Shasta Koi & Water Garden Club

January Koi of the Month 09'

Kohaku

A Kohaku is a white fish with red (hi) markings. The Kohaku is the most popular variety and it is said that the hobby “begins and ends with the Kohaku.” In evaluating Kohaku, the brightness of the color and the crispness of the edges (kiwa) are judged, along with the soft white of the background. Because the Kohaku has what may be called a “simple” pattern, judging in competition is very stringent and factors such as the balance and complexity of the pattern is weighed against an ideal. As the fish increases in size, it is said that the pattern becomes less important than conformation and skin quality. A pattern that is suitable for a small fish may not look as good on a jumbo.

Kohaku come in literally thousands of patterns with no two koi the same but some of the more recognized patterns are as follow:

• Tancho: A single red crown-like marking in the center of the head.
• Ohmoyo: Any single, large, unbroken pattern extending from head to tail.
• Nidan: A two step pattern.
• Sandan: One of the most popular, a three step pattern. (Yondan= 4 step, Godan= 5 step etc.)
• Kuchibeni: Literally "lipstick", indicates red (beni) on the mouth.

Kohaku are quite sensitive to water condition. If the water hardness is too high, small black freckles called "shimi" can form on the skin. Softer water will not only prevent shimi from forming but will also encourage the development of the red (beni).

The beni in very young koi starts out as a pale yellow that develops into a faint orange, then a deep orange, and then finally, a beautiful red. Males tend to develop their red as early as their first or second year, however they their color tends to peak and diminish not long thereafter. Though females take longer to develop their red, they are likely to have a truly lustrous red that will last for years, making them more popular among the serious hobbyists.

*****************************************************************

February Koi of the Month

Sanke

So, what do we look for and what do we need to know before selecting a Sanke for our collection?
First of all, as with any fish, you want to make sure that all of its body parts are there and in good shape. That means no torn fins or broken leading rays, either in the pectorals or dorsal. Next, you want to look for a koi that has a pleasant and well balanced kohaku pattern. Check to see if the red is consistent in hue. The red on the head plate will probably be darker than the red on the body, and in a young fish that's fine. As it ages, however, the red on the body should reach and achieve the same depth of color as that on the head. Keep in mind that many of the fish that get sent here for export are front heavy when it comes to red but light in the back. It's easy to miss this imbalance because we all tend to look at the head and shoulders of a koi first and not pay so much attention to the rear third. This is a habit that is best broken. Finally, make sure that the white is nice and bright. Now comes the hard part – sumi (black) placement and quality. Sumi is a very tricky thing, and it's made more complicated by the fact that it isn't as stable as red and white. What this means is that the black that you see on an 8" fish may be totally different on a 20" fish when it grows up. Also, on a young fish, you don't want all of the black to "be up," that is to say deep inky black in color. A young fish should have some light black showing underneath the white skin. This black will come up, or develop, as the fish ages. Hopefully, all three colors will peak at the same time somewhere in the fish's development. Unfortunately, this is almost impossible for us to predict, which means that your Sanke may peak when it's two or when it ten years of age.

www.mpks.org

            ***********************************************************************
 

March Koi of Month

Showa

Showa Sanshoku', or 'showa' is the term applied to a koi that has a black body with red and white markings. This definition is confusing to beginners, since modern showa clearly shows that it also has a white body with red and black markings, just like a sanke. 

The shiro (white) base color of the body must be unblemished, thick, snowy, and even milky. The shiro must not exhibit any yellowish tint.

The hi (red) markings on the white body must be solid, deep, and evenly-colored throughout the entire body. The edges of these markings (also known as the 'kiwa') must be very defined, or as they say, 'sharp as a razor.'

The hi color may vary from koi to koi, but it should be of uniform hue within an individual koi.  Different koi exhibit different hues, from a deep persimmon orange to dark, purplish red.  This entire range is acceptable, although judges invariably have their own preferences.   

The sumi (black) markings of a Showa must be deep, solid, and shiny lacquer-black. The shape of every sumi marking must be clearly defined, with its kiwa or edges as sharp as possible.  Undeveloped sumi may appear mottled dark blue or gray instead of solid black.  This is not bad for a young koi, since sumi actually develops as the koi grows older.  In fact, spotting a potential champion at a young age involves good anticipation of how well the sumi will develop in the next few years.

The red and black markings on the white body must be artistically balanced.  This means that a certain color must not be confined to one side or one end of the koi only.  A good example of excellent showa pattern is if the black, red, and white colors are interspersed in a 'checkerboard' pattern.

          ***************************************************************************

April Koi of the Month

Utsuri

Selecting a Young Utsuri

—by Dr. Arthur Lembke, reprinted from www.akca.org library 

Whether you are looking for a shiro utsuri, hi utsuri, or ki utsuri, you look for the same thing.  If you plan on showing the fish some day, you should choose a shiro utsuri because they almost always do better in shows.

It is very important to start by looking for a good head. The head of a shiro utsuri should have both colors (black and white) on the head. Do not buy a shiro utsuri with an all black or an all white head. Look for an interesting pattern of black on the head with about 40% black and 60% white. A lightening pattern of black down the face or a black V across the top of the head are favored, but any interesting pattern will do.

A body that is 50% black and 50% white is classical, but a higher amount of white is preferred in current judging. Do not buy an utsuri that is too black. The pattern should be interesting and balanced. All the black should be in large patches and the patches should all extend down to the bottom of the fish. Do not buy a shiro utsuri with a lot of small black spots. Also, look for good quality white. The hard part about all the above things to look for is that in a young shiro utsuri, much of the black is deep and not finished and the white may still be grayish or yellow.

The pectoral fins of a young shiro utsuri should be all black or have a large patch of black at the base. Avoid shiro utsuri with all white pectoral fins or with just tiny patches of black at the base. Make sure both pectorals match. Many utsuri may have one black fin and one white fin. Do not buy these.

Make sure the utsuri only has two colors. Especially on shiro utsuri, there should be no red spots.
After you have the right head, pattern and fins, make sure you have a fish with a good broad body and large fins. This assures you of good growth in the future. Also check the fish in a tub to make sure there are no defects or disease present.
In selecting a hi utsuri or ki utsuri, the rules are the same. All the comments about white are the same for the red of the hi utsuri or the yellow of the ki utsuri. For these last two, good quality is harder to find than for the shiro utsuri because the shiro utsuri is more popular and more are bred in Japan.

****************************************************************************************

May Koi of the Month

Asagi

The Asagi koi is one of the oldest varieties of koi and has provided the basis for many subsequent varieties. Its back is covered in a net-like reticulated scale pattern of indigo, navy blue or pale blue. The light blue head should be clear and unblemished. The base of the pectoral fins, tail fin, stomach and gill plates is a deep orange or red color.

The scales on the back have whitish base and thus collectively give an appearance of meshes of a net.

The important viewing points are conspicuously vivid appearance of the meshes and light blue, spotless head region. However, as they age, black spots often appear in the head region and Hi (red) on the belly tend to climb up reaching as far as the back.

I think these are one of the more stunning koi varieties.  I have only ever seen one of these in real life and it was a beauty at Champion in San Jose.

*****************************************************************************************

June Koi of the Month

Tancho

All koi limited to only a single patch on the head Hi are called “Tancho” after the Japanese crane which is basically white except for its round, red crest.
As the name for one of the variety groupings, Tancho refers to koi of the “big three” with red found solely in the characteristic head Hi. In a limited sence, it is used to refer to the “Tancho Kohaku”. Generally, top quality Tancho should have a large, perfectly round head Hi, although an oval Hi, if well shaped, is acceptable. Other shapes such as a heart, cross, square, and plum blossom can be found, but are not held in as high a regard as the round Hi. In no case however is Hi which extends over the shoulder, eyes, or lips acceptable. Also, the Hi should be deeply coloured, uniform and have a sharply defined edge. Since the head Hi should be as large as possible, a broad head is also preferred, but not of paramount importance.
Of equal importance, however, to the quality of the head Hi, is the requirement that Tancho have unblemished, snow white skin. This is because the pattern is so simple, and the expanse of the white so extreme, that beautiful skin is necessary to provide the sharp red and white contrast.

****************************************************************************************

July Koi of the Month

Goshiki

Goshiki are said to have been crossbred between Asagi and Taisho Sanshoku -- not yet an established theory, however. They also form a very tasteful variety of Nishikigoi. Goshiki used to be included in the Kawarimono group. However, with recent production of fairly excellent Goshiki, they are now being treated as an independent variety at Nishikigoi shows.

Their red markings are similar in patterns to Kohaku, but may not be taken as seriously. Some scales of Asagi may also appear in the red markings. The meshes appearing only on the white ground will, on the other hand, contrast strikingly with mesh less Hi.

These are very beautiful with only a red area on their heads and the body in the mesh markings.

****************************************************************************************

Koi of the Month

Koromo

Koromo

Koi in this class have only been in existence since about 1950. Koromo koi are the result of crossing Kohaku with Naruni Asagi. These koi should have a good kohaku pattern with deep hi(red). White should be as crisp as the color of fresh snow to to off-set the lace pattern on the hi. The lace pattern is sometimes refer to as "robed", described as the hi pattern which is outlined in a darker color. These markings vary with the particular variety. Some of the varieties include: Ai-goromo, Sumi-goromo, and Budo-goromo. Also included are Budo Sanke, Koromo Sanke and Koromo Showa.

****************************************************************************************

Koi of the Month for September 09’

                                                                        Ogon

Ogon Koi are a special variety of Koi fish in that they come in a variety of colors. However, they are special because the color is a solid color. The colors can be metallic or regular. Ogon Koi are orange, white, cream, red or platinum. The two most popular colors are the platinum ogon (white) and the Yamabuki Ogon (yellow). These are very hardy koi that grow rapidly. Both the white and yellow ogons will make a great addition to any pond because they are easy to see!

*****************************************************************************************

Oct. Koi of the Month

Chagoi

If you want a fish with personality, look no further than the basic Chagoi. You’ll discover this pet is probably more intelligent than other koi in your pond too. It is almost universally agreed to be the friendliest of the koi classifications because it is the most aggressive at feeding time and almost always the first fish to become hand-tame. For this reason, the Chagoi is sometimes purchased solely for the purposes of taming the rest of a group, and not for its color. Once one fish starts eating from your hand, it’s not hard to bring the rest about.

The Chagoi is basically a brown koi, however a brown koi is not necessarily a Chagoi. Within that distinction, there are levels of quality and the discovery of valuable traits. If the basic Chagoi is a brown koi, what about the different shades of brown? Let’s discuss these and the other traits that make a “good” Chagoi.

There are two patterns of Chagoi – “with fukurin” and “without fukurin.” Fukurin (foo’-kure-in) is when each scale is highlighted with a black edging, giving the fish a “fishnet” pattern over the brown coloration. This may be missing in scaleless Chagois and in some of the Chagoi colors. Personal preference will dictate which style you desire.

Chagoi can also occur in a ginrin (jin’-rin or geen’-leen) scalation. This occurs when proteins inside the scale (under the epidermis) are thrown up in folds, refracting light and giving the scales a diamond shimmer. There’s nothing quite as nice as a Rootbeer Chagoi with ginrin in its scales. Ahhhh!

The color of the Chagoi can vary and listed here are a few of the more popular options.
Rootbeer Chagoi – There’s probably a fancy name for this color but it’s more fun to call them Rootbeer Chagoi. These Chagoi are brown, but it’s an intense, reddish-brown. Rootbeer Chagoi are available with and without fukurin.  The Green Chagoi tend to be the friendliest.  Brown Chagoi usually have fukurin in It to define it from a common carp.  There are also the rare Chagoi-Utsuri or Cha-Utsuri- If you find either of these you should buy them on sight.  You will rarely ever see these and regret goes a long way.

****************************************************************************************

November Koi of the Month

Ochiba Shigure

The Ochiba Shigure literally means autumn leaves on the water in Japanese. A blue grey koi with brown markings and a net like pattern. These koi are part of the Kawarimono group which is a broad classification used for a wide variety of koi that do not fit into other classes.

The Ochiba Shigure was developed by crossing a Soregoi and a Chagoi. The Soregoi is a blue grey koi with a net like pattern while the Chagoi is a uniform brown koi. By themselves they are plain looking koi, but when crossed it becomes the Ochiba Shigure, a striking koi that has become quite popular. Ochiba Shigure means "leaves fallen on the water."

The Gin Rin Ochiba Shigure has become quite sought after.

Personal note:  I bought what looked like a Soregoi (see small pic below) at the last dealer tour.  It was a solid grey color and about three inches long for twenty bucks. A few months back we had to take a double take when our Soregoi turned into a Ochiba Shigure.  The markings that were faintly visable around spring had lifted and turned her into a beautiful koi.  I am definitely happy that me little plain fish turned onto a very pricey fish afterall.

****************************************************************************************

December Koi of the Month

Bekko

Bekko

(Bek-Ho)

About 30 years ago, when koi keeping began to take off outside of Japan, the Bekko variety was quite fashionable, but like most fads, the popularity of this koi diminished over time. However, since then their popularity has begun to diminish and nowadays, the breed is quite underrepresented at most shows. Though they may be hard to find, good specimens are truly stunning in their simplicity.

Shiro Bekko

Out of the three types of koi that are recognized as Bekko, only one - the Shiro Bekko - is widely known. This is a Sanke derivative, and as the Shiro Utsuri is a Showa derivative without the hi, Shiro Bekko are Sanke also without any hi markings. Although they are still produced from parent fish of this variety, they are just as likely to be seen from spawnings of Sanke, especially Tancho Sanke. Bear in mind that any hi at all on a Shiro Bekko, even on the lips, technically makes it a Sanke.  The sumi on Shiro Bekko has evolved fashionably in line with that of Sanke. Ten years ago, examples would have had a fairly heavy complement of tortoiseshell dappling, whereas today the sumi tends to be more sparsely distributed in smaller, yet balanced patches. It should be confined to the area above the lateral line, on the top side of the koi.  The judging standard now permits a little sumi on the head, as in Sanke, but the best examples have a clear white face, with the black markings beginning at the shoulder. A commonly seen default is a yellowish head, which may or may not clear as the koi ages. Like Kohaku and Sanke, the eyes are usually blue and the skin should be an even snowy white. Sumi patterning need not be symmetrical, but should be balanced overall. If the sumi is confined to one side of the koi, the effect is not pleasing. Avoid Bekko with too much sumi on the caudal peduncle. Ideally, as in Kohaku, there should be an area of white at the junction of body and tail fin. Shiro Bekko finnage can either be white or striped with sumi, similar to that of Sanke.

****************************************************************************************

I have enjoyed my year as President and I hope that you enjoyed the Koi of the Month 09"- Cherie

.

.