Koi changing color

[Shaeward]

I figured our baby Koi would change color a bit as they matured but thought it would be mostly just becoming a darker or lighter shade of the color they already are. Our yellow Koi had a bit of black on him when we got him two months ago but the black has really spread. When we got him his tail fin looked mostly silver but now it seems the silver has turned black. Also the black on his back has grown as well. I love the extra black. It's beautiful against the bright yellow but now I'm wondering how much more is he going to change? Is it possible he may lose his yellow coloring? The orange Koi we have doesn't seem to have changed at all. She has no other color or markings, just plain orange. (Of course I don't know which, if either, are male/female but the orange seems "girly" while the yellow/black one seems "boyish"...lol)

Here is the yellow Koi a month ago:

And today:

Fish are not easy to photograph!

 

[leeannecastro]

He's very beautiful! My goldfish change color a bit but my adult koi don't usually. My babies have changed a bit over the past few months.

 

[DrDave]

Shaeward
I don't see an Orange Koi in these shots. But an all Orange Koi is called an Oregi Ogon FYI.

 

[koikeepr]

forgive me, but this fish looks awful young/small...how big is it. Young fish change color like crazy...this is normal...

 

[Shaeward]

Thanks Leeanne. He's becoming one of my fave. :biggrin:

Thanks for the FYI DrDave. You can see the orange Koi in the first photo, just behind the yellow one. But here are a few better shots from today...

 

[Shaeward]

forgive me, but this fish looks awful young/small...how big is it. Young fish change color like crazy...this is normal...

Yes, they are very young and small. About 5"...we've had them for about 2 months. I didn't realize they'd change color so much (our aquarium fish do not do this). About how old/what size do they stop changing? Do the yellow ones tend to lose the yellow color or does it depend on the individual fish? Either way, it's very interesting to see the changes and will be interesting to see how he turns out. :biggrin:

 

[Shaeward]

Something I've noticed when comparing the two Koi, the yellow one has a more squared off head. His head reminds me of a dragon. The orange one does not, the head is more tapered. Like any other breed, I'm sure there is a standard for Koi and I'd guess the squared off head is more correct? (I prefer the more square head anyway...but as a Boxer breeder I'm drawn to square heads and muzzles... :biggrin: ) I'm sure anyone who breeds and shows Koi can take one look at these guys and tell they're not well bred but it's still interesting to learn how well (or not) a breed fits the written standard.

 

[DrDave]

Yes, they are very young and small. About 5"...we've had them for about 2 months. I didn't realize they'd change color so much (our aquarium fish do not do this). About how old/what size do they stop changing? Do the yellow ones tend to lose the yellow color or does it depend on the individual fish? Either way, it's very interesting to see the changes and will be interesting to see how he turns out.

Koi will color up in a pond due to the surroundings and the UV from the sun. In an aquarium, they are slow to develop color and even a pond fish will fade some of it's color when put back into an aquairium.

 

[koikeepr]

right. agree with doc dave. Also, many believe that whether your water is hard or soft also affects coloration. I do believe hard water does this.

In young koi, colors such as black (sumi) and red (hi or beni) in particular can come and go. You might see, for example pinkish areas deep within the skin on white areas...that is usually signs of the hi that will come out as the fish ages. Same thing when you see dark grey spots...that is likely sumi that will arise one day and become inky dark.

Lots of things that affect color, but age is definitely one of them.

 

[Shaeward]

The more I read about these fish the more fascinated I become. I just read through a thread on another forum which has followed the growth of a Koi for about 10 months or so starting when it was only 5-6". It started out with lots of red and now has nearly none. The other colors seem to have pretty much stayed the same but the red has almost completely disappeared. Interesting enough, several on the forum predicted it was going to happen.

 

[koikeepr]

yah. red is the hardest color to maintain. I have a sanke that had a huge red spot on its head. It's about two years old. The spot faded this year and is nothing more than a very light pinky spot on the head. The fish, sadly, is completely ugly now. I mean, I bought him because of the beautiful red spot on his head...and it's gone...that's koi for ya.

 

[chilligirl]

hmmm...the place I bought my koi from sells both Japanese and Chinese koi. They charge more for the former, claiming colour is more stable in Japanese koi. Is this true?

3 of my 4 koi fall in the 4-6" long range. Does this mean their colour is likely to change still? My fourth is about 8" long - should his/her colour be stable?

Also, how do you sex koi? I know how to sex goldfish (breeding stars, good guess based on vent), but am not sure if koi are the same?

 

[FredrikAnderson]

I have noticed a real reduction in the amount of black on the back of one of my koi. The first picture is of "Snipper" when we first got him (obviously guessing gender). The second is a picture I took earlier today. I would guess we got him about 3 weeks ago. I have to say I really liked the original coloring more but what can you do.

 

[Shaeward]

yah. red is the hardest color to maintain.

Interesting. I would think red would be a more stable color with black, yellow and orange being less stable. I did come across a post where someone was hopeing the red color in their Koi would disappear and not return. As the color was fading another poster warned to be careful with what they feed because some foods can cause the red to return.

I have a sanke that had a huge red spot on its head. It's about two years old. The spot faded this year and is nothing more than a very light pinky spot on the head. The fish, sadly, is completely ugly now. I mean, I bought him because of the beautiful red spot on his head...and it's gone...that's koi for ya.

Bummer! But I know what you mean. The reason we purchased our yellow Koi was for the bright yellow coloring. Got my fingers crossed that we don't totally lose it!

hmmm...the place I bought my koi from sells both Japanese and Chinese koi. They charge more for the former, claiming colour is more stable in Japanese koi. Is this true?

Based on what I've read, the Japanese are supposed to be superier in color. Only makes sense, Koi breeding originated in Japan. So is the place you bought yours from importing from Japan and China? I'm sure, like anything else, quality will have to do with bloodlines as well. I would guess there are some Japanese and Chinese Koi breeders that are in it purely for the money and don't give much thought to quality.

3 of my 4 koi fall in the 4-6" long range. Does this mean their colour is likely to change still? My fourth is about 8" long - should his/her colour be stable?

I think they're still likely to, or at least are at risk of, changing color.

Also, how do you sex koi? I know how to sex goldfish (breeding stars, good guess based on vent), but am not sure if koi are the same?

I was told you can't sex them when young, have to wait until they're older. Once mature, the female will be wider/fatter around the middle than the male.

 

[Shaeward]

Fredrik, Snipper is pretty (before and now) but the gold one is stunning! Looks like a fish shaped chunk of gold in your pond.