Who discovered goldfish?

Goldfish were actually bred by humans to begin with.

In ancient Japan

(some say China) people found carp that were a brighter yellow color, and started breeding them together for many generations. Eventually they discovered that these newer fish had a more brilliant color.

At that time, only royal people were allowed to keep Goldfish. The goldfish bred today are in many different colors, but they are all descendants of the Asia-bred

carp. Japan and China still have a lead in goldfish breeding, and their koi look more refined and different from the koi bred here.

The goldfish was bred and not discovered, and this is shown when a goldfish is left in the wild for a few years. A few generations of wild goldfish will produce olive-colored fish rather than the brilliant goldfish that serve as pets.

You could say that the Japanese bred/discovered them.

Some say it was the Chinese.