[Sangreaal]

Quote: Originally Posted by bekko The development of skin pattern occurs after conception/fertilization. While an animal may have the genetic disposition for patterned skin, the actual shape of the pattern is not inherited. There was some work done on cloning koi and another group is talking about doing it again. The problem is, of course, that cloning the genotype does not duplicate the skin pattern as that pattern does not develop until later in the process. I stand corrected about saying that kohaku is the closest thing we have to a variety which breeds true. Mike is correct that ogons will show less variability. -stevehopk ins

By pattern, do you mean patches of coloration such as in the kohakus, showas, sankes, shiros, etc? What of the netting pattern/design in ochibas, matsubas and chagoi? That seems to be a constant, even though the underlying or overlying patches of color are as variable as snowflakes.

Even though pattern will always be a variable, elements like skin quality and color intensity, and even to some extent placement of these colors must certainly be genetic. Tanchos come to mind when I say this--the hi might not always be a perfect circle, but it is always hi and it is always on the head, with a predilection for roundness even if it doesn't always breed true.

So has someone actually cloned koi? I would be very interested in reading the paper that must have certainly been written while this was done. It is interesting to hear that cloning the genotype doesn't duplicate pattern and that it is developed further on down the line. I've never seen a new spawn of baby koi, but I have done some breeding with Sarassa comets and watched the development of color and pattern--what a surprise when a drab black brown or green baby grows to fingerling size and miraculously becomes white, gold or orange bodied that bloom with patterns of red or black. I've had some of my babies hold off on changing color until they were a year or two old, then within a matter of days go through total metamorphisis. One of my female Sarassas is pure white with a perfectly round tancho spot right behind the head. When bred with my red and white kohaku patterned male produces about 30% white with that same red spot and placement (though not all of those spots are round, they are all right behind the head and in front of the dorsal fin), 50% of them take on the kohaku red and white color patterning, and the rest will either be solid red or gold or white. The change from the mundane colors to the adult colors must have something to do with disguising babies so they are not such easy prey as their brightly colored parents. Could this be somewhat so in koi as well?

Marie