Koi coloration includes from one to three colors, the colors including white, yellow, orange, red, black, and blue (a grayish shade due to black underneath the skin), with either a flat or metallic appearance. Patterning of koi is infinitely variable, but desirable patterns include a round patch on the forehead, and a stepping-stone pattern down the back. The scales may be present or missing, large or small, or crinkled, giving a "diamond" appearance.
While possible variations in koi are limitless, koi breeders have identified and named a number of specific types. The koi breeding process is complicated, since most of these koi varieties do not breed true, and much of the knowledge is still a closely guarded secret. Individual koi are also selected for appearance while the fish is being raised; the net result is that an aesthetically attractive fish of a rare koi variety may fetch a price of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The major named varieties of koi include:
- Asagi - light blue on top, red/orange on bottom, blue scales bordered in white
- Shusui - similar to asagi, but with large scales in a dorsal row
- Bekko - primary koi color red/orange/yellow/white, with black markings
- Hikarimoyo-mono - two colors; one flat, one metallic
- Hikari-utsurimono - two metallic colors
- Kawarimono - miscellaneous
- Goshiki - mostly black, with red, white, brown, and blue accents
- Kinginrin - bright metallic sheen, silver highlights
- Kohaku - red accents on white body
- Koromo - red and white koi overlaid with blue or silver
- Ogon - uniform yellow or white, highly metallic koi
- Platinum Ogon - pure white koi
- Showa Sanshoku - black bodied koi with red and white markings
- Taisho sanke - primarily white body with red and black markings
- Utsurimono - black body, with red markings(Hi Utsuri), white markings(Shiro Utsuri), or yellow markings(Ki Utsuri).
- Tancho - primarily white koi, with a red patch on the forehead only
- Tancho kohaku - pure white koi with round red head patch
Many koikeepers enjoy having a large variety of koi in different colors and patterns swimming in their koi pond. Other koi keepers may be so impressed with a particular color or pattern of koi that they only want that specific type in their pond. Whether you choose one or many colors of koi for your pond you can't go wrong, it's a beautiful sight either way!
Nishikigoi, commonly referred to as "Koi" are the national fish of Japan, therefore the fish's name is derived from the Japanese language. "Nishiki" is the Japanese word used to describe a highly coloured cloth. "Goi or Koi" is the Japanese name for carp. Together, therefore "Nishikigoi" is derived from coloured carp. However, as koi keeping has become more popular throughout the world, people now refer to these species as "Koi".
Contrary to belief, Koi are not indigenous to Japan. They were believed to originate from eastern Asia, in the Black, Caspian, Aral Seas and China. The earliest written records of Koi were found in China. Koi were believed to be introduced to Japan with the invading Chinese and a first account of them being kept by an emperor in Japan, apparently dates Back to AD 200.
Koi were first bred in Japan in the 1820s, initially in the town of Ojiya in the Niigata prefecture on the north eastern coast of mainland Japan. This area is situated high in the mountains, where snow can fall up to several metres in depth, cutting of access to the area in the winter months. Therefore, carp were used for food and were stored for eating during the winter. Rice farmers there introduced carp into their irrigation ponds to supplement their diet of rice. This devotion to breeding carp led to the Niigata region becoming established as the centre of the growing Koi industry.
Colour mutations in carp were first noticed in the early 1800s. These mainly involved red, white and light yellow Koi (the latter developing into the first single - coloured Kawarimono) and later the tortoiseshell - patterned Koi. These were all mutations from the black Common Carp, known as Magoi. By the middle of the 1800s, cross-breeding of red and white carp produced what could be described as the first Kohaku. Early Koi varieties such as Asagi, Higoi and Bekko, were cross-bred until later the same century, fixing many of the varieties we know today. Certain varieties slowly reached high standards over several generations and in this way lineages became established.
Around the same period, in central Europe a Carp mutation arose, the Carp only having a few large glossy scales along the dorsal line - the "mirror carp", or having no scales at all - the "leather carp". These fish which became known as "doitsu" from their mid european origins, were originally bred for food. Some of these "doitsu" carp were introduced to Japan in the early 1900s, which later led to the Shusui variety (doitsu Asagi).
