[KoiCop]

From whats a tategoi??

At the very, very simplest level a tategoi is an unfinished koi with great potential.

The word is often misused; especially in marketing.

At its highest level, tategoi speaks to a breeder's vision. When a breeder looks at his koi's potential today and sees that the koi will continue to develop and get much, much better -- years and years down the road -- then that koi can be considered tategoi.

If tategoi, a breeder can charge today what it will be worth next year or the year after -- if he will even sell it, at all.

Very few tategoi ever leave Japan, and that's why most top hobbyists are so tight with use of that oft abused adjective.

Hey, did you see what JR posted this morning to your other thread re: use of the word tategoi? If you haven't, he said:

When asked if a baby fish is a tategoi, even that word will have two distinct meanings:

1) does the fish have a chance to improve based on what is seen today? Maybe for one more year? Or two more years? Remember, all tategoi are unfinished but not all unfinished fish are tategoi.

2) does the fish have ALL the elements present that suggest it will be tategoi for many years and then come together as a finished high grade koi at 76 cm?