Notes

The History of Koi Colors

Did see it here know that reference appeared to koi colors dating back to 316 AD within the Western Chin Dynasty? That's how much time these wonderfully colorful fish happen to be discussing... it is amazing really!

Right in look at this now of koi that were documented included black, blue, white and red... so koi colors have been nothing new - it is simply that they are already perfected from the art of selective genetic breeding.

But it was not till the 17th century that real koi breeding began inside the Japanese region of Niigata Prefecture, also it was the Japanese who spent the time to understand the art of selective breeding. Through careful trial and error, they had become the master's of selective koi breeding and they also still lead the globe today.

So in the event you seriously desire to achieve a firm understanding about koi fish, different types in addition to their number of colors then you should learn a few of the Japanese terminology to get a grip on the real concept of things.

https://www.windsorfishhatchery.com.au/fancy-goldfish/ of those terms will probably be explained further into this information, but for now consider more with the koi fish history.

So... going back to 17th century Niigata Prefecture ... it absolutely was here that farmers began to observe that occasionally the grey carp fish would have offspring with different colors and markings. This prompted these to study the fish along with their findings revealed a good number of koi with distinct and colorful patterns that they can then proceeded growing a little more forward prior to the 1800s.

By the nineteenth century there are numerous koi breeders in Japan and after this there were also many new koi color varieties emerging. Koi had become incredibly popular and were affectionately generally known as "the fish of nobility" but they were still only really known inside the Niigata region of Japan.

However that every changed in 1914 every time a "koi fish expo" was held in Tokyo featuring some of the most vividly colorful koi from Niigata for your first-time.

The expo sparked a "koi fish craze" and some of the finest fish were gifted to Prince Hirohito. The Prince and the individuals were so taken by the stunning and wonderful koi colors, that soon the complete country was referring to this "newly discovered" fish species, and needless to say, the koi's popularity suddenly begun to spread worldwide.

From there the superior pedigree breeders became firmly established now still develop a lot more beautiful and colorful types of koi by way of a meticulous mixture of age old breeding techniques and present day genetics.

So it's thanks mainly to the carefully documented breeding with the Japanese from almost three centuries ago, that the entire world grows to benefit from the wonderful koi colors and types of today.

Here are a few of the main koi types and color descriptions





Asagi - Light blue top with red underside













Bekko - Red, white or yellow with black markings













Butterfly Koi - Long fins and tail













Doitsu Goi - German carp variety













Ghost koi - Offspring of an wild koi as well as a solid color ornamental koi.













Goshiki - Black with white, red, brown, and light blue patterns













Hikari Moyomono - Two colors of which one color is metallic













Jinmengyo - Unusual faced koi which looks quite comparable to a mammal













Kawarimono - These are a mixed breed koi













Kin Gin Rin - Looks shiny and metallic













Kohaku - White and red - the most popular fish













Koromo - Ordered scales which may have blue round the edges













Ogon - Single color













Showa Sanshoku / Showa - Black with red and white













Shusui - Asagi koi with spacing between several of it's scales













Taisho Sanshoku or Sanke - White with red and black













Tancho - Circle on their own head, usually red but can also be other colors













Utsurimono - Black with white or red or yellow


This is just a small percentage of many different koi colors and varieties, but for that budding koi enthusiast it's a excellent place to start out - along with the rest you will understand eventually and experience.

To watch a full color koi chart - click the link below

Here's my website: https://www.windsorfishhatchery.com.au/fancy-goldfish/