Buying Baby Koi – Part 3

 

Baby Koi- Part 3 – Quality vs. Bloodline and Brand name
BY: Chai Taevanitcharoen

Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Are you going to buy that fish that you’ve been staring at for the past half-hour, or not?  Suddenly, a dealer walks by and says, “This koi was bred by Dainichi, Sakai, Ogata, etc.”

Your curious eyes turn toward the dealer as you ask him to tell you more about that “brand-name” koi.   He goes on to tell you about its bloodlines, whether its Dainichi, Sadazo, Monzo, Matsunosuke, or Jinbei, and so on.  He keeps looking over your shoulder with a smile as he says, “Good eyes, Good eyes!”  Your heart starts to pound and race, your hand reaches into your wallet, and with a big smile, you say, “Yes…. I’ll take it!”

Many people think that big brand names and good bloodlines are signs of an excellent quality fish.

So, those are the qualities they search for when selecting tatekoi (future fish).  How certain is it? 100%, 75%, 50%?  Brand name or bloodline fish don’t come with a guarantee, but they sure do come with a price tag.

Some people buy baby koi already fully developed in their beauty. Some people buy baby fish and raise them to be trophy fish. Some just want fish for their pond.

Whatever the purpose of the baby fish that you’re going to buy, I’m pretty sure you’re hoping that the fish’s color and pattern would stay the same as it grows bigger. But, hobbyists face great disappointment…not because the fish died, but because the fish lost its color.

It may look worse from the time you bought it or never improve even after years of feeding it with an expensive color enhancement diet and fancy expensive water filtration systems.

Many of us still repeat the same mistakes because we still get hooked on brand names, bloodlines, patterns, or the bright color of the fish.

Before you rely on Brand names, Bloodlines, Patterns, and Luck, first ask yourself,

• How much do I know and understand about “Quality”?
• Can I distinguish between a low, medium, and high quality fish?
• Do I know how a baby fish can change and develop?

Because each type of koi has it own characteristics and it’s own way of changing. The more you know about “quality” and it’s “characteristics”, the better your odds in picking out a future champion fish. Or, at least your fish will hold it’s beauty longer and the color won’t seem to disappear right before your eyes.

I’ll have article about Koi Quality and Koi Characteristics at a later date.

Whether the koi came from an excellent bloodline, well-known breeder, its parent fish or “brothers and sisters” were grand champions, a koi without “Quality” is never going to make “Champion” and may just deteriorate faster where water management conditions are poor.

But in reverse, with back yard bred koi you usually don’t know who bred the parents or what bloodlines together will make a champion show fish.

So, all that matters is if that fish has “Quality”. You might understand better if you look into the Hikari family [metallic fish].

If a fish does not have a quality sheen [that is, if it’s not shiny] nothing in this world could ever make that fish have a beautiful sheen.

Even if you have the ideal water conditions or try to feed it special foods, or you know the brand name and bloodline, if the fish has no sheen, IT NEVER WILL!

My point now becomes obvious. Quality should be the first priority when picking out baby koi. Pattern, body conformation, body structure, brand name and bloodline, are important to certain degrees and should be considered accordingly and depending on your purposes of raising.

Popular patterns are maruten; three steps, four steps, five steps, and inazuma [lightning].

A heavy pattern doesn’t look good on small fish, but may look good when the fish becomes large.

The rules of pattern are:

1) White gill plates, cheeks, nose, & mouth

2) No red below the eyes or on the cheeks; red should be central on head

3) White pattern cut/break across the neck or shoulder,

4) Red should go down to but not father than the lateral line,

5) White at the tail joint,

6) No red in the eyes, on any fins or tail.

Keep in mind many excellent fish do not meet all those rules.

Body Conformation and Body Structure are a little harder to see and understand in baby fish.

Just remember some basic rules; big mouth, big head, thick tail joint, wide shoulders, height [look sideways at fish], round pectoral fins, and no deformities.

A skinny baby fish may have a beautiful body conformation as it grows older.

Not many hobbyists in America pay much attention to a baby koi’s body conformation and body structure. But Japan’s hobbyists use this heavily as guideline to choose baby koi.  They believe a baby fish with a big bone structure increases its’ chances of becoming a female or a Jumbo.

Brand name and bloodline are widely used around the world as factors to determine Tategoi.

But as mentioned before, this can lead to misunderstanding and disappointing outcomes. Consider brand names and bloodlines if your intent is to achieve Jumbo size or when questioning the development of the color, especially red, white, and black.

Many times, baby fish have a poor white, a light orange-red, sinking black (black not yet developed), or very little black, or poor body structure.  Hobbyists would then use brand names and bloodlines to increase percentage of success. This the way I understand it.

In the koi world, the major colors are Red, White, Black, and Metallic Sheen.

If you can learn to distinguish between the low, medium, and high quality of these colors you will be able to achieve an understanding how to choose “Tategoi” among the many types of koi.

Also, these four colors will help you to understand how most types of koi were bred.

Many hobbyists try to learn from the bloodline and brand name point of view.  For me it was too confusing, I had very little success, and had difficulty finding reliable sources.  I gave up along the way.

Instead, I concentrated on learning:

RED – Was it thick?, thin?, or evenly colored?  What about kiwa?, Sashi?
BLACK – Was it “lacquer”?, dull?, superimposed on what color?, was it a thin or thick sinking black?, What about                    kiwa?, Sashi?
WHITE – Was it a soft white?, snow white?, any pink intrusion?
METALLIC – Sheen?, shiny? dull?, and was it from the tip of the mouth to the tip of the fins and tails?

These most important factors will provide a foundation that makes it easier to understand  “Quality”.

As you master these four concepts you will be then be able to learn about patterns, body structure, body conformation, bloodlines, and brand names.  Understanding all these concepts will eventually lead to the art of “TATEGOI”.

Well…. There are a lot of ways to learn about koi Quality and Characteristics. As I use this method, I find myself learning more and more.  I too, want to have successful tategoi.  How about you?………….

This article is based upon personal observations, research, and past experience regarding “Tategoi”.  Much of this information was learned by trial and error, from Senior Koi Keepers, Koi Dealers, and Koi Breeders. I am not a Koi Expert; just a koi lover.

My intentions are to provide and promote knowledge of “Tategoi” as well as make Koi-keeping fun and affordable.  There is always the possibility of my ideas being wrong and I apologize, in advance if I have offended any Senior Koi Keepers, Koi Dealers, or Koi Breeders.

My thoughts and opinions may differ from others’ point of views.  My intentions are not to discredit the wisdom of those more experienced or expertise than I.

I will be glad to speak with you on a more personal level.  Your comments and questions are warmly welcomed.

HAPPY KOI HUNTING!