Please Critique these Kohaku and Showa

[mike]

last January, I had asked you guys to critique my Kohaku and Showa. you guys called it right that the Kohaku was losing its Hi, it is now indeed a Shiro Muji. That pretty much nailed my Koi Hobby Coffin shut. I moved on to another hobby, but since that other hobby is just about completed ...

I bought some new Koi

please critique these Koi (like the last time) so that I will learn.

also: what happened to those pectoral fins? I hope they're net damage instead of some sort of disease.

[MikeM]

IMO, the second Kohaku is the better of the four.

It looks like ammonia burn damage to the pectorals. These fish need very clean, well-filtered water so their immune systems are strengthened. Bacterial infection should be expected. I would apply a topical ointment or other bactericide.

[aquitori]

Have to agree with MikeM on the Kohak #2. If we're to look at these fish as which one has a better potential to grow out, it would be Kohak #2.

[mike]

thanks aquitori and mikem.

i like asking for criticisms here because they're always spot on.

last time I asked for info was when my dappling kohaku turned out to be a shiro muji.

[mike]

to replace the one that died.

please critique again.

[mike]

[mike]

[mike]

just bumping this up.

[MikeM]

??? Which one died?... one of koi first posted above? ... Or, it was an Isa Showa you had that depressed you when it was lost, wasn't it?

Anyway, there are several points of concern about the Showa posted above. First, the Hi appears uneven and along the edge toward the abdomen there is a 'fringe' of individual scales noticeable. This can be a sign of fading Hi in young fish. That does not mean all the Hi would fade, just that it may still be in the process of settling in. In those koi with maruzome kiwa this is not as much of a concern as otherwise.

The Hi in the pecs is not desirable in Showa. Here it is rather weak and so may go away.

The sumi pattern appeals to me, but is 'smudgy'. I'd like to see how it develops.

How old is this Showa?

[mike]

koi4 from the 1st post died. (last showa in the OP)

the isa showa is another story ... that was replaced by the one in my avatar. (this one turned a bit too black, but has a car bumper shaped head, which I think shows it's potential to grow big?)

-but you have a good memory for remembering

along with the showa in the avatar was a kohaku that DID turn shiro muji.

----

this was tosai from the last shipment, so should be 1 year old by now.

thanks mikem, tell me where I did wrong so I can change my choosing criteria next time, these are all "practice" fish that I will give to my father once his pond is finished. I have limited pond space so I need to learn as fast as possible ... I find that I learn better when it is applied to buying and then identifying the mistakes.