Help with a fish I saw at Dutch Springs

[jonnythan]

So I saw a fish in Dutch Springs Sunday, and I'm wondering if anyone can help me figure out what it is.

I saw it in about 5 feet of water on the east (I think) end where the pump station is. Underwater it looked to be almost 2 feet long, which probably translates to 12-16 inches. The thing that struck me was that it looked like a giant fantail goldfish. All of the fins were very long and flowing, especially the pectoral and caudal fins. The body was very oblong and the dorsal section very straight. The rear of the fish seemed fairly squared off, as opposed to the structure of a fantail goldfish, which makes me wonder.

Does anyone know about this particular fish? If you've seen it there, I imagine you'd remember...

Wish I had my camera at the time. The housing is in the mail

 

[element]

Sounds like a Koi, a carp type fish. What color was it?

 

[jonnythan]

My first thought was that it was a goldfish. But I've raised many many species of goldfish, and it just didn't look quite right for one. Back was too straight, the rear was too squared and didn't seem to have that portion at the top for the tail muscle, the eyes didn't look quite right. Any other ideas? It was pretty brown.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

jonnythan,
Looking at my official REEF fish identification chart - The only thing that seems to match your description is the Tautog fish. Check out this web site.....http://www.state.me.us/dmr/recreational/fishes/tautog.htm . Hope this helps..........Al

 

[Waterlover]

They're Koi, usually there are 5 of them swimming around...Big ol' gold fish. .......Dash,Taug are salt water fish Dutch is a fresh water quarry...........

 

[jonnythan]

Dash_Riprock once bubbled...
jonnythan,
Looking at my official REEF fish identification chart - The only thing that seems to match your description is the Tautog fish. Check out this web site.....http://www.state.me.us/dmr/recreational/fishes/tautog.htm . Hope this helps..........Al

This is a freshwater quarry

 

[jonnythan]

Waterlover once bubbled...
They're Koi, usually there are 5 of them swimming around...Big ol' gold fish. .......Dash,Taug are salt water fish Dutch is a fresh water quarry...........

Koi have long slender bodies with a flat caudal fin. This fish had a fantail style caudal fin, and the body was short and square..

 

[Soggy]

You might consider moving this to the Marine Life section since PA is definitely not in New England

 

[jonnythan]

Soggy once bubbled...
You might consider moving this to the Marine Life section since PA is definitely not in New England

Oh boo. Most of the dutch springs threads are in the NELD forum. I was hoping to get someone who knew the particular fish I meant because they've seen it.. I don't think I described it well enough to get any good info from the Marine Life forum.

 

[element]

HUMM? If we were called the "New England Koi identification Divers" we'd be called Neked Divers..hee hee hee