Pet Store Tategoi

[cppond]

I posted pics of this fish on another site last week, and I thought I’d post it here, as well, to see if there is any interest in watching and predicting its development.

I am only a few months into this hobby and am intrigued by the prospects of trying to predict how a tosai will turn out. I have read a lot on these boards, and the internet in general, on how to do so, and someone recommended to me that I get Kokugyo II, which I have found invaluable.

As an exercise, I try to evaluate every koi I see based on what I have learned here and elsewhere. Since I have a cat, a dog, and fish, I am often in pet stores so I am frequently evaluating pet store koi. I have never seen anything that satisfied even the most minimal standards until I saw this one. I know, I know. A three inche koi could change completely, but it passed all the basic tests that my entry level knowledge could throw at it and I figured at three inches it would not take up much space, and at $3.95, it was certainly worth the cost.

It looked to be a very nice kohaku until I saw some sumi in between the “shoulders” and on the side of the tail stop. So, I figured it could be a sanke or showa, or just have shimi. It has beni on the bottom of the dorsal where the second and third step meet the dorsal and some beni on the top of the left gill. It has a tear on the left pelvic fin. The beni reaches the lateral line on the right side on both the second and third step, but only on the third step on the left side.


One week after I bought it, a line of sumi appeared on the dorsal and on a pelvic fin. It also appeared on the top of the tail stop and on the other side. It’s also starting to appear on the side of the second and third step.

I’m working on getting it a bigger holding tank until it can go outside in the spring. Any predictions? Will the beni hold? Showa or Sanke?


First four pics are at purchase. Next pics are one week later.

[aquitori]

Pretty interesting Sanke. 3 step pattern with some sumi coming up. Show us a pic after 3 months so we can see some changes. Was this bought at a local pet store or major chain?

[cppond]

It was a major chain, Pets----.

[keokoi]

Not a bad pet store find... Keep us updated in a few months..

Joe

[aquitori]

You know I saw a nice prefect 3 step long fin Kohak at a local petstore where I buy my goldfish...7 inches...$10....I was really thinking bout buying it...hahahaha

[cppond]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori You know I saw a nice prefect 3 step long fin Kohak at a local petstore where I buy my goldfish...7 inches...$10....I was really thinking bout buying it...hahahaha

I sometimes get an impulse to buy a koi at a pet store, but there are always plenty of reasons not to buy. In this case, I could not think of a reason.

[keokoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori You know I saw a nice prefect 3 step long fin Kohak at a local petstore where I buy my goldfish...7 inches...$10....I was really thinking bout buying it...hahahaha

You know Pattern alone is worth $nine fitty

[aquitori]

Pattern alone was $8...conformation $2...hahahahaha....

[cppond]

Any chance it could become a showa? I can't say for sure that I see any sumi emerging on the head.

[keokoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by cppond Any chance it could become a showa? I can't say for sure that I see any sumi emerging on the head.

I think it has more of a chance going shiromuji than showa