Golden mandarin fish and mandarin fish are both common freshwater fish, but they are different in appearance and ecological habits.

1. Appearance: The body of the golden mandarin fish is golden yellow, with a concave back, slightly flat sides, a small mouth, thick gill bones, and wedge-shaped sides of the tail. Mandarin fish has a silvery-white body, a slightly raised back, rounded sides, a larger mouth, thin gill bones, and a bifurcated tail fin.

2. Ecological habits: Golden mandarin fish is a tropical fish that can tolerate higher temperatures. It generally grows in freshwater rivers and lakes and artificial breeding ponds, mainly feeding on zooplankton, aquatic plants, and small invertebrates. For food, it likes to hide in aquatic areas or at the bottom of the water. Mandarin fish are widely distributed and live in rivers, lakes and large climatic water bodies. They eat small zooplankton and benthic animals as their main food, and inhabit the sand and mud at or near the bottom of the water.

In general, golden mandarin fish and mandarin fish are different in shape and habits, but they are both delicious edible fish.