[Sangreaal]

Here's an example of baby sumi in my Ogata ginrin Showa. I purchased it in the spring of '06 from this exact pic at 5" long:



I was looking for a dark fish, so this one called to me. In the two weeks between when this pic was taken and the next, the baby sumi was no more:



In a month's time, the sumi began to consolidate a little--motoguro appeared, and the adult sumi (or could it be adolescent?) began to emerge from back to front.


The sumi is still rising and falling with the seasons, but what is coming back up is continually inkier and blacker than before. No real recent pics (last one was last Fall) except this one from this Spring:


I am thrilled that the ginrin is overcome by the sumi. The gin has held nicely and gives an elegant glistening in just the right places. Note the Marusome kiwa at the dorsal patch of sumi--just very, very nice.

A far cry from that baby pic, and I hope this helps show the progression of sumi on an Ogata bred GR Showa.

Marie