Koi Colors Variation

The beautiful koi colors and patterns of the koi fish of today are a result of the Japanese being very discriminating when breeding the fish. Koi are cherished for their dramatic coloring and amazing patterns and explains why they are still adored in modern times.

Brilliance in color is a main characteristic of koi fish. A black koi should be a strong onyx and a red koi should be exceptionally vivid. A fish that does not have strong colors, has blotches or dullness is not ideal nor sought after by koi owners. Just like a white koi that has dark speckles instead of being an unblemished ivory.

The health of the of the fish can be determined by it’s color. The koi will change color if they are living in less than optimal surroundings or are in failing health. Their coloring will become muted and no longer vivid. Do some research and become familiar with how a koi is supposed to look when healthy so you know what you are looking for when you do decide to buy. You will be able to tell if you are giving your koi the ideal ministrations it deserves by closely observing its coloring.

You can find koi sporting a wide variety of colorings. Scarlet, saffron, onyx, azure, ivory and taupe are a few of the most popular koi colors available. Specific categories have been named to convey the various characteristics and colorings of koi fish. Breeders of koi fish have established and labeled a great number of classifications. The Taisho Sanshoki, Showa Sanshoki and the Kohaku koi fish all fall under the most widely known category, the Gosanke. Koi that have crimson markings upon a snowy white background are known as Kohaku.

The pure white background on this type of koi should be pristine and the crimson should be sharply delineated from the white, covering any where from 50 – 70% of the fish. The ivory koi fish that have crimson and onyx markings are called the Taisho Sanshoki, Taisho Sanke or merely Sanke for short. The crimson and onyx markings should be in vivid contrast to the ivory background and well delineated for this category of koi fish.

The Showa Sanshoki, or Showa for short, is much like the Sanke koi fish in that the Showa is also red, black and white. The dissimilarity arises in that the Showa is primarily black and it’s markings are white and red. Different colorings of koi put them into different categories. The koi fish that are a single color, even if they aren’t the same color as another is labeled under the Ogon category. The koi should be plain – no markings – and it’s coloring should be uniform.

With a well supplied diet, the koi’s vividness in coloring can be intensified. Commercially manufactured foods are mixed with other types of food designed to intensify a koi’s coloring, like Spirulina (marigold, plankton, shrimp and blue-green algae). Intensifying a koi’s coloring is possible when they are fed daphnia and brine shrimp that have been frozen or freeze dried. Large amounts of carotenoid colorants can be found in each of the above named foods. A koi’s skin is made up largely of carotenoid pigments.

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