Color question

[capewind]

I know in the butterfly koi, or even misc crosses, we can have incorrect patterns or general colors, but I am curious as to what color one of our fish is, or comes closest to. Some days I think a really dark matsuba, and other times, I simply have no clue, so figured I would ask. It is OK to say if he (yes he) is a really bad example of whatever color. It is really sunny today, so he has more of a bronze sheen than normal, but think I got some good enough pics to ask for guesses. His belly is similar to the bronze tone on his face. I took a bunch of pics to show him at different angles or what not. Other fish were hanging around too, so just look for the BIG blackish gold fish. I tried to crop pics so he was clear to see. Thanks in advance

 

[crsublette]

It looks like a color faded matsuba.

Be easier to tell if he was younger since the colors and patterns stand out more if ya happen to have any pics of the fella.

 

[Fishylove]

he's pretty cape, was he maybe all black to start with?

 

[capewind]

We got him as a rescue, but it was claimed he was near black when he was sold to the person. I can only say when the water was warmer over the summer, he was blacker, you really couldnt see all the bronze color that you do now, but as the water gets cooler, he is lightening (none of our others are).

 

[Fishylove]

Hmm is he iridescent? If he is, could be that the gold and black scales are bouncing off of the iridescent scales, which would be why you see the color changing at different angles. Kind of like the cars that change colors when they drive by? All of your fishy's are very pretty cape

 

[capewind]

In the sun, he appears more gold/brown, then the black he was closer to. I dont know if his color change now is really related to the cooler weather, or maybe feeding less (all summer was an all you could eat, 2-3x a day, which had color enhancers in it)... I was thinking he was a darker/bad matsuba, but wasnt sure. I usually get the Japanese color terms screwed up LOL.

PS: Thank you for your compliments. I dont care if they are correct or not, just thought that they were pretty I got a video earlier today. Was going to post it in the video thread.

 

[Fishylove]

Oh good! Like to see everyones fishy's

 

[Craig58]

I'd say it was a Chagoi butterfly.

Here's a link to a similar fish, just not butterfly: http://www.michigankoi.com/images/starskoi/normal/522ginrin_chagoi_1416_ogata_08gcu780__735.jpg

Craig

 

[capewind]

Thanks Craig. That Chagoi (not a color term I know) has what I thought would be called Gin Rin scales??? Our guy doesnt have the reflective scales like a Gin Rin.

 

[outdoork9lady]

great question! I learned something new today. I didn't realize that butterfly koi were not a "pure breed". You will find I'm illiterate in koi terms/vocabulary, I speak fluent canine though. So please forgive me my errors and teach me, as I want to learn, when I make errors.

I bought 3 butterfly koi mainly due to the joy of the long flowing fins of my shubunkins. I know my future will be to be creative in how i build my next pond to give these fish there rightfully sized home (found out they can get as long as 3 feet, and I must be doing something right, as they are growing quite quickly). I have a small backyard and I'm quite limited to the beauty/ breath taking homes I have glimpsed at so far. It makes my ponds look like gold fish bowls.

But back to the topic at heart, I picked my koi as I did my shubis by what attracted me. Going thru several links in attempts to learn what I had, I became confused.

I did upload some pictures (couldn't get the videos from underwater to work, much less the videos from above) and have no idea if I did that correctly. Currently tapping this out on a handed down iPad, so another learning curve, that when frustrated, I head towards my laptop, so cannot quickly upload pictures now. Can do so later, let's see if a description will help for now.

1 of my 3 is all black on top and has some orange on the belly, the fins, close to the body appear to be a cream color. I believe it's a Karasu. The other 2, I believe are Matsubis. 1 has a very orange head with black along the top of its body (I have tried to get a closer look, as to it's metallic features, or lack thereof, and if the black is more solid or spiney). 1 has a blue/dark gray body, and it's head went from a near solid black, to a collar of black with a head "blotching" orange and cream.

Could anyone direct me better than Internet surfing? I became confused in the aki, hi, asagi, orenji (orange,I finally understood orenji means orange), and other oriental terms. My orange koi, was purchased as a Malaysian butterfly (I purchased 3, lost 2, and was given 2 in replacement). My next two were next to the Malasians, but these were just tagged butterfly. He wanted me to receive 2 of similar sized as mine if not larger, but that is another question, what, if any is the difference?

 

[fishin4cars]

It's not a Chagoi, although very close, I've seen that listed as Gold crown on some ebay sites. Don't know if it really fits in any name as it is a butterfly and yet not set to a specific group. There is a class that is judged in shows that fish like this would fit in. I can't remember what it is off hand though. a few of your fish may fall in to that group. The mettalic orange head with dark back could fit into the same class but looks totally different. Very pretty butterfly none the less. I like it a lot.
Oh and Chagoi can come in gin rin and non gin rin, as well as gold to chocolate brown, but should be even colored throughout. They can also be doitsu and standard scaled as well.

 

[capewind]

I know we have a few that would fit into an "other" catagory, or whatever they call it in the fish show world. I didnt care about that, I bought what I thought was pretty I am still trying to learn the color names of the ones that actually have them;-) If you are talking about the fish in the 3rd pic, with it's tail above a hana shusui, I already figured out he is an "other" but I really liked him a lot. Here's a pic of what he looked like younger. As he has grown, his scales have grown too, thus the black back.

 

[Fishylove]

So is that one a doitsu? He's pretty also

 

[capewind]

>

I am very fluent in Mastiff;-)



Welcome to the group BTW, you are going to find some awsome people here who are only to happy to help US learn



We all start someplace. But I will stress that if you are liking what you see in others ponds, you may as well start saving for your bigger pond, as it is only a matter of time;-)



If you were dog show fluent, remember one of the most important things, DO IT BECAUSE YOU ENJOY IT.

 

[capewind]

So is that one a doitsu? He's pretty also

Yes, I am going to guess that near half of our koi are doitsu.