Starch gel electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting were used to assess molecular genetic variation within and between strains of goldfish, Carassius auratus. Genetic variation observed both within and between strains was low using both methods. using isozyme markers, mean heterozygosity (0.0% - 4.4%) and percent polymorphic loci (0.0% - 30.6%) within strains were low compared to other vertebrate species. Analysis of the isozyme data using Chi-square tests against Hardy-Weinberg genotype expectations and wright's (1943, 1951) F statistics indicated modest heterogeneity in genotype frequencies between strains. DNA fingerprint band sharing values were determined both within and between strains of goldfish. Mean band sharing values within strains were high (68.0% -97.6%), comparable to values observed in highly inbred populations of other vertebrates. Levels of band sharing between strains were determined using a DNA mixing procedure. Band sharing values between strains (57.7% - 100%) were higher than those observed between strains of other domesticated species. Analysis of DNA fingerprint data using ANOVA indicated no significant differences between strains, suggesting that the fancy strains did not exhibit significant differentiation as manifested in DNA fingerprint phenotypes.