| Allow me to have a crack at this topic.
Conformation = body shape & volume.
In my point of view, we are always at different learning stage of koi appreciation so our opinions change too. Serious hobbyists constantly improve their knowledge of koi appreciation mainly in conformation, color & skin quality & pattern. Body shape & volume rank 1st in koi appreciation. This is very important especially for matured koi. A good body shape with volume(not obese) will give a majestic impression & enhance the overall beauty. Even a general grade koi if you 'pump' it up will look nice. Conformation depend greatly on the bloodline & rearing skills of the hobbyist as well as the size & condition of your pond. Certain bloodline would only start to develop in conformation when it reach 3-4 years old for e.g. matsunosuke. Before I purchase a koi I always ask my dealer lots of questions like what can I expect from this bloodline? What is the characteristic of this bloodline? How should I properly develop this bloodline? When is the best time to put into his mud pond?etc...Most are obvious questions but no harm asking. One of my dealer even give me a 6 months period to see a certain development that he told me. If I'm not satisfied he allow me to change for another koi.
The basic of selecting a koi are already written in books:body shape & volume,color & skin quality,pattern but still its that personal experience that matter the most as time goes by & after paying lots of $$$ on buying, replaceing existing koi for higher grade one, knowing more on water quality,etc... I find that the best way to gain experience is to see more koi, visit koi shows or better still enter your koi in koi shows. Due to my limited experience on koi keeping this is all I can tell you.
SF |