Japanese Koi

Japanese Koi are regarded as the prized fish of all the pond fish; they are sometimes called “Living Jewels”. Koi can live to be 20 to 30 years old.

The history of Japanese Koi is as mysterious as they are beautiful. Popular conviction would have you believe that Koi are indigenous to Japan. In fact, they are even mistakenly called "Japanese Goldfish".

Japanese Koi are believed to originate from eastern Asia and China. Koi were discovered by accident as colored genetic mutations from native black carp. The carp breed naturally, producing many thousands of offspring, some of which were not black like their parents but pale yellow. The cherished pale yellow Japanese Koi were crossed with other similarly colored genetic mutations, which eventually turned into the Koi we know and love today.

The Japanese Koi tradition offer the best quality Koi, with deep red pigmentation and clear skin in metallic varieties. In Japanese Koi tradition approximately only 1 percent of a typical spawning Koi reaches the market. The other 99 percent do not survive as they are not considered to have reached the optimal grade.

Koi Variety

Japanese Koi were first bred for color in Japan in the 1820s, initially in the town of Ojiya. The outside world was not aware of the development of color variations in Japanese Koi until 1914, when the Niigata Koi were exhibited in the annual exposition in Tokyo. At that point, interest in Koi exploded throughout Japan.

The hobby of keeping Koi eventually spread worldwide. Koi are now available in a wide range of colors, and pattern variety. While there are a limited number of major Koi varieties, there are numerous sub varieties or types. To the Japanese, many of these types are considered to be of “low quality” if they lack desirable characteristics of the varietal group.

It is important not to consider the groupings synonymous with “Pedigree’s”, as this is not always the case with Koi. It is the actual physical characteristics of a given Koi that determine its classification, not its pedigree line.

Koi Characteristics

Koi are very sociable fish and will become tame and feed from your hand. They are fast growers and greedy feeders. Koi are excellent pond fish and are within everybody’s budget. Koi are very compatible with other fish, but they can out compete smaller fish at feeding time.

The higher the grade of Koi, the less hardy it will be. Japanese Koi are omnivores and will thrive on commercial dry Koi foods and readily accept moist treats such as worms, prawns, and even oranges.

Koi grow up to 3 feet in length but will reach 4 feet in a sizable pond. Water must be well filtered and circulated to provide a stable pond environment.

Don’t be put off by the high dollar Koi that are out there, those are mostly show Koi fish. It is possible to collect some very nice Koi without spending a fortune. I have yet to spend a lot of money on my fish and I have had some really astounding fish.

Ghost Koi

There are many varieties of Japanese Koi fish but the most popular are Ghost Koi and Butterfly Koi. These are not officially recognized and you will not find them in a Koi show. They have become popular with pond keepers due to their unique characteristics.

The Ghost Koi is a controversial pond fish. To the Koi purist, it is regarded as a misfit that should have been culled, but to the average pond keeper, it is one of the most desirable fish.

The most visible and striking areas of a Ghost Koi are the metallic head and flashy pectoral fins that glint in the sunlight. Ghost Koi are an excellent choice for the novice pond owner, as they are vigorous, tame, and rewarding to look after.

They are available in a wide range of sizes and shades and are very competitively priced. They have a reputation for becoming tame very quickly, endearing themselves to the pond keeper right away.

A benefit of keeping Ghost Koi is their enhanced vigor, health, and vitality they don’t require pampering to keep them in the best shape. In fact, Ghost Koi has such a high natural resistance to disease that the need to treat them for aliments is very rare.

Butterfly Koi

Butterfly Koi has become the unconventional favorite in the U.S. Just like standard Koi they are available in a wide range of colors. Metallic varieties are especially stunning.

The defining features are long, trailing butterfly fins and tail and a long, slender body. The Butterfly Koi was created in North Carolina at the Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery.