Shiro Utsuri - Your Thoughts

[Dan Blatt]

Female shiro utsuri, 12 inches, Breeder Marusho. Anyone familiar with this breeder and his shiro's, their characteristics when mature. Any predictions on this one?

[MikeM]

O.K., Dan, there have been 47 folks read your post & 10 have enlarged the pic for a closer view, but nobody's commenting, so I'll stick my neck out. First, a pretty head & I like the face. [Always a sucker for a pretty face.] I am not familiar with the line, so can't really help you predict the future. Looks to me that the large shiro area on the shoulder will remain a pure white. I do not see any shadow of future sumi there. The back half of the fish has shadows, so I'm thinking she will add sumi in the rear. That will produce an unbalanced pattern unless the shadows on the head are sumi that will emerge in the future rather than the juvenile shadows that go away. In the past I'd have considered them transient/bone structure shadows, not sumi. But, a couple of months ago Brady posted a pic of a showa someplace with similar shadowing on the head & on his showa it became beautiful menware pattern. Which does she have? I don't know!! Body looks good, but tail tube not so thick that one can be sure she could support a lot of growth ... she might, but uncertain. Can't tell quality of sumi from the pic, but it does seem deep. I've heard different things re: the sumi in the caudal. It can stay or go. The motoguro is progressing & I think it will look good in future. That's my thoughts for what little their worth. [She sure does have a pretty face.]

[Dan Blatt]

Thanks Mike - thought I was going for a non-response thread again. You the man - thanks! Yeah, I liked the pretty face also with hopes of sumi coming up on it to ballance her out. The black eyes are quite becoming. A little concern for the rear also as those shadows might make or break her pattern wise - always a gamble. The white shoulder is something I like in shiro's if the rest is there. Wait and see I guess. Thanks for posting - Anyone else? Breeder comments? Any comments? :smt104

[Spotter]

Haya Dan,

You have a beautifull specimen there. I think that you get little respondse because it is very difficult to give a prediction about this utsuri. But wat you see now is very promissing. A snow white skin and a good body. The patern of the sumi will probably extend. The head is not as white as the remaining part of the body. I think that on the head a nice black patern is developing. Black to come on utsuri and on showa does not always show. It is a young fish and future black doens not always shows as light black or thin black. Most of the time is does not show at all. The finns are black, so my guess is that you will be amazed with respect to what the black patern will do in the future.

Regards, Leontine

[Dan Blatt]

Thanks for the comments Leontine. Actually was trying to see if anyone out there was familiar with the breeder and what one might expect regarding the white ground and sumi on his Shiro's when they get larger. I did some digging and I believe the breeder is Mr. Shosaku Ikarashi of Marusho Koi Farm. I understand he is better know for his sanke's although his shiro's are popular but somewhat limited. I'm sure some of you out there have probably been to his establishment in your travels.

[l113892]

Dan-

Marusho(Shoji Tanaka) is best known for Sanke. He does breed a lot of different varieties. Art Lempke likes his Sanke very much and you might ask him if he has any experience with his Shiro Utsuri.

By the way, nice fish.

Mike Pfeffer