will sumi come back

[Steve Nguyen]

this is from my nisai sakai sanke. look like the sumi is fading away. will it return? it grows quite a bit in last couple of months. don't know if that contributes to the fading away sumi. any idea? thanks,

Steve

[jhamil4ton]

I am far from an expert and still learning every day....so this might really be off base. However, is it possible that it is just a "dead" or "dying" scale? It looks to me like there is only one scale effected. If so, wouldn't that scale come back with underlying color?

[dick benbow]

In the future it would be helpful to differentiate which sakai your talking about. I have over 20 years of experience with sakai-isawa and the Matsunosuke brand of koi. In his better koi, especially nisai and sanai, the black comes up and down before settling in. When a fish grows it also affects the condition of the coloration as things stretch to accomodate size.
My advice would be not to be concerned as long as the water and koi are both healthy. It also helps from an opinion standpoint to see the picture of a koi at tosai, which it often returns to sumi wise and to be able to see a picture of the entire koi so that an individual sumi area can be compared with what is going on elsewhere in the koi.


in my decades of involvement with koi keepers too many are ready to off a koi in the first coupla years only to discover later that the koi turned out well with those willing to be patient.....

[dick benbow]

p.s
if i had to quess which sakai it was, I'd say Isawa, as both the beni and sumi
have maruzome* scales already formimg.


*This term is used to discribe the condition of a scale when it fills fully with color. Either red or black. Some bloodlines like sensuke kohaku have color run right down the middle of a scale and a portion will be white and red. In Toshio's newest genetics he has accomplished red and black to fill an entire scale giving a finished koi and incredible beauty.

[aquitori]

I think the breeder Steve is referring to Dick is Sakai Isawa. I think he bought it from PSKoi since no other dealer in the Bay Area buys from the INC...

[Steve Nguyen]

Hello:

According to the local dealer, it's Matsunosuke. I bought it as last year around 11 to 12 inches. it's about 17 inches now.

it's spotty and doesn't appear to be dead scale.

Will post now/then pix for comparison later when I arrive at work. my home dsl is acting up.

Steve

[Steve Nguyen]

oh! so that's what it is. I have a hearing problem then.
yup! I got from PSKoi last year.

Steve

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori I think the breeder Steve is referring to Dick is Sakai Isawa. I think he bought it from PSKoi since no other dealer in the Bay Area buys from the INC...

[MikeM]

I think Dick is on target. Where the Sumi has a fading look to it, it is a bit 'wispy' rather than blurry, if that makes sense? Different from what I call 'false baby sumi', but goes away like 'baby sumi'. Difference is, it can come back better than before. 'Baby sumi' is superficial camouflaging and does not return. What you have is a nice shiny sumi.

[Steve Nguyen]

Here are then and now pix. I plan to keep this fish so don't hold back on your opinions.

Steve

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by Steve Nguyen Here are then and now pix. I plan to keep this fish so don't hold back on your opinions. Steve

Nice Sanke!!! Sumi should come back but in a more refine quality.