Advantages and Disadvantages of Jumbo Tosai?

[JasPR]

I would love to organize a trip with you guys so you could actually see the facilities and what goes on in Japan rather than see you rely on koi merchant reports and snippets from the Internet. Just like talking thu milk carton containers attached with strings, the internet has a way of passing on one dimensional gossip or casual observation as ultimate fact and ultimate truth.

Mike, many of Quality koi's early jumbos were purchased in Japan as jumbo tosai and grown out in New Jersey. That is unique in that they are still being brought alone as farm fish. The ultimate question in those cases is which of the remaining school will 'keep' jumbo status as each season passes- I suspect one in ten by age two and one fifty is a reasonable assumpt1on by age five? And again, I doubt many/any will get to 36/40 inches. So my point here is, even under ideal and expert conditions, jumbo tosai is part illusion, part husbandry manipulation and part genetics- and the results are never even close to the hype associated with jumbo tosai in the open market. JR

[Brutuscz]

I have learned a lesson with jumbo tosai. I bought a 12 inch Matsunosuke showa (male) tosai at 12 inches. I also bought a ginrin sanke(blackwater creek) at 4 inches at around the same time. Well..my jumbo tosai is maybe 13-14 inches a year later...my 4 inch sanke is 14 inches!!! My lesson...just because it is a jumbo tosai does not mean the growth will continue at that rate. I am hoping for slow and steady from the showa at this point. I like this koi for it's quality..but the growth is somewhat of a disappointment. Buy the fish for it's quality...then you'll stay happy. The size and growth is not guaranteed.

[dick benbow]

Mickey-look into Spey rods from Ireland, you don't need any room in back to cast, they're a real godsend...and fun.

I've never purchased a jumbo as they primarily are out of my price range. But I can still appreciate them for their size and beauty. I've read some studies on growth and if i remember correctly many times the standard sized ones from good sized parents catch up eventually with good care and practices.

I think right now the emphasis is on big koi and jumbo tosai suggests your a head of the game from the start. There was a time when bonsai koi were all the rage ( kinda like men's ties-wide and narrow-and then in between ) This sport/hobby is competitive for those that love to compete. So naturally producers would market to them.

No matter what the koi hobby throws at us, I think you can learn from it and then carefully see if it makes sense for your situation.
.

[dick benbow]

I think if W.C. Fields was still alive, and cracy about this hobby as we are...his reply to this thread would have gone something like this......


Ah, yes...I love jumbo tosai....mostly fried! LOL

[KoiCop]

I predict merchandising will take us to the next level with either:

New and Improved! Jumbo Tosai

or

Jumbo Tosai (version 2.0)

I've already copyrighted both phrases and I'm gonna be so rich.

[jnorth]

Quote: Originally Posted by KoiCop I predict merchandising will take us to the next level with either: New and Improved! Jumbo Tosai or Jumbo Tosai (version 2.0) I've already copyrighted both phrases and I'm gonna be so rich.

Oh yeah? Wait until you see my Super Jumbo Tosai! I'll tell you my secret....I grow them until they are two years old and then slap the Super Jumbo Tosai label on them (don't tell anyone ).

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by jnorth Oh yeah? Wait until you see my Super Jumbo Tosai! I'll tell you my secret....I grow them until they are two years old and then slap the Super Jumbo Tosai label on them (don't tell anyone ).

That is TIGHT!!!! I buy 4 for $100 6-7 inches, grow them to 12-13inches in 4 months then label them Southern Japan Jumbo Tosai....

[PapaBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by jnorth Oh yeah? Wait until you see my Super Jumbo Tosai! I'll tell you my secret....I grow them until they are two years old and then slap the Super Jumbo Tosai label on them (don't tell anyone ).

Oh Yeah!!! Well I'm gonna market Tattoe'd Lake Carp and call 'em "Jumbo Faux Koi"

[Brutuscz]

Well...I've been contemplating an injection of whale growth hormone into my kumonryu...and making an Orca baby with changing sumi!!! I will introduce you all to my 150lb tosai named free willey!!! Now, if the whale will just stay still so I can extract the hormone ...need more clove oil...lots more!!!

[Super Kindai]

I took the first pic on Oct' 2nd last year. it was really small like finger size about 3"
The second pic was taken on Jan 2nd this year and it was about 11"
Today, it looks 13" or so. and I am expecting it to grow 16" or so by May-June at the time of one year old birthday