After years of hunting I now have the original 1908 publication of this and ~12 other classic Japanese goldfish in my library. I have them as a stand alone publication but now I have the fisheries bureau publication! #goldfishunion #goldfishofinstagram #goldfishbreeder #goldfishkeeper

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Troubling Times

Obituary: Dr Joe Smartt

From: Practical Fish Keeping

Copyright © Ray Rich

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of the goldfish expert Dr Joe Smartt.

Joe passed away peacefully at the Grange Nursing Home, Hedge End, Hampshire, on Friday June 7 in his 82nd year following a long illness which was stoically borne.

Joe was born in West Ham, London, on September 9th, 1931 and was educated at the nearby Forest Gate primary school. He gained degrees and qualifications at Durham, Cambridge and North Carolina Universities and, after working in Africa on a number of significant plant breeding programmes, he was offered a lectureship in genetics at Southampton University in 1967 and in 1990 he achieved the status of Reader in Biology.

Southampton University also honoured Joe by awarding him a DSC in 1989 for his work on the genetics and evolution of crop plants. In 1996, after 29 years of loyal service and distinguished research in evolutionary biology, Joe retired from the University.

Joe had a lifelong passion for all kinds of music and traditional  instruments, steam trains, goldfish breeding and judging, and folk dancing; he was the founder of the University's first Morris men troop, the Red Stags.

Joe was clearly a man of many parts and The Goldfish Society of Great Britain has been very fortunate in benefiting from his friendship and work on Goldfish genetics. He joined the Society in 1984 and began his regular contributions to the Bulletin, largely on Goldfish genetics, in 1986; stopping only 3-4 years ago when his health deteriorated.

He became the Society’s Scientific Adviser in 1988 and in acknowledgement of his work on Goldfish genetics he was awarded a Fellowship in 2000. He published two books on Goldfish genetics which, as far as I am aware, are the only books on Goldfish genetics written in English.

The books are "Goldfish Breeding and Genetics", written jointly with James (Jimmy) Bundell and "Goldfish Varieties and Genetics" which has "text book" status.

He was also a regular contributor to the Practical Fishkeeping magazine.

In 2006 he achieved the Society’s highest accolade by being appointed our President, which was followed by the award of Life Membership in 2009.

One of the World’s gentlemen, Dr Joe will be greatly missed by his family and friends throughout the world and in particular by his "goldfish friends" in the UK and the USA.

Our thoughts are with Joe’s wife Pam and his daughters Helena and Frances and his brother Tony at this sad time.

Published: John Parker Monday 24 June 2013, 10:53 pm
Views: 563 times
Filed under: obituary Joe Smartt goldfish expert genetics 

Goldfish varieties and genetics: a handbook for breeders

Goldfish varieties and genetics: 

a handbook for breeders 

A new book for the garage. 

Here it is from Amazon.

The goldfish, Carassius auratus, a member of the Carp family, Cyprinidae, has been domesticated for many hundreds of years, as a food fish, a laboratory animal and now most important commercially, for ornamental and aesthetic purposes. There are now many scores of recognised varieties, which have been produced over time by selection processes and other methods described in detail in this stimulating book.

Goldfish Varieties and Genetics covers all major aspects relating to goldfish breeding and genetics in a readable and user-friendly style. An account is presented of the domestication and evolution of the goldfish, including comprehensive details of the relevant genetic and biological principles involved in the development strategies and production of new varieties. The book also covers the subject of goldfish appreciation and the international significance of goldfish shows and show standards. The book concludes with an exciting forward look at the potential evolutionary future for the goldfish.


This important and timely book brings together, for the first time, a wealth of scientific information, presented in a clear and understandable manner by Dr Joseph Smartt, who has many years' experience working in fish genetics and breeding. The book is a must-have purchase for all serious goldfish breeders, hobbyists and dealers, fish biologists and geneticists, aquarium keepers and aquaculture personnel.


The author, Joseph Smartt is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK.

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