22 replies to this topic

[Oldhead]

Anyone have a Gin Rin Matsukawabake? There were a few small ones at our local garden center. Its a very striking fish. It was hard to keep from buying one or two or three. Then again i may go this weekend and get one

http://www.thekoikee...p?g2_itemId=414

[DrDave]

That is pretty much a Gin Rin Shiro Utsuri only it changes patterns from time to time. Neat fish, how much did they want for it?

[koikeepr]

Gin rin's fascinate me to no end. i'm dying for a gin rin hi utsuri, but I have not managed to find the right pattern of black and red that appeals to me with the good combo of sparkle.

I have a gin rin white ogon...he is lovely.

There is truly something spectacular about that gin rin shimmer when the sun hits it just right. Nothing like it....

[DrDave]

I just lost a gin rin orengi ogon to an egret or gbh. Not sure since it hit during the day while I was at work. The pond was just set up the day before with him and 60 others that were lost. He was one of 2 that were 6 inches long, the rest were only 2-3 inches.
If I had only taken an hour to build the netting... Oh well. we learn from these losses.

[Oldhead]

koikeepr said:

Gin rin's fascinate me to no end. i'm dying for a gin rin hi utsuri, but I have not managed to find the right pattern of black and red that appeals to me with the good combo of sparkle.

I have a gin rin white ogon...he is lovely.

There is truly something spectacular about that gin rin shimmer when the sun hits it just right. Nothing like it....

The shimmer is what caught my eye. They are almost all black with the shimmering silver. They were only 3" long at a cost of 4.99

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

I'm not sure what prices are elsewhere, but that sounds like a good price to me. From what I've seen around here, any koi of that size runs from $6.99 at the local pond shop to $8.99 at the chain pet stores.

[koikeepr]

when you say all black....is it really dark? Do the silver scales make stand out? The reason why I'm asking is that I have a dark fish, and when you put him in a black liner pond he's pretty hard to see and really doesn't add much to the herd. Before you buy just think of the fish in a dark pond setting....then decide if you still want him.

[leeannecastro]

wow. I wish I could find koi at that price! My local shop sells imports direct from Japan. The smallest is 6" and it sells for $49.99
My husband just bought me a 9" for my birthday. It was $75. It is a GORGEOUS fish. I will take a photo and post it for you guys.

[DrDave]

When they get that size the price is going to be higher. I get $30 for 6" and about $60 for a 9". A breeder has a lot of time a, water, electricity, equipment and food, invested by then.
You would be surprised at how many people think that $3 is too much for a 3" Koi. Oh, and they all want to know exactly what color they are going to be or they want the color to be already established at this size.

I am thinking seriously about not harvesting the eggs next year. Just let nature take it's course and have a life with vacations again.

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

I'm certain these are not imports, and probably what you koi owners have referred to as "mutts".

[DrDave]

poodles,ponds and gardens said:

I'm certain these are not imports, and probably what you koi owners have referred to as "mutts".

I'm not sure who that was directed to, but, all my breeder Koi were imported from Japan. All the Koi I sell are all first generation Japanese Koi albeit born in California.

FYI
Mutts are hatched from even Koi in Japan. In fact only 23 out of every 1000 are ever exported to the US.

Mutts are those koi who have not taken the characteristics of their parent Koi.

Before you accept these are really imported, ask the supplier to show you the documents that the US government requires for the importation of live animals. If the really did import them, they will be proud to show these to you. If they make an excuse, then you have been lied to. All importers are very proud of their products.

It is like buying a pedigree poodle, you expect to see the proof it is really what it was represented to be. Not too many born in Germany anymore where they were originally bred as water dogs to retrieve game birds.

[koikeepr]

nothing wrong with a mutt...particularly if it fits the wallet. Unless you are planning to show your fish, who cares? And less than 2% of us do....

Enjoy your mutts. They are just as pretty!

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

poodles,ponds and gardens said:

I'm certain these are not imports, and probably what you koi owners have referred to as "mutts".

Basically the comment was made to leeannecastro who commented that she wished she could get koi for $6.99 0r $8.99. (The price in the stores around here) I was referring to the koi in these stores not any of the forum members fish. Sorry, if there was a misunderstanding.

[koikeepr]

i can't imagine someone an imported fish would sell for under $10 bucks...so i think that's right. Costs of shipping, govt standards, customs and the whole lot...

So, I agree with the doc, at prices like these its hard to believe anything such as that would be imported...no matter what the vendor says. They are most likely domestic.

And some sneaky vendors like to say their fish are imported because perhaps the parents could have been japanese, but the offspring are all domestic... a nasty gimmick for sure.

And imported can mean anything outside of the US, so someone can be breeding fish in thailand and shipping 'em here and that would be considered "imported,"

So, as doc says, If someone is saying imported. As for the bill of lading or customs docs as proof.

[DrDave]

When I get a beautiful Yamabuki Ogon or Orengi Ogon or Utsuri from my Kohaku and Sanke, they are technically mutts because they do not resemble the parent Koi. Even a trained eye could not tell this by looking at them. So I personally would never call them mutts.

The ugly mutts are the ones that are mal formed, strange patterns and generally do not resemble any known Koi. Out of every hatch, there are a share of those. I have a lot of customers that actually like them because they get more bang for their buck.

I had one Dr. from La Jolla buy the only 2 malformed 8" Koi I had, passing up many perfect Kohakus, Utsuri and Ogons. Both fish had bent spines and difficulty swimming.