[MikeM]

We often read and hear about culling fry and tosai, focusing on the knowledge needed to decide which to keep and which to toss into the field to become food for crows. But there is another aspect of culling that is a bit different ... grading tosai. It is a rare breeder who truly keeps only tategoi for growing another season in the mud. The tateshita are also part of the crop, albeit not the most profitable. The koi farmers of Japan would not survive if they looked to tateshita for their living; but, like an aboriginal hunter, no part of the kill can be ignored if there is a benefit to be gained. How to maximize the return on the tateshita is a challenge.

Imagine having a twenty thousand ogon tosai. Most will go to Wal*Marts of the world to be sold for pocket change. Some will go to pet shops whose owners compete by besting the Wal*Marts on quality, but still can only charge pocket change. Some will go to outlets "specializing" in koi (and really nice pond goldfish,too!), which need a higher quality. And others will go to professional koi dealers who need to be able to meet a spectrum of consumer demand. So, the koi farmer, to maximize his return, must grade the tateshita... Grade "A", "AA", "AAA", "AAAA", and so on.

So out of the 20,000 that look like an Ogon (at least sort of?)there may be space to keep 250 for another season, leaving 19,750 to sort into grades.

Imagine the time it takes. The bending. The cramped muscles. If each gets 5 seconds of time, it would take over 27 hours to go through them. In reality, many get only a couple of seconds of attention, but others actually need the eyes to be focused. All that glittery gold, for so many hours. The time is hopefully well-spent...hopefully there are enough that can be sold as graded koi, rather than by the bulk pound, to justify the effort.

For the common Ogon, the effort is not going to be made. There just is not enough money in it! ...Except, somewhere, there is a fellow sorting through the living gold that took so much feeding and care over so many hot, sweaty weeks, and so many cold, wet mornings... searching for that one...the one that in time may be kept a third season. Grading them because the extra return sorted ones can bring is more than nothing at all. And in the separate inspection of each is the key to finding that one...if it is there to be found.

I hope it is, and that he finds it. Maybe in four years we can enjoy seeing her. And, as we walk by a vat someplace, maybe for a moment the thought will come that she is a special one ... as we walk by.