disqualification. Very small, pinhead type eyes are a disqualification. Very small or unmatched pupil sizes are also a fault.
Scales- Scales are to be small and neatly arranged and should not be missing in patches. Some irregularly placed, larger scales along the back are not uncommon, but these are not preferred. Mirror scales, pearl scales or any other mutant scale types are a disqualification.