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Related
FAQs: Koi Varieties, Koi Selection,
Related Articles: Kohaku,
Taisho
Sanke, Showa
Sanke, Tancho
Koi, Bekko
Koi, Utsurimono
Koi, Koromo
Koi, Kin/Gin Rin Koi, Asagi/Shusui
Koi, Kawarimono
Koi, Hikarimuji
Koi, Hikari
Utsuri Koi, Hikarimoyo
Koi, Doitsu Koi,
Butterfly
Koi
Back to the
Overview on Pond Livestocking,
/Aquatic Gardens,
Design, Construction & Maintenance
Koi Varieties
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FennerRobert@hotmail.com
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What do you call these?
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There are many "carps" in freshwaters around the
world, wild and ornamental, natural and purposely and not human-introduced. The
wild brown/green European Carp, Cyprinus carpio, a sometimes food and game fish
in the United States is the same species as the adored Nishikigoi, Koi, Brocaded
or Ornamental Carp... in all of its many varieties.
As far back as 470 B.C., carp were cultured for food as
well as for color, but it's not until the Tsin Dynasty (265-316 A.D.) that
writings list the types available then. Five colors are detailed, red, black,
yellow, blue, white from this time. Much later, the Japanese included Nishikigoi
in their ponds. The majority of modern varieties were developed under their
care, starting in the late 18th century.
There are a few "accepted" schemes for labeling
ornamental carp, nishikigoi, koi (by body color, three/four types of scale
patterns)... and all are acceptable (to me) as long as
they're descriptive, consistent and agreed upon by immediate/concerned parties.
Different parts of the world, different hobby groups/clubs of clubs utilize
varying schemes here, so don't let what is presented here throw you.... there
are literally hundreds of descriptive varieties.
In terms of "knowing" koi well enough for
identification, you might consider learning their names by an historical
approach (which types came first, later... who was involved in their
development, which line lead to each...), a cladistic descriptive classification
(all shiny, not so...), or rote memorization ("I have an Ohgon, it's that
shiny sun-colored fish over there")... To each their own.
Do remember that all koi are the same
species, in fact, identical with the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, and
like domestic dogs, Canis familiarus, can/do interbreed freely... Hence,
you may find some "odd varieties" of koi at times.
| Kohaku are white bodied
koi with red markings (sometimes more orange than red) |
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| Taisho Sanke, aka Taisho
Sanshoku, White koi with principally red (Hi), and lesser black (Sumi)
markings. |
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| Showa Sanke, aka Showa
Sanshoku, Black bodied koi principally red (Hi), and white
markings. Similar to Taisho Sanke, but with more black markings, including
on the head and margins of the pectoral and tail fins. |
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| Tancho: With a "Red
Sun" marking on head, and lacking other red on the body. Best if the
"spot" is bright red, w/o bleeding color, and circular, centered
on the head. |
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| Bekko
("Beck-Oh"): Solid body colored koi with black markings.
Utsuri are often similar in appearance, but are black koi with
single complementary color varieties. I like to think of Bekko as
"Turtle" with markings on their backs only... unlike the
Utsurimono whose dark body bands extend under/around the belly. |
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| Utsurimono: Black bodied
koi with one color markings. |
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| Koromo: Similar to
Kohaku, but with accents of blue, black, purple mixed in with some to much
of the red, due to cross-breeding with Asagi. |
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| Gin/Kin Rin scaling
Gin Rin: Refers to pearl-silver reflective scales
Kin Rin: Refers to pearl-gold reflective scales. A rare variety.
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| Asagi/Shusui
Asagi: ("Sky Color"). Blue gray bodied koi, sometimes
with red that comes up to the midway up on the head and body.
Shusui: Basically a doitsu scale Asagi. Large scales may be just
along the midline of the back on the sides, or both. |
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| Kawarimono: This is
the "left-overs" category of koi classification. These are
non-metallic colored koi that just don't fit into the other varieties
(with the exception of Goshiki). In most cases, for lack of many entries,
this "generic" grouping of Kawarimono typically compete against
each other in shows. |
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| Hikari Utsuri:
Includes all metallic Showa (and in some schemes, Utsuri) varieties. |
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| Hikarimoyo: These
are metallic koi of two or more colors other than Hikari Utsuri. |
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| Doitsu: Mirrored scaled
koi... with enlarged rows of scales along the midline of the back and/or
the sides of the fish. The derivation of this name is from the Japanese/Nijongo
for "Deutsch", for German scaled carp... initially bred for ease
in scaling/preparing the fish for human consumption. Varieties are Kohaku,
Sanke and Showa. |
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| Butterfly Koi: A long
finned making of all the other varieties of koi. The name
"Butterfly" is appended to the front of the Japanese
designation. |
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Or, if you'd like, and to reinforce the diversity of these sports and their
classification, we can/will discuss them by the number of colors they bear:
Or perhaps a dichotomous key is more to your liking:
Bibliography/Further Reading:
http://www.koi.com/encyclopedia/
(Pan Intercorp's excellent classification)
Fujita, Grant. 1992. The new way of selecting koi. Koi USA 11,12/92.
Hansen, Galen. 1992. Goromo. Koi USA 11/12, 92
Kuroki, Takeo. 1993. Classification of Nishikigoi. pt.s 1-0 TFH 3/93 on
Tave, Douglas. 1989. Inheritance of scale pattern in koi. TFH 5/83.
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