How to choose koi carp

How to choose koi carp

What is koi carp?

Koi is a kind of colorful carp. It is named because of its brightly colored surface and brocade-like flowers. Koi is a variation of red carp. Raising red carp as an ornamental fish in my country has become very popular in the Ming Dynasty. After the red carp was introduced to Japan, the Japanese discovered that the color of the carp changed during the breeding process. According to the characteristics of the red carp that is easy to mutate, the red carp was selected and artificially improved into the scarlet carp, and many new varieties were cultivated, which were initially called "color carp". "Carp", "flower carp", later renamed "koi". From 1804 to 1829, Japanese nobles moved this kind of carp into the courtyard to raise it, and it became an ornamental item for the nobles in the palace. Therefore, koi is also called "noble fish".

On the basis of the emergence of Koi Koi light yellow, Betsukou and other varieties, after further selection and breeding, yellow-spotted Koi was bred in Japan during the Meiji period, Taisho three colors were bred during the Taisho period, and the Showa era was bred Showa three-color and other rare varieties are produced. In 1906, Japan introduced scaleless "leather carp" and "mirror carp" from Germany, crossed them with koi, and bred koi of leather carp strains such as German Gold, German Red and White, and Autumn Cui. Japan has a history of raising koi for more than 200 years, and so far, more than 100 varieties of koi of various colors have been cultivated.

How to choose koi?

The koi must be in good shape, strong and healthy, without trauma or bleeding, and the color must be thick and pure. It would be better if the spots form artistic patterns. In addition, it is necessary to observe whether there are white spots, white fuzz, bloodshot eyes, ulcers and other symptoms on the fish, and then check whether the chest, abdomen and tail fins are complete, whether it swims happily and lively, whether it rolls, lies on its side, stands upside down or sinks to the bottom. Unhealthy fish is not an option.

What should I do after buying the koi?

Do not put the newly bought koi into the fish tank or fish pond immediately. You should immerse the fish and the bag into the water of the fish tank and let it sit for about 30 minutes to allow the water temperature inside and outside the bag to reach equilibrium. Then put the fish into the fish tank. Pour the water into an empty basin, and after half an hour, you can put it into a fish tank filled with new water and raise it alone. If you want to raise it with the original fish at home, it will take another week to see if the newly bought fish is sick. , to prevent the new fish from carrying pathogens and infecting the original healthy fish.

Red and white

The definition of red and white

Those with red patterns on a white background are called For red and white. It is the most authoritative among Jinji varieties and the most eye-catching in various tasting conferences.

There is a saying that "it starts with red and white, and ends with red and white". When I first saw the red and white animals, I was amazed and fascinated by them, so I started raising them. As time goes by, you will feel that Showa three-color or golden carp are also good. But the more experience I have, the deeper I understand about koi. In the end, I still feel that red and white are the best. This motto shows that red and white are the orthodox and representative colors of koi.

Requirements for red and white markings

The most important thing about red and white markings is that the white background should be pure, without any yellow or light yellow, and must be pure white like snow.

The thicker the erythema, the better, but the style must be an elegant and bright red. Erythema includes purple-based and orange-based red. The former is relatively thick and not easy to fade, but the tone is not elegant. The latter is not easy to add color and is also easy to fade. However, once the color is added, the tone is elegant and bright. Therefore, it is better to choose the latter red color.

The most important point is that the red spots must be uniform in color, and there should not be blur or white spots in the red spots.

It is also important to have clear edges of the erythema. The edge of the markings towards the tail must be clear, but the part near the head is usually blurred. This is due to the scales covering the underlying color, which is called "color insertion". This color arrangement has a unique style.

Position conditions of red and white markings

The markings of koi must be evenly distributed on the whole body and symmetrical from left to right. This is the basic concept of appreciating koi. Those with patterns on only the left or right half are called "patterns." This pattern configuration is not ideal. Small markings scattered throughout the body are called "small markings", but they are not as good as "large markings" where the markings are concentrated into large markings.

The following explains the location conditions for patch distribution. Of course, the lack of these conditions does not mean that the ornamental value will be lost. As long as there is an eye-catching focus, it is okay to have some flaws.

Head There must be red spots on the head. Even if there are very beautiful patterns on the torso, those without red patterns on the head are called "monks" and have no ornamental value.

The bigger the erythema on the head, the better, but the eyes, jaws, cheeks, and mouth should not be overshadowed. Ideally, the front of the erythema should reach the nostril line, and at least it should reach the eyeline. But recently, some people think that this typical pattern is too simple, and prefer slightly different patterns, such as oblique spots or full-shaped spots with unique characteristics. If the erythema reaches the mouth and lips, "covering the nose" or the head is completely covered with erythema, "covering the face" is unsightly. Small round red spots on the lips are called "lipstick". In principle, it is best not to wear lipstick when there is a large red spot on the head. However, if the red spot on the head only reaches the eyeline or is slightly higher than the eyeline, then the existence of "lipstick" is of great value.

The large markings on the trunk must be symmetrical, and the center of gravity of the markings should be slightly closer to the neck, especially those with large markings on the shoulders near the head. This is the main focus of viewing. It is ideal if there is a white stripe on the front of the shoulder, otherwise the red stripe near the shoulder should at least have a white gap. In other words, it is best if the head joins the body as a non-straight line with monotonous markings.

There must also be a red stripe near the tail fin, specifically called the "tail knot." The ideal distance between the tail knot and the tail fin is about 2cm, and it cannot be rendered to the tail. The larger the koi, the more white part at the base of the tail, the better, or even completely white from the back of the dorsal fin to the tail fin. Fish with red spots covering the back half of the body are called "tail-heavy" and are undesirable.

The angle of the tail knot affects the visual beauty. In the past, people appreciated tail knots with small angles, but recently they like tail knots with larger angles. In the past, people thought that the location of red streaks was better if they appeared above the midline of the high side of the body, that is, if they were limited to the back, but recently it is recognized that red streaks extending to the abdomen are more spectacular and powerful. Those with patterns on the front half and no patterns on the back half are also not taken seriously.

Taisho Three Colors

Definition of Taisho Three Colors

Those with white background and red and black markings are called "Taisho Three Colors". There are only red spots on the head but no black spots. The basic condition is that there are black stripes on the pectoral fins (commonly known as hands). Together with Hongbai, it is a representative species of koi.

Requirements for Taisho tricolor markings

White background is the same as the requirements for red and white. It must be pure white, preferably not light yellow.

The erythema is the same as the requirements for red and white, it must be uniform and thick, with clear edges. The red spots on the head should not appear on the eyes, arms, and cheeks. It is best to have a white background behind the tail knot. The markings on the trunk should be even on the left and right, and the fins should not have red lines.

Black spots: There should be no black spots on the head, but there must be on the shoulders. This is the key point of viewing. The black spots on the white background are called TSUBO-ZUMI, and the black spots on the red spots are called overlapping ink (KASANE-ZUMI). For dark spots, acupoint ink is better. A few firm black spots evenly distributed left and right on a white background are of higher quality. There shouldn't be too many dark spots on the back half of the body.

Fins It is ideal if there are two to three black lines on the pectoral fins. The same goes for other fins, there shouldn't be too many black stripes.

Showa Tricolor

Definition of Showa Tricolor

Three colors with red and white patterns on a black background and black spots at the base of the pectoral fin are called Showa three colors.

Required conditions for Showa tricolor markings

Erythema: There must be large erythema on the head, with uniform redness, clear edges and strong color.

Vitiligo Vitiligo is also very important for the Showa Tricolor, but it doesn’t need to be many, accounting for about 20% of the body. The white matter must be pure white. Those with white spots on the head and tail are of higher quality, and of course those with white spots on the back are better.

Dark Spots: There are two types of black spots: the so-called MENWARE type, which has lightning-shaped black streaks that span from the mouth to red spots on the head; and the two types, which have black spots on the tip of the nose and herringbone-shaped black streaks on the head. The former is the basic model, while the latter has a more heroic appearance. The black lines on the trunk must be lightning-shaped or triangular, thick and curling to the abdomen. The pectoral fins should be black and should not be completely white, completely black or have red spots.

The difference between Taisho three colors and Showa three colors

In short, koi with red, white and black markings are divided into two types: Taisho three colors and Showa three colors . The former is a koi with red and black spots on a white background, while the latter is a koi with red and white spots on a black background. Additional notes are as follows:

① The Taisho tricolor does not have dark spots on its head, but the Showa tricolor does.

② The dark spots of the Taisho tricolor are in the shape of round blocks and exist in the upper half of the midline on the high side of the body. The dark spots of the Showa tricolor are in the shape of continuous lines or bands and exist all over the body, including the abdomen. .

③The breast mackerel of Taisho tricolor is all white or has black stripes, while the pectoral fin base of Showa tricolor has round black spots. This black spot is specially called MOTOGURO. This makes it easy to distinguish the two. In fact, the "quality" of the dark spots between the two is different, so with experience, you can distinguish them by just looking at the quality of the dark spots.

White writing

Definition of white writing

Things with triangular white spots on a black background are called white writing. The conditions for the existence of black markings on the surface are exactly the same as those of the Showa Tricolor. There are black markings on the head and the pectoral fins are also black.

Conditions for white markings

White Like red and white on a white background, the texture should be pure white.

Black: The texture and markings are the same as the black spots required for the Showa three colors, and the pectoral fins should also be black.

Yellow writing

The definition of yellow writing

Things with triangular yellow markings on a black background are called yellow writing.

Yellow Conditions for writing markings

Black spots and Showa tricolor require the same texture as markings. The darker the color, the better. The yellow is a bright yellow, but it should not have black sesame spots. The pectoral fins are beautifully striped.

绯书

Definition of 绯书

Yellow writing with a darker yellow color that is closer to orange-red is called 绯书.

Required conditions for markings

The contrast between black and red is strong and easy to attract attention, so it is often compared with red, white, Taisho

three colors at the tasting meeting. Showa three colors fight for the winning prize. The disadvantage is that black spots of sesame seeds are easy to appear on the red spots. If the black spots are thick and firm but there are no black sesame spots, it is a rare high-quality product. The pectoral fins have beautiful black and red stripes.

Beet Light

Definition of Beet Light

Koi with black spots on a white, red or yellow background are called Beet Light and belong to the Taisho San color system.

Hakubetsuko

The Taisho three-color carp with the red spots removed is Hakubekoko, which is a koi with black spots on a white background. Because it is a Taisho three-color koi, it cannot have black spots on its head. However, if it does not affect the beauty of the distribution of black spots on its trunk, it is okay to have black spots on its head. There must be a large dark spot on either side of the shoulder. The best ones are those with pure white heads and no light yellow color.

The pectoral fins usually have black stripes, but some are completely white.

The difference between white writing and white farewell light

The koi with black and white color patterns are "white script" and "white farewell light". The differences are as follows:

① If white is written on the head, there will be facial cut-shaped black spots, or there will be black spots on the tip of the nose and human-shaped markings on the top of the head. If white is written on the head, there will be no black spots.

②The black spots on the torso of Bai Bieguang extend to the abdomen, while the black spots of Bai Bieguang only appear on the back.

③The pectoral fins written in white are usually black, while the pectoral fins written in white have striped black spots or are completely white.

In short, the substantia nigra of the two is completely different. The substantia nigra of the two is completely different.

Akabetsuguang

Those with black spots on Chiwuji’s back are called “Akabetsuguang”. The texture of the dark spots is exactly the same as the white spots.

The difference between Red Tricolor and Red Tricolor is that Red Tricolor has no white lines while Red Tricolor has a little white on the side.

Huangbieguang

Koi with black spots on a yellow background are called Huangbieguang.

Light yellow

The definition of light yellow

The back is dark blue or light blue, the outer edges of the fish scales are white, and the left and right eyelids, abdomen and each A koi carp with red fin bases.

Requirements for markings

The most important thing is that the head must be clear light blue, without any dark shadows or black spots. The blue fish scales on the back must be neat and dazzling. The left and right eyelids, abdomen and the base of the fins are red as the basic type, and the darker the red, the better. Those with particularly deep red pectoral fins are called "autumn green fins". It is better if there are no red spots on the back, and the lower abdomen is milky white.

Autumn Cui

Definition of Autumn Cui

The light yellow color of the German carp system is called "Autumn Cui".

Requirements for markings

The head is clear light blue, and the back is blue like the sky. The tip of the nose, eyelids, abdomen and fin base are red, but there should be no dark shadows or black spots.

Generally speaking, the conditions that the German system of koi must meet are: the scales must be arranged neatly, especially the row of dark blue scales on Qiucui's back, which must be arranged neatly.

Large single scales are often found between the row of scales on the back and the row of scales on the side of the abdomen, which are called "scaly scales". It is best not to have such scales. There are also many large and irregular scales, which are called "iron scales" and are not worth viewing.

Hua Qiucui

Those with connected red spots between the dorsal and ventral scales are called "Hua Qiucui".

Fei Qiucui

Qiu Cui originally had a red belly and blue back, and the back was also all red, which was called "Fei Qiu Cui".

Huang Qiucui

Yellow Qiucui, the back is still blue. If there is no blue at all and the scales on the back are black, it is called "Ponderosa pine leaf".

Zhenzhu Qiucui

Those with silver-covered scales on the back of Qiucui are called Zhenzhu Qiucui.

Definition of Autumn Cui

The light yellow color of the German carp system is called "Autumn Cui".

Requirements for markings

The head is clear light blue, and the back is blue like the sky. The tip of the nose, eyelids, abdomen and fin base are red, but there should be no dark shadows or black spots.

Generally speaking, the conditions that the German system of koi must meet are: the scales must be arranged neatly. In particular, the row of dark blue scales on Qiucui's back must be arranged neatly. Large single scales are often found between the row of scales on the back and the row of scales on the side of the abdomen, called "scalae". It is best not to have such scaling. There are also many large and irregular scales, which are called "iron scales" and are not worth viewing.

Hua Qiucui

Those with connected red spots between the dorsal and ventral scales are called "Hua Qiucui".

Fei Qiu Cui Qiu Cui originally had a red belly and blue back, and the back was also all red, so it was called "Fei Qiu Cui".

Huang Qiucui

Yellow Qiucui, the back is still blue. If there is no blue at all and the scales on the back are black, it is called "Ponderosa pine leaf".

Zhenzhu Qiucui

Those with silver-covered scales on the back of Qiucui are called Zhenzhu Qiucui.

Yi

Definition of Yi

Yi is a variety produced by mating red and white or three colors with light yellow. Clothes belong to the red and white system, and the five colors belong to the three-color system.

Blue Clothes

A mating species of light yellow and red and white, with blue half-moon-shaped mesh patterns on the trailing edge of the scales.

Mo Yi

The red and white spots on Mo Yi are covered with a layer of ink-like markings. There are also black lines on the red spots on Mo Yi’s head.

Grape tricolor

Those with grape-colored scales gathering together to form grape-like markings are called grape tricolor.

The three colors of clothes

Produced by the mating of blue clothes and Taisho three colors. Taisho tricolor red spots appear with blue markings.

I Showa

Produced by the mating of blue clothes and Showa tricolor. Showa tricolor has blue spots on its red spots.

Variant carp

Definition of variant carp

Black carp, yellow carp, tea carp, green carp and pine leaf carp belong to this type of carp.

Black carp

The carp is completely black, and its color is blue and light yellow. The huge German system black carp has ornamental value.

Feather white, bald white, Sibai, Moliu, Songchuanhua

The end of the pectoral fin of black carp is white, slightly "feather white". In addition to the white tip of the pectoral fin, the tip of the nose or head is also white, which is called "bald white". Those whose heads, left and right pectoral fins, and tail fins are all white are called "four whites." Those that change the relationship between their black and white markings several times a year as the seasons change are called "Matsukawa transformation".

Nine-marked dragon

German carp with white feather system. The dark and light markings all over the body are intertwined, making it look like a dragon painted in ink.

Yellow carp

A carp whose body is bright yellow, often with red eyes.

Tea carp

A carp with a brown body. The German system grows particularly quickly, so giant tea carps are often found.

Pine leaf

Like light yellow, it is also a classic carp. Those with black spots on each red scale are called "red pine leaves", those with yellow scales are called "yellow pine leaves", and those with white scales are called "white pine leaves". The mating species of Xingjin carp are called "Golden Pine Leaf" and "Silver Pine Leaf".

Five colors

Produced by the mating of light yellow and red three colors, the five colors can be said to be light yellow and blue with red and three color markings. It is named after the "five colors" of white, red, black, and blue.

Three-Color Autumn Green

A cross between Taisho Tricolor and Autumn Green. The three-color Akui can be said to be a German carp with the characteristic blue background of the Taisho three-color Akui on the back.

Showa Akui is a cross between Showa Tricolor and Akui. The Showa Akui can be said to be a German carp with an autumn emerald blue background in the Showa three-color back.

Five-Colored Autumn Cui

A cross between Five-Colored Autumn Cui and Autumn Cui.

Shikako Kohaku

If the red and white spots are not concentrated and appear individually on each scale, it is called "Shikako Kohaku".

Shikako Tricolor

If part of the red spots of the Taisho Tricolor becomes "Shikako", it is called "Shikako Tricolor".

Kakoko Showa

If part of the red spots of the Showa three colors becomes "Kako", it is called "Kakoko Showa".

Shadow writing

The background color of carp with light black mesh-like shadow patterns is called "shadow writing", with neat mesh and black spots

Really valuable for viewing. There are two types of shadow writing: "shadow writing" and "shadow writing".

Kage Showa

The red spots of Showa's three colors or light black shadow patterns on a white background are called Shadow Showa.

The definition of patterned skin carp

Any koi produced by mating carp other than white carp (white or scarlet carp) and golden carp, including gold-only carp The so-called "post-point" koi with silver and two colors as patterns can all be slightly patterned and light-skinned.

Post points

The head of the koi with gold and silver markings must be clean, and the more overlapping wheels the better.

Shanbuki Tiefen

Pure golden and platinum two-color koi.

Orange-colored stickers

A koi with two-color markings of orange and platinum.

Tiefen pine leaves

Tiefen with pine leaf markings.

Germany points scoring

Germany system points scoring.

Kikusui

Among the German system of Yamabuki Tiefen or Orange Tiefen, those with beautiful wavy or mottled patterns on the flanks are called "Kikusui". The whole body is made of platinum, especially the silvery white color of the head and back is particularly eye-catching. Among the chrysanthemums, those with particularly bright scales on their backs are called century-old cherry blossoms.

Platinum Kohaku (Golden Fuji)

Produced by the mating of Kohaku and Golden Carp. The one with strong white gold color and bright back is particularly beautiful, which is called "Platinum Red White". The head must be a shiny white gold color. The disadvantage of light-skinned carp is that the red spots are lighter and often appear orange.

Yamato brocade

This is the Taisho three-color skinned carp. Although the red markings are relatively light, recent products with bright platinum tones have appeared.

Jinshui, Yinshui

This is the bright-skinned carp of Qiucui. Those with many erythema are called "Jin Shui", and those with few erythema are called "Yin Shui".

Pine, Bamboo and Plum

The skinned carp in blue call it Pine, Bamboo and Plum.

Peacock Gold

A five-color light-skinned carp. Those with red spots all over the body are called "red peacocks", and those with a German system are called "German peacocks".

The golden carp is the golden carp with black stripes on its back.

Light Writing Definition of Light Writing

Produced by the mating of writing type koi and golden carp.

Golden Showa, Silver Showa

The light-skinned carp produced by mating the Showa tricolor and the golden carp. The stronger gold color is called "Kin Showa", and the stronger platinum color is called "Gin Showa".

Silver

The skinned carp written in white. It can also be said that it is written in white on a platinum background.

Golden carp

A cross between Huangsha or Feixi and golden carp.

Gold

The definition of gold

Carps whose entire bodies are golden in color are called "golden carps".

Key points for viewing gold

① The head must be bright and clear, without any shadows.

② The outer edge of the scales is called the rim, and this part must be bright gold. Those with the whorls extending to the ventral side are considered high-end, and the pectoral fins must also be bright.

③Golden carp are often overweight due to their strong appetite, and their pectoral fins are often deformed. You must pay attention to the above body shape shortcomings when purchasing.

④ When the water temperature rises in summer, the body color of some golden carp will change to dark golden yellow. When purchasing, you must choose golden carps that are not affected by water temperature and have good physical condition.

⑤ For "German Golden Carp", attention must be paid to the neatness of the scales and no excess scales.

Ombre gold, white gold

Silver-skinned carp are called "obscure gold" because of their silvery appearance. The whiter color is called "white gold".

Platinum

Obtained in 1963 by mating yellow carp with flat gold. The whole body is silvery white.

Shanbuki Gold

It was obtained by mating yellow carp with golden carp in 1957. The whole body is pure gold.

Golden pine leaves (gold pine leaves) and silver pine leaves are the golden carp whose back each scale becomes a bright pattern. The one with white gold as the base is called "silver pine leaf".

German Gold

The golden carp of the German system.

German Platinum

German System Platinum Carp

Gold and Silver Scales

Definition of Gold and Silver Scales

Those with golden or silver scales all over their bodies are called "gold and silver scales".

Red and white gold and silver scales

Red and white scales with shiny silver on the white background are called "silver scales". If the shiny scales are within the red spots, they are called golden scales. "Gold scales", those with gold and silver scales carefully gathered on the back are more beautiful. The types of silver scales can be roughly divided into two types: those whose scales show silvery highlights are called "jade silver" or "real pearl silver", and the other whose silver parts become strips of bright strips are called "jade silver". Hiroshima Silver" or "Diamond Silver".

The three colors of gold and silver scales

The three colors of Taisho with gold and silver scales are called. In the past, when there were silver scales on the fish body, the edges of the red spots and black spots were not clear. However, after improvements, recently, excellent fish with clear red spots and black spots can be found.

Gold and silver scale Showa

The three-color Showa style with gold and silver scales is a relatively new variety. The gold and silver scales match the black spots, and they are as beautiful as gems.

The special light with gold and silver scales

The special light with gold and silver scales.

Gold and silver scale skinned carp

Recently, a light skinned carp with gold and silver scales was created. Platinum or Yamabuki gold plus silver and gold scales make for a very gorgeous koi.

Danding

Definition of Danding

If there are round red spots on the head but no red spots on the body, it is called Danding. It is common to find koi fish with so-called "lipstick" red spots on their mouths and round red spots on their heads. This kind of fish is not called a red top but should be classified as red and white.

If the erythema on the head extends to the scales on the back of the head and shoulders, it should not be called a red crown.

Danding red and white

Things that are white all over but have round red spots only on the head are called "Dingding". The erythema should be round and the bigger the better, but it is better not to contaminate the eyes or back. The red matter should be thick, the edges should be clear, and there should be no lipstick. It is especially important that the white matter should be pure white. The names vary depending on the shape of the erythema. For example, the erythema becomes a plum-shaped "plum blossom top", and other "heart-shaped red tops", "corner red tops", etc.

Tan Ding Tri Color

Those with round red spots only on the head and black spots on the body are called Tan Ding Tri Color.

Tancho Showa

Those who have three colors of Showa and only have a red spot on the head are called Tancho Showa.