Not surprisingly fanciers range from the most simple of backyard ponds to tens of thousands of litre ponds with hundreds of fish and breeding programs. The fact that very well conforming specimens can fetch thousands and thousands of dollars is not surprising.
For the backyard koi keeper, however, simply having a good reason to have a waterfall might be enough. There is no right or wrong reason, only the desire of all to have healthy and happy fish.
There are over a hundred different types of koi registered for show in professional breeder and amateur clubs throughout Japan and the world, though new varieties are still largely shown in Japan.
Koi may be generally grouped according to and in combinations of:
skin colour skin pattern scale pattern
Whichever you consider most important or if you have your heart set on a very particular fish, there is one for every taste. In more than 16 categories, now, there are over a hundred types of koi and an infinity of variety in each type.
True koi are always judged from from above, and their ponds are designed to facilitate this. From this angle, one judges the conformity and harmony of the design depending upon which type of koi you're looking at. That said, some characteristics are considered from the side such as the markings on the eyes and and cheeks.
On the other hand, many people who keep koi hybrids choose to view them from the side as well, especially those with unusual fins or scale patterns. Koi purists do not consider these actual koi.
There were once only a few colours, but with the pace of breeding development (and the financial incentive to do so) several new colours have emerged in the last 30 years with the injection of new material. These colours are arranged in in a seemingly infinite variety of combinations.
Markings are judged from above in special, bright blue pools that set off the bright, metallic colours. Outside of Japan the colours are known by their names in Japanese as well as the local language, since so much of the literature is translated from the original Japanese. For instance, colours include:
Ai - blue Aka / Hi – red, though actually a rather dark orange that can vary somewhat Asagi - light blue (a greyish/silvery blue) Ki - non-metallic yellow Orengi - orange Shiro - white Sumi - dark black (sometimes called "india ink")
They tend to have something of a metallic sheen unless otherwise noted. Generally these distinctions apply across the board and describe both underlying and overlaid colours. Additionally, there are a few distinct colour patterns that have special names:
Kohaku - red and white only Ogon - one colour only Sanshoku - any three colours regardless of the shape of the coloured areas
Just about any koi can be classified into one of the many types. However, most fish you'll be looking at as a first time koi buyer fall into a few basic categories. Many of the fish sold in the US and EU are those who've been rejected from breeding programs that are in continual pursuit of the perfect koi. Just because it doesn't conform to the accepted standard of show beauty doesn't mean they are not unique and beautiful.
Without seeing a picture of the koi it is very difficult to correctly name it. I also have a 2 solid yellow koi, one is what they call a ginrin yama butterfly. The koi are a mix of jap and magnoi with sturgen. The closer the koi is to the natural carp the hardier it is. Any koi that does fit a type of koi falls into the Kawarimono class which is all other koi.
My husband and I planned on purchasing 3 koi this spring. I picked it out by accident as just an interesting dusty looking little koi then winter came and he turned mostly white. What is nice about the white koi is they do stand out in the pond. So it will not be a problem and not all Platinum Ogons are a problem it is just that they are the only type of koi that have demonstrated this type of behavior. I guess when you see a lot of pattern koi, it is nice for a change to have a few solid ones in the bunch.
Compatible Pond Fish Koi Gold Fish
All ornamental goldfish varieties, koi, and golden orfe are compatible with each other in a water garden. It seems that a lot of people start off with a few goldfish and then add koi later, which is fine, but why not just start with koi? Koi and goldfish actively maintain a natural balance of electrolytes in their body fluids. Excellent condition,comes with two filters and a large amount of bio balls witch are in side the canister ,works wonders on Koi and gold fish ponds. Koi eat plants including water lilies and bog plants.
Healing and tissue regeneration in koi and goldfish can usually be seen in the first four days of treatment. Pond Salt can also be used to reduce the toxicity of nitrite to koi and gold fish. Goldfish are cheap, but quality koi are not that much more. Koi are a different fish species, Cyprinus carpio, and will certainly grow too big, swim too fast, eat all the food, and nip on all the types of Goldfish in Groups 2 and 3. Compatible fish include rudd, tench, orfe and koi, but the latter will require specialized care. Koi also have a greater growth potential, rapidly outstripping the goldfish clan. For the control of anchor worm (Lernaea) in ornamental ponds, water gardens, Koi ponds and display tanks containing fish including koi, goldfish and tropical ornamental fish.
But sometimes Koi and Goldfish from Group 1 get along for a while, but not always. Melafix has been used for many years for the treatment of external wounds and fin damage in koi and goldfish. Koi are best kept in a deeper, unplanted pond compared with a traditional garden pond. Anchor worm infestations are most common on koi and goldfish.
Japenese Koi Carp Tattoos
Koi and tattoos of koi are traditionally considered lucky. Koi varieties are distinguished by coloration, patterning, and scalation. Koi fish have been used in Chinese artwork and carvings and some Chinese rulers kept . Oriental Outpost has a number of images of artwork for sale with all different types and styles of koi fish. Koi breeding is generally held to have begun around the 17th century in the Niigata prefecture of Japan. These are the most common type of koi, white with red markings. Koi have many different colors.
In myth, the very strong koi will be able to swim upstream and leap the waterfalls, being rewarded at the end of the journey by being turned into a dragon. A legend tells of how any koi that succeeded in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate (on the Yellow River) would be transformed into a dragon.
Koi Fish belongs to the same family as Carp and is often mistaken for large goldfish. Ghost koi, developed in the 1980s are metallic hybrids of wild carp and Ogon koi and are not considered true Nishikigoi. Koi are descendants of the common carp, Cyprinus Carpio .
Both Sophie White & Harwood E Woodpecker are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Sophie White has sinced written about articles on various topics from Adsense, Japanese Koi Fish and Personal Desktop. Sophie is a lover of Koi Carp and has collected and breed them for many years. . Sophie White's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.