Would you buy this Showa?

[Erns]

Need some help from the pro's. I have an option on this showa. It was produced locally. It's just over 12 months now at 26cm. This pic was taken two day's after they were harvested. THey have all gone back to a better mudpond where I can expect more growth before the May harvest..

[MikeM]

The pattern is wonderful. The Sumi quality does not look to be the best in the photo, but at that size you may still be seeing baby Sumi overlaying what will become the mature Sumi, so tough to say. Hi quality seems "OK", but really need to see it in person to tell if it is better than just "OK". Body is scrawny, giving the impression of being male. However, if others from that pond are also thin, it could just be the effect of food levels in the pond where it was grown. For a koi of over 12 months to be only about 10" and so thin tells me this one has not had a lavish food source... perhaps too much competition, not enough culling in the mudpond?

Since I love Showa and their dramatic patterns, I would look at this one closely for signs of deep, lacquer black... particularly along the dorsal. If the Hi is even from head to tail, I'd be interested in acquiring it (even if the Hi is not the thickest). But, if the Hi is uneven, giving a bit of a blotchy look, my interest would wane.

Price is a matter of opinion, purpose and means. What I'm willing to spend for the pleasure of watching a koi develop is not the same as I would spend for one I would like to show someday, and what seems like a modest amount to me may seem expensive to someone else. This is one I would like to watch develop daily, but I'm not convinced it is one I would be thinking of keeping permanently... makes a difference on what I'd be willing to pay. Make sense?

[Erns]

Thanks Mike

Makes sence to me. I know this breeder goes for volume initialy (they make a living out of commercial grade koi) and therefore the thin boddies as they don't feed much in the ponds. However they have now gone to a mudpond where only the best ones were put in and the pond will be fed twice a day. So I'll go check it out in May and make up my mind then. I like showa but I'm more a kindai fan. I however like this pattern so as it will not be that expensive I'll might give it a try. Pond space is expensive though!

[Erns]

Mike

I selected the showa out of this lot. As you can see there is a few shades of hi around. They all seem to be a little on the thin side. I however have experience with this breeders fish. I posted a kohako a while back that developed really well in a short period of time even though it was thin.

[Erns]

oops, forgot the pic...sorry

[Erns]

Mike

I've just had look in a few of my koi books. THey reccomend the following:
1 Year: 10 - 25cm
2 Years: 25 - 40cm
3 Years. 40 - 60cm
5 Years: 60 - 80cm

This is average suggested growth. I think you differ from this and perhaps this is a topic on it's own? I just bought a 'jumbo' tosai kohako from Japan at 33cm??

[dick benbow]

in the group photo you shown, i'd be picking the one on the lower left...to me it's the best one of the bunch

[Dan Blatt]

In answer to your question to buy or not....I would reply no. In fact I would not buy any in the group photo. JMHO.

[Sangreaal]

Would I buy that showa? Poor thing is extremely malnourished, which has probably already stunted its growth potential. If I chose to buy it, it would be for the educational value of watching it develop under that interesting pattern it has or for the bloodline it may possess. As a potential show koi though, I wouldn't take the risk. Hope it is priced according to its condition....

Marie

[mojo]

there is too much black on all of them. individually, it look intersting for that much of black, but in the whole pond, it does not bright the whole bunch. i will not buy any of them, but if you do not have any showa of that much black, just buy one. the one you interested in, the black is messy. too many small black dot. but somehow, showa is hard to find. find a good one, then it change with time, not easy. last pring i have 5 dainichi, now i think i can only keep 2. i try again this year those.