Selecting For Size

[MikeM]

Eleven years ago today, Hiroji Sakai (Sakai of Hiroshima) spoke to a meeting of ZNA members explaining his views on breeding koi. He focused on three factors: genetics of the parent fish for size and body shape, the environment in which they are grown, and the eye of the breeder in culling. A couple of his points may be of interest to the hobbyist breeders who frequent this board.

As to the environment, he placed particular emphasis on depth of the growing pond and its impact on body shape and size. For a 50cm koi, he stated his belief that a 1.5 meter deep pond was ideal. For an 80cm koi, the ideal depth was stated to be 2.4 meters. (He was speaking of mud ponds, I believe.)

And he commented:

"I have a feeling that one loses out on body shape if too much emphasis is placed on the red of the female when the parent koi are being chosen. It appears that tategoi, koi destined to be great, are comparatively light in color when small with a strong, solid body and uniformity from the head to the tip of the tail. ... When we make cull, pattern is surprisingly a secondary factor: emphasis is placed on bone structure, even in small koi. There are koi that appear big for 20cm and koi that appear small even when they actually do measure 20cm. I believe that koi that appear big make good tategoi.... Other factors are the glossiness of the red and ... quality of the Sumi. ,,, It used to be said that koi with large heads were preferable but, from my experience, it is difficult to fill out the body of a koi with a large head. I therefore believe that a natural size of head is preferable. Koi with a large head are called 'Rakkyo' style (scallion style) with the body slimming towards the tail. This is an unnatural shape. I therefore believe that the way people view tategoi changes with the times and that this is brought about by experience. I still believe that a koi with a slightly small, long head, fills out naturally along the back. Try this method when you next select your tategoi."

Nichirin, May 1995

As always when I post items from my reading, I am not vouching for the points made. Query: Would this great breeder say today what he said on August 21, 1994?

[aquitori]

I read that same article and I would have to say he probably would say the same thing now. Sakai Hiroshima has a system that works and they have the titles to keep them from deviating from it...

[Brady Brandwood]

Yes, that article is certainly not outdated. There are many reasons Mr. Sakai is one of the top breeders in the world, and his knowledge is certainly one of the clinchers.

What he doesn't go into detail about is the reasons "why", which include influences from, and characteristics of lineages,.. and also the relationships between a Kois age, size, and time of color completion. There is a relationship that can be drawn on a graph between age, size at that age, and "look" of the beni that will give an overview of a prospective Koi and its completion time and the "look" we can expect to see. The history of the Koi has to be known accurately though for sharp & accurate evaluation. Experienced breeders do this mentally and relatively quickly when looking over groups of young Koi.

Best Wishes,
Brady Brandwood

[aquitori]

What's also funny about this thread, is that you never hear of the Matsunosuke bloodline being used in Sakai's breeding of Kohaks. Having read up on the Sensuke Bloodline which Sakai uses, the history of the Sensuke bloodline grows big anyways. It's the strict culling process that they have to maintain quality size. That's why if you look at Sakai Hiroshima Champions they have the Sensuke features(Prominent jaw bone and the face looks rounder and wider)...

[MikeM]

I could never be a breeder. I'd fall in love with the inventory. How could I ever decide which half of these to sell and the half to grow for another culling? After you've grown thousands, I'm sure it gets easier.

Pics are such a problem when it comes to examining color. I think there are three different types of Beni in that group, but perhaps an intermediate fourth, too?

.... #9 (next to last) looks very good right now. Just needs to grow and have color fill in. (Hoping the blush on the nose disappears and the last step intensifies ... "Sumi develops from the rear, Hi from the head" .)

Is that a blush of Sumi at the base of the caudal fin of #7? (Probably just the lighting, but maybe a Showa mixed with the Kohaku?) I'll admit that the pattern of #7 has my attention.

The Hi of #6 and #10 bothers me in these pics. May be fine in person without glare, but I'm bothered by the maruzome type edges on such young fish. I think you have to know the line to understand those two. So, I guess I'd have to get them to figure it out.

Curious that you've included two (#1 and #8) with Hi in their left pectorals. Different types of red ... will both tighten up?

#4 and #5 make interesting comparison. Same type of pigment, but #4 seems weak and #5 is strong.

If I had to pick 5 that I'd sell now, I'd let go of 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10. I'd keep 1, 5, 7, 8, and 9. But, I'm kinda embarassed because except for #5, my keepers are ones with patterns I like!

[aquitori]

Kohaku #7 is my favorite!!! How much? I like the unique stuff...