Good, Better, Best game....

[koifishgirl]

If I am in the old school on selection of koi please bring me up to date. This is what I look for in pattern on a kohaku

Clean lines on head-no hi down to eyes
Heavy Hi on front half of koi - with a good break in pattern at shoulder.

Balance from head to tail or good flowing pattern

At good inch break in hi at tail tube.


Conformation of koi


Thick shoulders
full body
thick tail tube
Full head, no small heads or bulk head- some koi look to have a head that is to thick compared to the body and does not look as good to me. Makes me think of a catfish head.

Skin quality

deep hi
shiro clean and white
good shine to koi overall
no messy hi- no bleeding

[saratogatan]

koiloco, you lucky chap. I am jealous, how do I reach your wife by phone ? Can I help deliver that koi to your house, to your wife's attention ?

please keep us posted on the progress.

BTW, how is your maruyama doing ?

stan

[James P]

Koifishgirl, I think we are starting to go round and round on the subject? Old school in regards to old style gosanke development and new gosanks genetcs.

Those are characteristics or standards for gosanke in general. As I said, these are very helpful primers. But buying and judging both come down to the grade and age/size of the fish you are looking at.
For instance, in an average koi show, 75% of the winners under size 3 will be males- finished males actually. Finished males with good color and good pattern. The body counts but only slightly because even a breeder can't sex koi at size 1 or 2! Instead he might rely on color and pattern traits of the parents. So push 'body' way down at an average American show when looking at 1-2 bu koi.
When you move past 55-60, the gals rule. And a stunning and imposing female body and the right shiro ground color washes away all the minor pattern faults such as red in the pec/dorsal or beni over the eye.

I have always been both fascinated and impressed by culling abilities. Initially, throwing away everything that is deformed or not , say, kohaku is pretty easy. Then throwing away bad patterns and poor color is a bit harder. And from there I imagine the selection moves to that- a selection and no longer a culling. There is an art there. Part is the personal goal of the breeder and part is what can pay the bills. Already a line has been created amongst the survivors. The market place will price the fish. The cheaper fish may have traits you mentioned but are definitely in a different grade than the tategoi.
Basically you have finished fish/ unfinished fish and real tategoi.

I guess what I'm saying is there are guidelines but no black and white. Learning koi is about learning to read 'gray' JR

[kevan]

personally i find all 3 koi too close to call, i dont feel any are outright better, at least not from the photo. i feel personal taste is playing a big part here, i guess a couple more shots at different angles would help.


kevan.

[kingkong]

My eye starts at the head and works quickly to caudal peduncle . C ok head but no odome , B the hi pattern on head indents around nostrils but nice odome , A has best U shaped hi pattern on head, pretty clear odome and balanced whole pattern in my opinion.

[mulberryjen]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori Well, Genki will have these Kohaks availble soon, so I would inquire if interested...Kohak B reminds me of "Seio", damn that Kohak was nice!!!

Flipping through Koi-Bito issue #4 and article "My Special Koi - Mr. Mitsuzo Kaneko" is about Seio, which is the cover koi. Fish "B" really does resemble this fish in pattern.

[keokoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by mulberryjen Flipping through Koi-Bito issue #4 and article "My Special Koi - Mr. Mitsuzo Kaneko" is about Seio, which is the cover koi. Fish "B" really does resemble this fish in pattern.

Saw these fish today in da flesh.. I like em all. To close to Japan to be buying Kohak. Now but nice quality.. Joe

[koiloco]

Quote: Originally Posted by saratogatan koiloco, you lucky chap. I am jealous, how do I reach your wife by phone ? Can I help deliver that koi to your house, to your wife's attention ? please keep us posted on the progress. BTW, how is your maruyama doing ? stan

Hi stan,
After seeing the koi today, they are really nice kohaku, but honestly none TALKED to me
I originally thought of buying B, but saw it this morning when you were there. No vibe!
I sort of like the pattern of A, but the overall quality of A is not as nice as B. Probably pass until November.

As Joe said, very nice kohaku! B is the cleanest by far!!!
------------------------------------------------------
My maruyama kohaku is still very shy, a little skinny cause not eating enough. SHe does come up but never fight for the pellets though. I have been spending so much time trying to feed her, worse than my son!

I just order some sinking pellets which will be here next week.

Any good suggestion?

[keokoi]

As I said the koi were all good... A, B and C... Better in person.. for sure.


I have enough Kohak need to get rid of some make room for fall.

Joe

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by mulberryjen Flipping through Koi-Bito issue #4 and article "My Special Koi - Mr. Mitsuzo Kaneko" is about Seio, which is the cover koi. Fish "B" really does resemble this fish in pattern.

I love it, the building of ones eye is truely an art. Jen your are heading in that direction quick...Brian your magazine is great reference material for those who are training there eye for a higher class fish.