A Rainbow of Showa

[koifishgirl]

Yep, matallic yamato-nishiki by Kase. I got her from Keirin Koi and I would like for you guy to tell me what you think. I want to show her again in a couple of years.

[James P]

Hi Mike P, I don't want to interrupt Mike M's thread here. So I'll make it quick. This is a showa that is of Dainichi blood ( bred by marudo). This is what I would call modern showa . Not to say it is kindai look, but to emphasize that the kohaku influence is as strong as the sumi ( showa) influence. The plus points are the body ( 70 cm right now as a yonsai) the quality and the beni but the shoulder area is weak as sashi and kiwa could be better there.The sumi is OK. The overall effect of the koi is also excellent. But the pec fins need to be larger- a common negative with some showa.

Mike, I do have a critical eye but I'm also a realist. I can find some satisfaction in almost all koi. It is the lower grade , poor bodied koi that just leave me flat. This is a great koi, just not a perfect koi, and as you said, there are no perfect koi --except in pictures. JR

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by JR Hi Mike P, I don't want to interrupt Mike M's thread here. So I'll make it quick. This is a showa that is of Dainichi blood ( bred by marudo). This is what I would call modern showa . Not to say it is kindai look, but to emphasize that the kohaku influence is as strong as the sumi ( showa) influence. The plus points are the body ( 70 cm right now as a yonsai) the quality and the beni but the shoulder area is weak as sashi and kiwa could be better there.The sumi is OK. The overall effect of the koi is also excellent. But the pec fins need to be larger- a common negative with some showa. Mike, I do have a critical eye but I'm also a realist. I can find some satisfaction in almost all koi. It is the lower grade , poor bodied koi that just leave me flat. This is a great koi, just not a perfect koi, and as you said, there are no perfect koi --except in pictures. JR

JR, nice inazuma Showa. The conformation is very strong with nice Kohaku/Sanke lines. The pecs are the weakest point but still a nice Showa say the least. Sumi is okay, with it slightly accenting the inazuma pattern it's very pleasing. Telling from the bloodline the pattern should clean up alot nicer in the future..I like this Showa and this coming from a guy who doesn't like to buy Showa.

[MikeM]

KFG: The 6th Showa is not part of the group pictured. She arrives separately. (BTW, nice koi you got. The brilliant shine at that age draws the eye away from everything else.)

JR: You don't have to worry about me taking that dollar! LOL ... And, please feel free to hijack the thread any time you have Showa like that to share. It is too bad the pecs are smallish, but the motoguru sets off the rest very well. What a "big-boned" body, and with a firm belly. Dramatic contrasts.

Dick: Yeah, I think it will be fun. Once the 6 arrive there will be 15 koi (4 of them 1 year old) of which 10 will be Showa. But, I have one the ugliest Showa to be found due to fading Hi (but not gone, so not even a Shiro!) ... not even deserving to still be called Showa, really. She may not stay very long. But, because she grew from 4" to over 20" in her second year, I've kept her just to see if any with better blood can keep up. Then, no more fish for a while.

[koifishgirl]

Are the pec fins in showa small or is it the sumi that is in the base of the pec fins that make them look smaller?

Thanks Mike I like her and her head is so clean, no helment markings at all. She has grown well in my pond for some reason and spawned this spring her first time and she has a small place in the hi on top of her head that I hope will heal and not show.

Mike #5 the new style showa is the one I want to see . I dont know if the underlying sumi is like that of my koi or not, a dull blue, if not and the sumi comes up good ,wow! that is going to be a very nice showa dont you think.

[MikeM2]

HenryC brought over "the 6th Showa" this afternoon. She measured 66cm (26"). She is entering her 6th growing season. Bred by Isa. She has improved every year Henry has raised her. We'll see if I can keep her on track.

Despite taking several pictures, I did not get a good one of her face, but these shots will give a fair idea.

[MikeM2]

As soon as she was in the pond, all the males began to follow her. After an hour or so, they calmed down, but the Torazo Showa is never far from her.

( Lee: If you are reading this, I spent so much time seeing how she was doing, that I forgot to take some pics for you. I'll try to get them in a bit so I can post them late this evening.)

[MikeM]

BTW, if you noticed she was not quarantined before going in the pond. This is a bad example, not to be followed by others. .... I truly know that Henry's fish are healthy, that his pond conditions are as near perfect as is possible, and that every detail is examined continually. The risk is greater to her than to my fish. Since any quarantine I established right now would be more stressful on her than going straight into the pond, I took a calculated risk. This is not a fish that was in a mud pond in the past six months, nor mixed in a dealer's inventory from multiple sources, etc. etc. Still, like I said, it is a bad example not to be followed by others. (Unless, maybe, you are lucky enough to get one of Henry's koi. )

[Bob Winkler]

Pretty Showa(s) Mike.. Nice koi by Isa especially....Will be looking forward to the pics as they all develop.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM2 HenryC brought over "the 6th Showa" this afternoon. She measured 66cm (26"). She is entering her 6th growing season. Bred by Isa. She has improved every year Henry has raised her. We'll see if I can keep her on track. Despite taking several pictures, I did not get a good one of her face, but these shots will give a fair idea.

Very nice Showa...Are there any other pics of the fish when it was younger?