Newbie question: What kind of koi do I have?

[ponder630]

I was talking to some fellow ponders at the store today and they were telling me about their koi's by their Japanese names like showa, etc. Can you guys help me identify my koi so I can be "Koi smart" lol?

Blue and Orange and Orange spots/white koi in attached photo.

Then I have this big koi thats mostly white with a few black spots, I don't have a picture of him so only this video.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/909076_JqWwNS#!i=1863131104&k=94kMhfc


Many thanks!

 

[Waterbug]

From the video I can't even tell if these are koi. Sorry.

The fish in the lower part of posted pic you could call Shusui if you like.

Understand the Japanese names only describe attributes, like we would say a person has blonde, black or red hair. To extend the metaphor further, there would be terms for fuller hair, longer hair and shine. Excluding crude jokes, a human is human no matter the color or fullness of their hair.

If you're looking to impress visitors I think any Japanese sounding words would do the trick. But if the visitors knew anything about koi I think they would be most impressed if you called it a pond-quality koi.

 

[capewind]

I was talking to some fellow ponders at the store today and they were telling me about their koi's by their Japanese names like showa, etc. Can you guys help me identify my koi so I can be "Koi smart" lol?

Blue and Orange

This guy is a very pretty Asagi, and not a Shusui. A shusui is the results of breeding a doitsu koi (scale pattern) with an Asagi. Same color pattern, different scales .,,

and Orange spots/white koi in attached photo.

I THINK this guy is a Kohaku, but I am not 100% on that ,,,

Then I have this big koi thats mostly white with a few black spots, I don't have a picture of him so only this video.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/909076_JqWwNS#!i=1863131104&k=94kMhfc

I cant see it in the video ... if it is a solid white fish with black spots, it is probably a shiro bekko.. I did see what looked like a white fish, with black on its body, with a patch of orange on its head, and that one would be Sanke ...

BTW, welcome to the group.

 

[Waterbug]

Asagi would work too. IMO it's neither an Asagi or Shusui, it's a mutt. It's like debating whether a dirty blonde is a blonde or a brunette. You can call them either I guess but they're still a dirty blonde. Really depends on how pretentious a person considers acceptable.

 

[Mmathis]

Maybe this will help.

 

[capewind]

God forbid you ever admitted to being wrong about something WaterBug. A Shusui is specific to having the ASAGI COLORATION, with Doitsu scales. By no stretch of the imagination is the posted fish a Shusui. It may not be a show winner, and may lean towards being a Hi Asagi due to the height of red at the lateral line, but to call it a mutt? For real? This person is just trying to learn some simple terms, not looking to impress anyone, Can you really get that stick any further up your _____? Dont bother answering that.

Ponder, just ignore WaterBug, most of the folks here are very nice and will help you learn,

 

[ponder630]

Thank you for your replies, it is true I am just trying to learn and not really impress anyone. I'd like to know what people are talking about when I hear those terms.

I think that chart would really come in handy, but I am guessing not all fish will fit the pictures, as long as they are close they could be consdered their Japanese descriptions?

 

[capewind]

The chart is very helpful, but there are variations inside of each color class ... My advice is to pick (from the chart), your favorites, or ones that you see most often, and do a websearch on each. Once you are comfortable with a few, a few more at a time comes easily, Since you now know your blue and orange fish is an Asagi, start with that one, since it will mean something to you.

 

[Waterbug]

God forbid you ever admitted to being wrong about something WaterBug. A Shusui is specific to having the ASAGI COLORATION, with Doitsu scales. By no stretch of the imagination is the posted fish a Shusui. It may not be a show winner, and may lean towards being a Hi Asagi due to the height of red at the lateral line, but to call it a mutt? For real? This person is just trying to learn some simple terms, not looking to impress anyone, Can you really get that stick any further up your _____? Dont bother answering that.

Ponder, just ignore WaterBug, most of the folks here are very nice and will help you learn,

Impressive. Capewind is the person to trust on this. Many years of judging Koi and able to tell anything from a single poor photo, even the fish's parents. There are some nice people here, and Capewind is one of the nicest. Just ask her.

The term "mutt" is not derogatory on Koi context, at least to most people I've met. It's a term of endearment. As in "its only a mutt but I love her". Same with dogs.