Thank you gspotmc (sorry, I don't know your real name). Do you know if the growth that you attained from your tosai is as good as tosai that are reared in Japanese mud ponds? I don't know if it's possible to compete against the Japanese breeders who attain nisai that are in the 20" range when they are harvested in Oct/Nov of their 2nd summer. While a lot of hobbyists agree that it's not about how fast a koi grows, I think that it does especially when you want to vie for the top award at a show.
You are right, gspotmc, tosai really can change a lot over the course of a year. I really don't think that their change slows down until they reach nisai, and perhaps this is why buying nisai appeals to a lot of hobbyists, especially those who are serious about the hobby and who are chasing the GC award. I just wanted to share with you guys that I am starting to see that there are limitations in this hobby, and until we resolve these limitations (i.e., have grow-out ponds in the United States and being able to buy top-quality tosai from Japanese breeders), I just think that tosai are great for learning but perhaps does not have a very high chance of winning top awards at a show. Just my opinion, Koi Coach.
