How & When

學之易，時之藝 

Learning "how" is simple; mastering "when" is art. 

Sakura season in Japan

Leaving my pearlscale fry behind as I embarked on a family holiday to Tokyo felt unthinkable. The fish, in their larval stage, were as delicate as soap bubbles, demanding round-the-clock feeds and meticulous water changes to secure their future form. Yet this trip had been booked months ago—a quiet window I had reserved for calm, not frantic otter-proofing or emergency spawns to salvage a bloodline 😓

Entrusting them to my parents became my last resort. Though well-meaning, their care leaned toward enthusiastic excess. I simplified instructions into bulletproof points: 
- Hatch brine shrimp daily. 
- Feed every four hours. 
- Scoop waste. 
- Change water gently.
- Shelter if rain. 

 Otter & weather proofing

ponds with Pearlscale fry

For someone who had never babysat young goldfish fry before, being handed such a critical task last-minute, their stress was palpable. However, raising goldfish is an art based on intuition and experience, not formulas. It’s easy to explain how to act, but not when to read distress in a flick of a fin. 

Baby Dragon Pearlscale
7 days old when I left
them for Tokyo (20th March)

Their updates trickled in: “All fine!” or “The babies seem hungry—did we feed enough?” “In that case, just give them a bit more, but don’t overfeed”, I replied. Then cue the inevitable: “How much is too much?” ... 😅Better to nurture their confidence than drown them in panic with more intuitive guidance. I resolved to restraint: “Mom, forget what I said… stick to the original plan.” If they perished, so be it. 隨緣 — surrendering to fate’s flow. Perhaps my parents would find their own rhythm in this caretaking dance. 

Baby Dragon Pearlscale 16 days old upon my return (29th March)

When I returned from the week-long trip, the pond shimmered with quiet vitality. Peering close, plump Pearlescale fry zipped past, unaware of their fragility or the legacy they carried. My throat tightened with gratitude. 隨緣, I whispered. Fate’s tide had carried them through my parents’ imperfect yet wholehearted care. The bloodline, still quivering like a spider’s thread, held. For now, it endured. 🤞

Maybe next time, I’ll share glimpses of my Japan trip—where goldfish have been revered for centuries. Stay tuned… but first, these little lives (and many more at the farm) need tending. 



On a related note: 

Last thing I want to see in my
Tokyo vacation...😡

I have received the standard advisory reply from the National Parks Board (Nparks) about the otter saga - the familiar recommendations about otter-proofing and maintaining safe distances. While I appreciate these guidelines, I wonder if we might consider a more balanced approach to this growing urban wildlife challenge.

Wildlife conservation is important, and otters certainly deserve protection - but so do our ornamental fish, beloved ones, and sanity. Their increasing presence in urban areas, far from natural habitats, suggests overpopulation. Driven by shrinking territory and food shortages, they’ve turned our neighborhoods into their new hunting grounds — and our ponds into their all-you-can-eat buffets. 

The mouth and head of this poor fish was half
eaten but it was still alive... I have
no choice but to euthanatize it 😓

Otters are ruthless predators, leaving fish keepers devastated by their brutal hunting habits. Unlike natural predators that kill for sustenance, otters slaughter far beyond their needs - gorging themselves before cruelly mutilating the remaining fish. They leave behind half-eaten corpses, bite off chunks of flesh for sport, or toss their victims out of the water to rot.

There's a irony in our current situation: Rather than observing otters in wildlife reserves, we've found ourselves living in what feels like a reverse zoo. Homeowners are forced to construct cumbersome barriers - unsightly mesh cages, dug-in fencing, and other fortifications that transform our homes into something resembling enclosure exhibits. In this peculiar zoo, we're the ones in cages, while the otters roam free.

There's a fundamental imbalance here: I didn't choose to live near wildlife habitats - the wildlife has chosen to frequent urban spaces. As many frustrated residents can attest, even the most diligent otter-proofing measures often fail against these intelligent creatures that can dig, climb and swim past most barriers.

Half-eaten corpses

In balanced ecosystems, predator populations self-regulate. As apex predators without natural enemies in our urban environment, and with legal protections in place, otter populations face few constraints. This imbalance could lead to declining fish populations in our waterways, potentially leading to the increase in insects like mosquitoes and new public health considerations.

Safety concerns are also emerging. Territorial by nature and protective of their young, otters have already been involved in incidents resulting in human injuries. An accidental encounter with an otter family could have serious consequences, particularly for vulnerable groups like children or seniors, maybe even our furry pets.

Otters kill brutally & beyond what
they need for food

I urge all residents here who have experienced otter-related issues to provide feedback to NParks at 1800-476-1600. With more voices highlighting these concerns, we may be able to alert the authority to adopt more constructive solutions that protect both our urban wildlife and our community spaces (Because at this rate, the otters might start demanding voting rights next.)😜

After all, the goal isn't to eliminate otters from our city, but to ensure all species - including humans - can coexist in proper balance.

Ottering Devastating

The only thing worst than an otter is 2 otters.

– Someone saw 3...😓

my mistake to underestimate the otters

This year started with the kind of drama that makes you wonder if the universe has a personal vendetta against you. First, there were family matters—delicate, emotional, and not something I’ll dive into here. Suffice it to say, it was a difficult time juggling emotions and responsibilities I never anticipated.  

Just when I thought things were settling down, nature decided to up the ante. Enter: the otters. Yes, otters. Those "adorable," fluffy, Instagram-worthy pests that everyone loves? Turns out, they’re also ruthless, fish-eating ninjas. After 40 years in this neighborhood, I never imagined I’d be waging war against wildlife. But here we are.  

The first otter attack was a gut punch. In one night, nearly my entire Dragon Eyes Pearlscale bloodline—a labor of love spanning almost two decades—was wiped out. Poof. Gone. It was like watching 20 years of work get flushed down the drain, except the drain was a gang of hyper-efficient aquatic predators.  


I didn’t have time to despair. I immediately stimulated my remaining Pearlscales to spawn, hoping to salvage what was left of the bloodline. Otters are protected by law in Singapore, so we can’t trap or retaliate against these pests in any way. To keep them out, I reinforced the pond perimeter with higher fences and weighed down the protective netting with heavy bricks. Then, a glimmer of hope. One week after the first attack, some of my fish spawned, and I collected the eggs. Maybe, just maybe, I could rebuild.  

Video recorded last month... All these RIP 😭😭😭

But the otters wasn’t done with me. The very next day, they returned. They scaled the higher fences, tore through the reinforced netting, and decimated my remaining breeding stock. It was like a bad sequel to a movie I never wanted to watch in the first place.  

a few beacon of hope...

So now, I’m back to the drawing board, thinking of better otter exclusion measures and hoping for the best with the last spawn. These eggs are my final shot at saving my Dragon Eyes Pearlscale bloodline. 

Maybe luck will be on my side, and they’ll escape the brink of extinction this time. But all good things must end someday. My creation will vanish eventually when I am too old to keep the bloodline alive. Yet, if they do disappear, it won’t be because I didn’t try while I still could.

So, here’s to hoping, persevering, and maybe praying for a few more miracles. Life’s challenges—whether family, otters, or both — can’t break you unless you let them. I’ve done everything I can. Now, it’s up to fate.

The Farm, the Fish, and the Passion

 

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.
~ Walter Bagehot, English journalist and economist

The farm is my heaven and haven

I

High quality butterflies

t’s been a while since I last wrote. Life, as it often does, took its course—between running the goldfish business and managing the farm, I found myself consumed by the day-to-day operations. Writing? That was something I kept putting off. But recently, I had come to realised that I had forgotten why I started all this in the first place. It wasn’t just about running a business—it was about my passion for aquatics.

I began as a hobbyist. Watching goldfish grow, creating new varieties of goldfish and ornamental fish, and seeing the delicate balance of an aquarium thrive—that was what excited me. Over time, my hobby became a full-time job. The work was rewarding, but I realized I was losing touch with the joy that originally fueled me.

One of my new creation hybrid endler (poecilia wingei) popular with nano tank hobbyists

Now, in this semi-retirement phase, I’ve decided to slow down and refocus. The farm is still thriving, but I’ve freed up some time to reflect and reconnect with the hobby that started it all. Not just goldfish, but guppies and other ornamental fishes too. I’ve been breeding various ornamental fishes for some time now, experimenting with the challenges of hard-to-breed varieties and creating new varieties. There’s something thrilling about seeing a unique new breed come to life—a fish that didn’t exist before, born from careful breeding and attention to detail. It’s one of the things that keeps me excited about this journey.

This blog is about more than just the fish breeding process; it’s about the joy of living your passion. I’m excited to share these stories and lessons with you—because this is more than just business for me. It’s about living a life I love, doing what I’m passionate about, and sharing a wonderful hobby and how to do it right.

Thank you for joining me again. I’m looking forward to sharing more with you.

The SingPost Goldfish Definitive Stamps 2019

Be like a postage stamp, stick to one thing until you get there.
~ Josh Billings

SingPost recently launched Singapore’s 2019 goldfish definitive stamps. I am honoured that the image of one of my goldfish was featured in the 1st Local and Local Stamp Book designs.

The image is of a Telescope Eye (a.k.a Dragon Eye) Pearlscale that has been on the main banner of my Facebook page for some years. Born and bred in 2010 in Singapore, it won first prize in the Pearlscale class at the 2011 Aquarama International Goldfish Competition. This uniquely Singaporean creation was the product of a breeding program that I had begun in 2006.

Tank view of the First Local Stamp Pearlscale

The basic features of the Pearlscale are a roundish body and pearl-like protruding scales, from which the breed derives its name. The more commonly available strains are the Ping-pong Pearlscale and the Crown Pearlscale.

The idea of creating a new strain came about in 2005. I wanted to set myself tougher challenges in the goldfish hobby and was determined to refute critics who believed it impossible to produce quality goldfish in tropical Singapore. Thus was the blueprint of the new variety conceived, based upon the Pearlscale variety - one of the most demanding goldfish to properly cultivate.

A big pearlscale from the Little Red Dot:
Size from the top view of the First Local Stamp Pearlscale

My dream was to develop a Pearlscale with an adorable rounded body and short tail; and exotic oriental features in the form of dragon (telescopic) eyes, pom poms (velvety narial bouquets), and topped off with a mini crown. I also wished for it to have a multitude of colour variations and the potential to achieve an impressive size.

It does not take much imagination to realise that my ideas would be accompanied by a engineering challenge - a fish with a short tail on one end having the daunting task of powering a plumpish body which would sport the heavy payloads of dragon eyes, pom poms and a crown at the other end. Balance had to be achieved through careful selective breeding for the optimal backbone structure, body-head-tail proportions, eye size, tail shape and angle. This was important to allow the fish to swim with grace and refined deportment, and live a healthy dignified life.

Dragon Eye Pom Pom Crown Pearlscale came to life in 2013

A goldfish breeding programme is a long term project. It entails knowledge of goldfish genetics and show standards, water quality management, contingency planning, ample pond space and the commitment to track the development of the bloodline.

In livestock breeding, a stable bloodline is one that exhibits a high consistency of desired traits over generations. Outcrossing - ie mixing with unrelated strains or bloodlines - is necessary to introduce new desired features to the baseline pearlscale variety.

Power of the dream

However, outcrossing is akin to shuffling a deck of hitherto ordered cards - once done, it is difficult to predict the hand that will next be dealt. Stable and desired traits may diminish or even disappear in the new hybrid offspring. A bad decision in outcrossing or casualties in brood stock can have catastrophic - or even show stopping - consequences for the whole breeding programme.

Tank view of a Singapore Dragon Eye Pom Pom Crown Pearlscale in 2015

If the outcross proves promising, back-crossing - breeding the new outcrossed hybrid back to the original stable line - is done to reinforce any original desired traits “diluted” by the outcross. This process may take multiple iterations over years before the new bloodline stabilises. As such, preserving the “last working version” is crucial so that there is no need to return to square one, when things go awry.

Creating a new goldfish variety is a long game of patience with no guarantee of success. The journey was at times lonely, with few fans or believers when it began with the first generation in 2005. Singapore’s tropical climate has allowed me to breed up to 3 generations of goldfish a year (as compared to only one generation in spring for temperate climates like China’s or Japan’s). But even with the quickened progress, it took years to stabilised the new variety.

2019 Dragon Eye Pom Pom Pearl babies 5 month old

As of the time of writing in December 2019, this labour of love has endured for over a decade. Having given many of my best years to the cause, it all seems worthwhile whenever I see specimens developing nicely.

Whilst still less known here at home (at least before the stamps were launched!) the Telescope Eye Pearlscale has gained recognition internationally as a uniquely Singapore variety.

However, the quest for “pearl-fection” is a continuing passion and I would hope to continue enhancing the breed for as long as I possibly can.

My heartfelt thanks once again to SingPost for showcasing my work in the prominent way that they have!

You may purchase the Singapore goldfish definitive stamp set and Stamp Book from shop.singpost.com


Check out some of my blog articles:

My Goldfish Breeding Journey:
~ Dream of a Goldfish Fanatic
~ Aquarama 2011
~ Balance

~ Real & Imaginary
~ Culling & Selective Breeding 

My Goldfish Artworks:

~ Serenity
~ A Minute on Stage is 10 Years of Hard Work
~ The Art of Patience
~ 5 minute Pearlscale

Enjoy more than 100 goldfish articles posted in Goldfish ArtQuatics!!!

Weaving Roots ~ 扎根

卓越是由掌握基本面实现的。

Excellence is achieved by the mastery of the fundamentals.
~ Vince Lombardi

Phyllostachys edulis is an amazing variety of bamboo. The young shoots of the bamboo takes 4 years to grow a mere 3 cm. However, from the 5th year onwards, it grows 30 cm everyday. Within 6 weeks, it reaches 15 metres and became a towering bamboo tree! Most people only see the amazing changes in the last 6 weeks but were not aware that the secret to this amazing feat lies in the first 4 years.

Spawn B 46 days old

The first 4 years of the bamboo was not spent idling; it was actually weaving a vast network of roots deeply (扎根) and firmly onto the ground over hundreds of metres, building a strong base foundation for future growth. While the spirit of the bamboo is frequently used to refer to one who persevere to grasp the basic foundation before aiming for greater heights in the future, it is also an allusion that patience is needed to make a good piece of craft or artwork.

In the art of making Ranchu, we know the importance of good progressive growth for the BBR. However, making Ranchu is not only about water changing and pushing aggressively for growth. As the body of the Ranchu is the easiest and fastest to develop, the overall proportions of a Ranchu can be distorted easily if the head and tail development are neglected. 

Spawn B 56 days old

Veteran Japanese Ranchu keepers often emphasize on the importance of a good foundation and balance rather than to push too aggressively for growth. Accordingly, a balance growth rate allows time for the fish to build the density of its tissues and bones gradually so that they will be healthy and beautiful throughout their adult life. Ranchus that are grown in a more controlled pace will also have a more refine finishing as well. 

Spawn B 85 days old

The advance of fish food technology and the use of greenhouse to breed ranchus earlier in the year are the main reasons that tosai ranchus are getting bigger in the All Japan Ranchu Show (AJRS) held annually on 3rd November. Nevertheless, in recent years, the Japan Ranchu Association (JRA) has imposed a curb on the size of tosai in the AJRS. Oversized tosai Ranchu bigger than 16cm are deemed oversized and called HIDAI-GYO(肥大魚), literally meant "fat and big fish", they are disqualified immediately and will not be judged in the AJRS.

References on keeping Japanese Ranchu:

~ The Allure of the Japanese Ranchu

~ How to use salt

SG50 - Happy Golden Jubilee Singapore!!! 新加坡金禧年

多數人放棄是因爲他們看到的衹是還有很長的路要走，而不是他們已走了很長的路。
~ 匿名


The reason most people give up so fast is that they look at how far they still have to go, instead of how far they have come. 
~ Anonymous

Just last week, I discovered one of my pearlscales in a breeder pond has developed a little crown head wen. This is no coincident as I had created my new variety from the Chinese crown pearlscale, what that's more interesting was that the head crown phenotype had been inhibited for quite a number of years before it resurface again. 

In recent years, I have been focusing on the tail structure and pearl scaling and have not paid very much attention on the head crown. My thought was that once the finnages and scaling are stable, I can cross them with the crown pearlscale again to re-construct the head crown.

I was really elated that after 10 years, my dream creation with all the characteristics I aspire - pearl scaling, dragon eyes, pompon complete with head crown has finally congregated in a single fish. A rare specimen that exhibits good finnages and complete balance. It is an example of how aesthetics can be harmonized with structural balance. I cannot describe how happy I am :))

This weekend, on the 9th of August 2015, Singaporeans will be celebrating 50 years of our national building. How timely that this fish has arrived for another good reason for celebration. I am proud that this new variety has been acknowledged by a few goldfish dignitaries in China. I hope that my crowned dragon eye pompon pearlscale will be known as a goldfish uniquely made in Singapore :))

In this Golden Jubilee year for Singapore, my wish is for fellow Singaporeans to forge a stronger sense of national pride and identity based on the virtues of trustworthiness, perseverance, efficiency and hard work.  

Happy 50th birthday Singapore!!!

Bountiful Harvest ~ 豐收年

A beautiful Lunar New Year
red packet with auspicious goldfish

給我6小時砍倒一棵樹，我將會花前四個小時磨斧頭。
~林肯

Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
~ Abraham Lincoln

Star stud 2015

The first quarter of the year is usually my busiest due to the Ranchu breeding season. This year, the first Ranchu spawn happened on 10th of January. On one hand, I am happy that the spawn sizes are bigger than previous years, but on the other hand, I am worried about the time and effort required to raise these unprecedented size of Ranchu spawns. 



Though I had managed much larger spawn sizes with my Pearlscales, raising the Japanese Ranchu requires far more time and effort. So I stopped after collecting 8 spawns as I do not want to bite more than I can chew. The lack of space and food can easily stunt very young fries, rendering irreversible effects on their future development and all efforts will go down the drain. 

Another seed pair of my bloodline
red -male, red-white - female

Quick snap of a spawn A this morning

This is a very exciting Ranchu year for me not only for having the spawn sizes that I have always craved for, but also my most important seed male that sired a few spawns is one with big and strong frame, a feature not so common for male fishes (at least for my Ranchu bloodline). I had always thought that it was a female when it was younger due to its size and broader features. This fish had also done me proud by winning the East Torishimari (4th position) in the OARS Tosai class. With better seed parent fishes and more spawns, I hope to do better than last year.

Spawned: 24th Jan 2015
Video: 17 Feb 2015

Tomorrow (19th February) marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year of the Goat and an extra long weekend to enjoy the festive holidays. This also means that the daphnia supplier will be on holiday too. This is one of the most challenging and busy period for me to ensure that the fries have alternative food sources and continue to grow at a steady momentum. It is a strange dilemma every Lunar New Year that I always look forward to the family reunion and festive mood, and yet also hope that the holidays will be over soon so that my precious BBRs can once again feast on their favourite daphnia. 

I would like to wish all a very happy, healthy and prosperous Lunar New Year!

Tora Oranda (Tiger Oranda) ~ 虎紋獅

朋友影射自己。

Your friends are a reflection of yourself.
~ Elizabeth George


3.5 months old Tora Oranda

The calico goldfish (五花) was created by crossing a transparent scale (透明鱗) goldfish with a metallic scale (正常鱗) goldfish. As such, the calico goldfish spots some hard metallic scales over matte-transparent scales. In some cases, metallic scales congregated in clusters and create interesting reflective effects. Hence, the term reflective scales (反光鱗) are also used broadly nowadays. 

A pair from the same spawn having sky-blue patches and red head wen

Calico goldfish has very random and varied combinations of black, orange, yellow, brown, red, white and even sky-blue coloration, likened to a painting canvas decorated with impressionistic hues of intermingling colours. It is no doubt, my favorite colour pattern!

Another of same spawn with lesser black markings

My recent outcross of the Chinese calico oranda with the Thai black (nacreous scale) oranda yields various different and interesting colour patterns within the same spawn. Many of which spotted the tiger-liked decorations with orange base and black markings. I hope some can grow real big and majestic like a tiger ;-)

I am also selling some excess fishes in my sales blog.

Focused... ... ...

Sapporo TV Tower

Life is like a Camera...
Focus on what is important,
Capture the good times,
Develop from the negatives,
And if things don't work out,
Take another shot.
~ author unknown

I had a great family vacation in Hokkaido where I was once again immense and impressed by the Japanese culture. The Japanese's passion for detail and quality is evidence in almost everything made-in-Japan from fruits, wagyu beef, gift wrapping, cuisines, even the toilet bowl and of course, the Ranchu! I know what comes to most people's mind - nope, I didn't manage to bring back any Ranchus for it seems that only food fishes are popular in Hokkaido :((

MIFY 2014

Every year, the cyclical routine of Ranchu breeding, Pearlscale breeding, Oozeki Ranchu Club Tosai Study meetings (MIFY) swashed by and before long, the Oozeki Ranchu Show (OARS) on New Year's Day would prelude yet another new cycle of goldfish activities. Back home in Singapore, as the year-end monsoon brings good respite from the tropical heat, I am kept busy with preparing the seed Ranchus for the breeding season.

Pearl breeding pair

2015 will be my 12th consecutive year of breeding the Japanese Ranchu and as usual, it is my resolution to better myself in Ranchu breeding than the previous year. I have some interesting experiments for the coming Ranchu breeding project, but first of all, lets hope for a few healthy and big spawns to play with. 

Well, even if things don't work out as plan for my Ranchu breeding, there is always the Aquarama 2015 to look forward to. How not to feel excited for 2015? :-))

Seed Females for 2015

I wish all readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

14th Oozeki Ranchu Show (OARS)
Hong Lim Green Community Centre
12pm ~ 3pm

Efficiency ~ 效率

如果对你真的很重要，你会找到一个方法。 要不，你将会找到一个借口。

If it is important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse.
~ Unknown

A baby black dragon eyes pearl
that I am monitoring closely

Thanks to the concern from some readers about my well being since I have not been active in this blog for quite a while. Rest assured that I have never been more active in the goldfish hobby than ever before. 

Besides my annual Pearlscale breeding and planning for next year's Ranchu breeding, I am preoccupied with something that I have not indulged for many years - collecting other varieties of goldfish!

In fact, I love all fancy goldfish and used to keep almost every variety of fancy goldfish until I had to make space and time to focus on goldfish breeding. For years, I abstained from keeping other varieties of goldfish that are not directly relevant to my Ranchu and Pearlscale breeding projects.

New collection:
Pair of blue brown dragon eyes butterfly

This year, I am very fortunate to have a good friend who helped to improve my set up and cut down on the time and effort of my maintenance chores tremendously. So now with an efficient set up that free up much time and spaces, I am happily succumbing to my temptations to collect other varieties of goldfish again. I may also breed some of the other varieties in a small scale just for the experience as I do not think I will have the capacity to track the bloodlines as much as I do for my Ranchus and Pearlscales.

New collection:
Thai black orandas

 
It is a matter of time that my freed time gaps and spaces will be filled up with fishes and more fishes. Kudos to my good friend Xing again ;-))

A Mountain Is Still A Mountain ~ 見山還是山

求知若飢，虛懷若愚
~ 史蒂夫·喬布斯

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
~ Steve Jobs

Some of my 5-month-old

Not too long ago, I learned something very interesting from a good friend regarding the Zen (禪) perspective of the different stages of learning:

Stage 1: A mountain is a mountain (見山是山)

This is the beginning level where we simply use our senses to experience the things around us. There is no profound feel for the subject matter (the mountain). This is the state of mind of the layman.


Stage 2: A mountain is not a mountain (見山不是山) 

This is the next level where we use our logic to analyse the subject matter. We see multiple perspectives and dissect the subject into smaller parts to analyse. The mountain is no longer just a mountain as we examine the streams, the birds and the animals within. This is the state of mind of the scholar who studies the subject earnestly.


Stage 3: A mountain is still a mountain (見山還是山)

In this level, we no longer use psychological projection to label things. We see the streams, the trees and the animals as part of the whole that makes up the mountain again. The mountain has not changed, but what has been changed is a more refined sensual feel of the mountain. This realm of feel (心境) cannot be expressed with words. This is the state of mind of the enlightened. 

In the discipline of art, it is this "feel" that we should aspire to nurture. The same recipe followed by different cooks will not make the same quality of dish; the same teacher giving equal attention to his class will not have equal quality of work from his students. There is nothing wrong with the recipe or the teacher, the deterministic factor is just ourselves.

While I have yet to attain the realm of feel to fully appreciate the profound teachings of Zen, I strongly believe that the basis of learning anything really well is to first master the fundamentals. Without setting the basics right, it is just a matter of time that things will fall apart. We would be wasting our energies going round and round and nowhere else, just like a hamster on the tread wheel. 

The other key aspect of learning as I have always emphasized, is to be truly objective and humble to see our own faults. If we think we are perfect then there is no more room for improvement. The worst case will be to think that we are already in the higher levels of learning but in actual fact, still grappling with the basics. Such will be destined to be stagnated on the same spot like treading hamsters. In our local slang, it is known as "hentakaki" ;-)

Failures & Successes ~ 成敗得失

子曰: 知之為知之,不知為不知,是知也。

Knowledge is knowing what you know and knowing what that you do not know.
~ Confucius

It's been 3 months since my first Ranchu spawn for the year 2014. This year there are more fishes meeting my personal expectations. I am also extremely happy to have overcome a couple of major hurdles that have been puzzling me for years. 

Passion Fruits

Making Ranchu is very much like making crops in agriculture - even if we are prepared to work very hard and are equipped with the best tools and techniques, there is always a major element we cannot control - the weather. I reckon it is nature's way of telling us to stay humble even at times when things are looking good. The law of nature is ever ready to make a fool of any complacent man.

How easy it is for us to be enslaved by our own egos if we are afraid to admit our ignorance and only desire for others to see our successes? The fact is, experiences are gained through failures. 

I know not if I can do better next year, but common sense tells me that not everyday is Sunday ;-)