Breeder: Higuchi

[MikeM]

I am interested in any information folks might have on the breeder, Higuchi, and particularly his showa breeding .

[l113892]

The only thing I found on Huguchi is that he breeds Gosanke and the showa he breeds are very nice. No further detals.

Mike

[Bern]

I visited his premises in 1999. One of the dealers in the group was very interested in his Showa as the quality was high and he was not able to command the higher prices of other breeders.

The Tosai and Nisai on sale at the time were very respectable. A friend of mine bought two of these Tosai from the dealer when they returned to the UK both developed into good examples of Showa. The larger one (at the time) seems to have stopped growing at approx 24inches, is female and apart from a scar caused in a breeding frenzy would hold its own in any major UK koi show. The other one, (the smaller) is now the longer, but is male. The interesting thing was the colour development. At time of purchase the beni was bordering on orange, it is now red. The females pattern maintained its proportions and grew with the fish. The male, could have been classified as Kindai at the time, developed more sumi as it grew.

There is one other Showa in this pond (from a breeder called Sakuma) which is a year younger. Ignoring the size difference and concentrating on the shape, the Higuchi appear broader across the back, neither of them show any showa head traits, boxy, short etc.

I haven't seen this breeders name over here for a couple of years now.

rgds Bern

[MikeM]

Bern: Thanks for the information. I had figured that he had to be a small breeder, but that is about all. Your recollection is consistent with what I've experienced, although I've not reached red and the sumi is still questionable.

The attached is a male Higuchi-bred Showa now in his 5th year. As a two year old the hi was yellowish ... rather like the color of the inside of a pumpkin. It is still more orange than red, but seems deeper now than 6 months ago. Maybe in a few more years it will actually look red? :roll:

At age 3, there was very little sumi visible. Just some shadows on the head and along the dorsal. Over the past 16 months the sumi has been very slowly emerging. Any number of times I've thought he was just taking up space, but I'd find something else to move out. DickB says to wait 8 years for Showa. :shock: At least this guy is smallish. About 22" and not growing much. I have no great expectations for him, but it is curious how he is developing. ... slowly.

[dick benbow]

Wow!Wow! Wow!

That is one very nice koi. The white is great, the red is stable, the black is coming. this koi does not want for anything!

Thanks for sharing the photo!

[tommyL]

Hi,
My first post. I have a Sanki from Higuchi. I bought her nearly 2 years ago @ 8". She was one of the first fish to go into my pond and is now around 21-22" and is 4 this year I think. She had quite orangey hi when I first got her. Her sumi was and still is very black and glossy. It was also in large blocks, I first thought she was a showa. The sumi faded and has returned more broken up, which I think is more attractive. She probably has the best white skin out of my collection. I will try and post a pic. Sorry about quality of pic and black bowl. The areas of sumi on her shoulder and mid dorsal were virtualy 2 solid blocks as I mentioned earlier. The change is remarkable.

[MikeM]

tommyL: Welcome! For a very small breeder, Higuchi seems to get around. I wish your picture was larger so I could see some detail, but you are miles ahead of where I was when I first tried to post pics. Looks like you have some talent as a photographer, so I hope you figure it out & can share your pics.

I'd guess that your Higuchi Sanke was just a year old since 8" when bought. (But, since Higuchi seems to be a small volume breeder with very limited, low-tech facilities from limited info I've been given, maybe it was older. Before heated ponds etc., 8" was nisai-sized.) Not unusual for a lot of changes in the sumi on Sanke from that age until 3 or so, then still changing, but usually at a slower rate.... but maybe yours will be one of the exceptions?

I am really curious about the hi. The Sanke and Showa lines he breeds are probably completely separate, but never can be sure of such assumptions. From the pic, it looks to me that the Hi remains orangish, but she has put on some good growth for just two years. (I'm guessing you must heat your pond.) So, maybe just stretched? Does it have the orange persimmon look of Matsunosuke? Or, is it more yellow? ... I know, those are tough things to attempt to describe. Anything you are comfortable sharing would be appreciated.

[tommyL]

Hi Mike,
I do heat, hence the growth. The hi is still orangey, though seems to be slowly deepening. I don't know what you mean about matsunosuke hi. I am but a newbie. I originally took the pic to post on another board about the skin blistering on the head which she seems to suffer from periodicaly but without any other signs of a problem. After dismissing parasites and sunburn I was advised that it could be an ailment called Epidermal Hyperplasia. Anyway her sumi is starting to fade again at this moment , around the same time as last summer I think. I'm hoping its normal for her,though I am having slight water quality problems @ the moment, and the discovery of some flukes on recent scrapes of some fish, including her. This may also be contributing to her being off colour. I’m not having any luck re-posting pix, so Here is a link to a web page I have, which should enable you to see larger pix. http://groups.msn.com/koiphotos/shoebox.msnw?Page=Last
Hope it works for you.
I must add, your showa looks a superb specimen. The pattern is just the type that I would go for. You say that you have nearly moved him on. I would definately take the advise to wait a few more years for further development with it. Us westerners do seem to be impatient, but it does make it such an intriguing hobby. I'll take him off your hands the next time you think of letting him go. :lol: :lol:
Cheers,

[jacovors]

Hi Tommy,
Welcome to this great board.
It looks like a great Sanke, great body shape.
I had two Matsunosuke Sanke that had the same Viral infection on the heads ( I think viral )_.
After placing them in a mud pond it dissapeared almost instantly.
Do not think it was Hikui.
Jaco.

[tommyL]

Hi Jaco.
Thanks for your kind words.
Interesting to hear of your two Matsunosuke Sankes that suffered the same viral ailment. I had a Matsunosuke Goshiki which also had it. I wonder if it could be a change in water chemistry that triggers it. I have searched the web for info, but could not find any sort of treatment. Must admit I am not that concerned, just looks unsightly.