| The more I watch Brady's fish, the more I appreciate what is involved in creating a piece of living art according to your own vision. He has the genetic combinations for some very nice red pigment. His whites are very clean. Lacquer Sumi is in the mix, but takes a while to see develop. The body structure varies. In his best fish the body has a smooth, graceful, supple form. It is not the angular body we see so often on koi bred for size. When all the parts come together in one fish, it has to impress anyone. The one knock is size. My personal impression is that somewhere in the 28" range is where his fish are headed. For those wanting 34" GCs, it won't work ... based on what is known about his koi today. The problem for those making a quick judgment like that is that we do not know what his koi currently being produced will be like at 8 years of age. I'd say it has really only been about 5 years(?) or a little more that Brady has gotten the "on the ground" background learning in the genetics of his fish to put together pairings that can endure. So, conclusions somebody reached based on fish produced 4 or more years ago are not necessarily valid today. Producing great koi is a long term commitment. For most koikeepers, a koi in the 26-28" range is plenty big enough for a 5,000 gal pond. It is going to be interesting what happens in the next 5 years. From what I've read, the best known breeders in Japan often remained in the shadows until a decade after their breeding program was established. Then, a single fish taking top honors at a district or regional show would cause everyone to want what they had been passing over before. Of course, once a couple of judges give official validation by awarding a prize, the price for the best of each year's crop rises considerably.
Ronin: I'm not saying you have GCs there, but they are nice looking nishikigoi. Be careful with the baking soda. It would be better to rely on water changes to maintain alkalinity. |