A lot of ratios have been in print as to what characteristics a female Koi transfers & what characteristics a male Koi transfers to the offspring,... I’m not sure where these originated - the genetic characteristics tend to fall randomly from each Koi parent, AND both parents have to be excellent parent fish for even decent results.
A good parent Koi is a fish that produces WHAT the breeder wants to see. Koi breeding at its core is an artform, and a breeder really should have a vision, so a “good” parent Koi will be a Koi that produces the breeder’s vision faithfully. A good parent Koi, or a good pairing, will transfer the qualities the breeder likes on to the offspring. As we know, even the most beautiful and striking Koi is worthless as a parent Koi IF it can’t transfer its fine qualities down to its babys,... very few pairings produce excellent results.
Interest in breeding Koi is very high right now in the West. Everyone wants to “try their luck”. I worry that breeders outside of Japan (and some within Japan) will reduce the art of Koi to a “Dogs Playing Pool” painting by breeding Koi just to breed them. So many of we Western breeders are thrilled just to get a “Kohaku”, or just to get a “Sanke” from our efforts. The respected Grant Fujuita once told a friend, who is also a Koi breeder, that he was very arrogant to call himself a Koi breeder,... to think he can breed Koi. Several years of floundering around are required to begin to understand what he meant by this,... those that are pursuing Koi breeding really need to have a vision,... it’s a craft, an art with “standards” that must be upheld, and not belittled. The high quality Koi we are so Kichi over today are here ONLY because the Japanese pioneers of Koi breeding had incredible vision, and discipline. They didn’t breed Koi to get “free Koi”, they bred Koi because of their desire to produce something very beautiful, and then to refine that beauty into a work of art they could be proud of.
Best Wishes,
Brady Brandwood
