World Record Goldfish: Discover the world's largest goldfish
↓ Keep reading to watch this amazing video
Goldfish are the most popular pets in the world. Rather, people buy more goldfish than dogs each year. Approximately 480 million units are sold each year. When most people think of goldfish, they immediately think of a fishbowl on the counter with a tiny goldfish swimming around in it. They were dead wrong. In fact, you'd be surprised to learn the size of the largest goldfish ever recorded in the world.
By the end of November 2022, news of a historic goldfish catch is hitting headlines around the world. The huge orange catch broke records not only because of the size of the fish but also because it largely eluded fishermen for about two decades. This article covers everything you need to know about this goldfish. "
Discovery – the place of discovery

© dien/Shutterstock.com
The world's largest goldfish, nicknamed "the carrot" online, was caught at the popular Bluewater Lake. Bluewater is located in the Champagne-Ardennes region of France. Bluewater Lakes is one of the most famous fisheries in the world, allowing anglers to fish privately. The site is known for its heavy catches, with fish weighing 70 or 90 pounds. Fisheries manager Jason Cowley explained that they put the fish in the lake more than two decades ago.
The unique goldfish rarely shows up and manages to elude anglers for a long time. It continues to grow, and its rich orange color makes it the most distinctive fish in the lake. The giant goldfish is a hybrid of leather carp and koi goldfish. Weighing 67 pounds, it broke all previous records and now holds the title of world's largest goldfish. Bluewater Lakes reports that the unique fish is in good condition and can live up to 15 years, with the ability to grow even larger.
Who Caught The Biggest Goldfish?
A British angler named Andy Hackett caught the one-of-a-kind goldfish. We don't know much about Hackett other than the fact that he is a 42-year-old company manager from Kidderminster, Worchestire. Hackett has always known carrots in France's Blue Water Lagoon. While he was determined to catch the fish, Hackett wasn't sure he would until he did.
How the world's largest goldfish was caught
According to the "Daily Mail" report, Hackett believes that his record-breaking catch is entirely due to luck, not necessarily superb fishing skills. Hackett said he knew the fish was big as soon as he got on the line. It took him 25 minutes to reel it in due to its sheer size, and when the fish surfaced about 40 yards, Hackett noticed it was orange. He had no idea how big the catch was until he pulled it out of the water. He landed the prized fish on November 3, 2022. After taking pictures of the fish, Hackett released it back into the water and celebrated with friends.
How big is the largest goldfish in the world?
This giant goldfish weighs a staggering 67 pounds . While it's still not the largest fish Bluewater Lakes has ever caught, it's still a staggering size, especially for a goldfish. The carrot goldfish was 30 pounds bigger than Minnesota fisherman Jason Fugate caught in Brainerd Lake in 2019. Fugate caught a giant orange buffalo that weighed 33.1 pounds and was about 38 inches long. This particular fish is even older than the goldfish carrot, with an estimated age of around 100 years.
The carrots are also 30 pounds larger than the bright orange large koi that Raphael Biagini caught in France in 2010. At the time, it was considered one of the largest catches of its kind in the wild. It's safe to say that recent harvests of carrots have surpassed both records.
How big can a goldfish grow?

©iStock.com/Foto_by_M
In a standard home tank, you don't have to worry about your goldfish growing to monstrous sizes. Pet goldfish need a diet rich in protein and minerals to grow. But even with the best food, they probably won't grow into giants. They need a lot of space to grow to a large size. In an aquarium, goldfish average a maximum size of about 0.06 pounds and are about 1 to 2 inches long. This is several times smaller than what they grow in the wild. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the record for the longest pet goldfish is about 18.7 inches.
In fact, many people prefer to keep their goldfish small because of the aesthetic benefits. Pet breeds are bred specifically for this purpose and cannot grow as large as species in the wild.
At the end of the day, goldfish only grow because of their environment and the type of food they get. Wild goldfish are surrounded by many food sources, few predators, and less competition. So it's no surprise that they tend to grow so large, especially when left alone for a decade or more. Goldfish in a fish tank or aquarium will grow according to the surrounding conditions.
Things You Should Know About Goldfish
Catching a giant goldfish is always something to be admired. Not only is it a testament to the fisherman's impressive skill, but it gives us a deeper understanding of how wild nature thrives, especially when animals thrive undisturbed.
Biagini, Hackett and Fugate's extraordinary catch proves that when goldfish thrive, they can grow to stunning sizes and their lifespans can multiply — even up to 40 years. Aside from a considerable size difference, giant goldfish are not much different from regular-sized goldfish. They have just as much intelligence and share the same traits that have fascinated scientists for decades.
Carrots are a type of goldfish from the golden crucian carp that has been known to grow to jaw-dropping sizes. In the case of the carrot goldfish and other species found in 2010 and 2019, these fish had all been in the water for more than 15 years.
Of course, that doesn't mean you should throw your pet goldfish into public waterways, rivers or lakes. In fact, scientists warn against it because pet goldfish can be problematic for aquatic ecosystems wherever they thrive. Small fish tend to uproot the bottom sediment in the water, resulting in poor water quality. These environmental problems are exacerbated by the fact that they can grow to gigantic sizes in the wild when they have sufficient resources and few predators. Their droppings can outcompete native fish and trash waters.
in conclusion
It's not known if anyone will beat Hackett's extraordinary achievement anytime soon. However, with science proving how quickly goldfish grow in the wild and the general reality that all records will eventually be surpassed, it may only be a matter of time before another giant goldfish is found. While we'll enjoy the thrills here, the warnings of scientists not to throw goldfish into the ocean must be heeded.
next
- Crocodile World Records: Largest crocodile ever found
- Catfish World Records: Largest catfish ever discovered
- Discover the largest manta ray ever seen
More from AZ Animals
featured image

© Yana Art/Shutterstock.com
about the author
Abdulmumin is a pharmacist and a top-notch content writer who can write about just about anything that can be researched on the internet. However, he particularly enjoys writing about animals, nature and health. He loves animals, especially horses, and hopes to own one someday.
Thanks for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the 10hunting.com editorial team.
source
- The Washington Post (1970) washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/22/giant-goldfish-caught-france/
- (1970)