[lildude]

Hmm.
I used to get mixed up with Hiroshima and Isawa. I am always very excited to see what the koi world holds in the future, and when the first american koi breeder will be comparable to some japanese breeders. I know that day will come, but when is the question. I hope that american breeders go off into a different direction to the japanese, possibly unlocking a new and unseen side of nishikigoi.

One variety that I know for a fact that has just emerged is the Ochiba goshiki. Its lemony, maroon, peachy color makes it seems like a kohaku but its not...

At this years show, momotaro koi was there and the person who was running the booth (keep forgetting name) showed 9"-11" koi from one tank and another tank that had 12"-14" koi in the other. He said that he some of the smaller koi from the same bunch that were in the tank at the show, into his 20k+ pond a few months prior and said that their size just exploded. Althought I loved this fish and was talking to emilio about them.

Matsunosuke still has my undying love. I love the way the sumi just seems eternally liquid and wet under the fish's skin. The hiban looks as freshly rippened sakura petals and the shiroji looks as a cloud in the japanese sky thats just behind the sakura petal, and the matsunosuke gin as the silver lining of the cloud. The weather symbolizes how much a fish can change, each year never looking the same as the prior season.

I also went to russell and kari's booth. I had my eye on this ginrin kohaku. and I asked him how much it was. He told me. and then he said what is wrong with that koi? It took me a couple of moments. It forced me to look at a part I never really pay much attention to when I am infatuated by a koi. The head. The fish had no head pattern. I thank russell for preventing me from purchasing it. He could of sold it and never thougth much of it, but he didn't he prevented me from making a big boo boo.
Russell started talking about the small showas in his tank. and I asked him to bowl one of them (I posted a bad picture of it earlier). It was far better than any showa that I thought I could ever afford. I asked him how much it was, and I really think he helped me out a whole lot. I can never thank him enough for the opportunity that he created for me. It may be that he did nothing, but to me that koi was beautiful and worth far more than what he said. I do feel that he did something special for me that day as kari and him have done so many times before.
Thank you.