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A Tour of China in Winter
Part 6b
The Goldfish Pagoda at Ocean Park, Hong Kong

By Howard Norfolk
Original to Aquarticles.com

The Ocean Park complex in Hong Kong has lots of spectacular aquarium and natural history exhibits as well as exciting rides and amusements, but the one that I liked best was the little Goldfish Pagoda.

 
I entered the Goldfish Pagoda down some steps into a traditional Chinese style building.

Click on photos for enlargements, then go 'BACK'

 
A series of galleries wound around the horseshoe shaped pagoda. The 'pictures' on the walls were really aquariums full of goldfish.
About 120 varieties of goldfish are kept in the Pagoda's breeding and rearing area, with about 45 shown at any one time, on a rotating basis.

  
Each tank displayed a different variety of goldfish, with the name in a frame above. Here is a red & white calico butterfly moor...

...and a black & white calico moor.

       
Some had additional information posted beside them, such as this ryukin.

  
Calico broad tail ryukin....ryukin

     
Blue fantail....marble fantail....white calico fantail

  
Red & white comet....red oranda with white jade stamp

    
Shubunkins...red & white calico wakin

 
A room halfway around the pagoda had some nicely framed aquariums...

...and some unusual cabinet aquariums.

  
There was lots of artwork and information on the walls.

Here is the 'official' History of Chinese Goldfish.

  
China is, of course, where goldfish originated.

  
Another room had a display of art objects that depicted goldfish.

  
The Chinese often incorporate goldfish into their art.

  
In the centre of the building was a garden.

  
The pond had a carefully chosen selection of colourful koi.

The Goldfish Pagoda displays lots of nice fish in a sophisticated manner. It's perhaps not thrilling enough for most people however - I was there for nearly an hour, and during that time only a handful of visitors walked through. Everyone else would rather be riding the "Raging River" or watching the sharks being fed! The Goldfish Pagoda was a calm and peaceful respite from the crowds elsewhere.

End of China Tour in Winter series.
See also (from a previous visit):
Tung Choi. The Amazing Street of Aquarium Stores in Hong Kong

The whole Tour of China in Winter series:
Part 1a: Introduction, and the Tourist Sights of Beijing (Tourist sights)
Part 1b: A Visit to the Beijing Aquarium (Public aquarium)
Part 1c: An Arcade of Aquarium Shops in Beijing (Aquarium shops)
Part 1d: The Beijing Museum of Natural History (Tourist sights)
Part 2a: Xi'an and the Army of Terracotta Warriors (Tourist sights)
Part 2b: An Aquarium Market in Xi'an (Aquarium shops)
Part 3a: The Spectacular Scenery of Guilin (Tourist sights)
Part 3b: A Visit to the Guilin Ocean Aquarium (Public aquarium)
Part 4a: The Space-Age City of Shanghai (Tourist sights)
Part 4b: A Visit to the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (Public aquarium)
Part 4c: Jiangyin Road, a Street of Aquarium Shops in Shanghai (Aquarium shops)
Part 5:   Fish Seen in Chinese Restaurants  (Native fish)
Part 6a: A Photographic Visit to Ocean Park, Hong Kong (Public aquarium)
Part 6b: The Goldfish Pagoda at Ocean Park, Hong Kong (Public aquarium)
See also (after a previous visit to Hong Kong):
Tung Choi. The Amazing Aquarium Store Street in Hong Kong (Aquarium shops)

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