Selecting Best Tategoi Showa...

[koifishgirl]

One thing for sure when learning about koi it is always a good thing to keep learning as they are always changing. I know more than I did a year ago but I still need to learn lots more. Im just happy Im getting better.

Showa and Shiro Utsuri are on the top of my learning curve right now.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by Clay Aquitori, I wish to thank you for these types of threads. I see that you post interesting threads often. By interesting I mean threads that I can learn from; appreciate the content. Rick

Rick, no problem. It's also a learning experience for me too.

[dick benbow]

I think we make the best selection we can based on our current knowledge
and "go for it". Even several generations of breeders with continuity from their relatives don't always know what's gonna happen. It's not an exact science.....As a good starting place with showa, because sometimes it takes
5-8 years to know what we have, is to consider the black. Remember how I preach it's always strongest in the tail....look for a koi that has face head and shoulder placement, the tail area has a better % to fill in...

if i was the breeder of the fish we're talking about, B would be on the sales block now at a nice price because you can see what your buying. D would be going out to my best mud pond to bring up black so that I could make the max increase $$$$.C would be used to throw in on a multi-purchase sale.

[gofish]

Lets change everything now. You are standing at the dealers place and the fish are all in a blue bowl and swimming all over the place. To me this gets hard to pick because they will not hold still. Then we just start taking one away at a time. Marc

[Bob Winkler]

Still would be D, whether in the mud or going home today

[RayJordan]

D is the one I would buy for the future. As Dick has already said look for young showas with sumi emerging on the head and front half of the koi since sumi tends to be weaker at the front. Also I would want to see at least some surface sumi that is finished to prove it's potential quality. Likewise look for strong hi at the rear since that is where it tends to be weaker. THe race with showas is having the sumi finish before the hi starts to break up. Buy a showa with hi that is going to finish way before the sumi and odds are they will never peak together. Also you want the finished showa to project balance and power. This is very rare as most showas are not balanced patternwise. Here is a series of photos I like to use when talking about showa development. Yes it is the same koi at 1,3,5 years of age. I am still looking for a young showa like it for sale in my price range. Breeders would want to keep these types of young showas to grow and sell at a larger size and much higher price.

[PapaBear]

I'd have to go with BDCA, but B and D really are a toss up to me. The sumi on B is a bit of a gamble, as it does look to have the potential to overwhelm the fish, but to me the body is slightly better. That, and I just enjoy a heavy sumi pattern on a showa

Went back and looked again......... changed my mind . D has the best body. DBCA. Just have to hope for the Sumi to strengthen in the mud.

[dick benbow]

Larry, here's something to keep in mind with younger showa and making a determination on sumi strength whether it will over run or have a good possibility to appear. Have the koi rolled over on it's back and check out the amount of black in it's fins underneath.....if eveything shows clear with no black, chances are what you see or a minimal improvement will be anticipated. Black in all the fins underneath and you can expect a strong showing. Somewhere in the middle...well there is hope...and a bit of a gamble.

[cppond]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow Larry, here's something to keep in mind with younger showa and making a determination on sumi strength whether it will over run or have a good possibility to appear. Have the koi rolled over on it's back and check out the amount of black in it's fins underneath.....if eveything shows clear with no black, chances are what you see or a minimal improvement will be anticipated. Black in all the fins underneath and you can expect a strong showing. Somewhere in the middle...well there is hope...and a bit of a gamble.

Dick -

So, there will be (could be) a difference in appearance of the fins from beneath as opposed to above? Would this apply to tosai, or would the koi have to be older for that distinction to occur?

Or, have I completely misunderstood?

[PapaBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow Larry, here's something to keep in mind with younger showa and making a determination on sumi strength whether it will over run or have a good possibility to appear. Have the koi rolled over on it's back and check out the amount of black in it's fins underneath.....if eveything shows clear with no black, chances are what you see or a minimal improvement will be anticipated. Black in all the fins underneath and you can expect a strong showing. Somewhere in the middle...well there is hope...and a bit of a gamble.

Now if I can just figure out how to roll these d@mn pictures over... Where's my easy button