little kohaku

[redhotkoi]

This is the smallest and cheapest koi i bought just to see how it would develope. It was 4-1/2" September 2006 and 12-1/2" October 2007. The pattern in the head is interesting, hope the right side will break and make the pattern more intersting.

Let me know what you think good and bad.

[aquitori]

Do you know who the breeder?

The Kohaku is pretty nice, the bodyline and quality of the beni speaks Sensuke bloodline. That type of beni will not become red red, but more deep persimmon as it develops.

Also in development of young fish the size of pellet plays a major part too in conformation. The lenght of the fish from what I see will soon slow down from the look of the mid section or as we call football syndrome.

Other than that the Kohaku looks to be a good study for the next couple of years.

[redhotkoi]

Thanks Tony for the critique. I don't know the breeder.

I feed medium and large pellets. Their is 15 koi in 7000 gallons, 12" to 26". I never heard that larger pellets will give the little guy's football syndrome.

[ppp]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori The lenght of the fish from what I see will soon slow down from the look of the mid section or as we call football syndrome.

Tony, could you please elaborate a little on what you call the football syndrome? I was under the impression that the ideal koi body shape was supposed to look like a kind of elongated American football.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by ppp Tony, could you please elaborate a little on what you call the football syndrome? I was under the impression that the ideal koi body shape was supposed to look like a kind of elongated American football.

I have heard of the elongated football, but I choose the word spindle shaped. It's like looking at a body builder the fish has to have the right sized shoulder which gradually tapers to the tail. Strong points to look at in conformation is the head to the shoulder to the Outzu(tail tube). The midsection(stomach area) of the koi should should never standout before the mentioned. Study the shape and pic the fish in black and white.

[ppp]

The common descriptions I've heard/read about the ideal shape for a koi are torpedo shaped, cigar shaped and an elongated American football shape. Torpedoes and cigars are long with cylindrical shapes with typically straight sides, so I've always felt the elongated American football shape probably best described the ideal koi shape.

My guess is that the syndrome you're talking about is where the koi's widest point occurs too near the middle of its length, ie a symmetrical American football. And I would agree that this would certainly not be ideal as the widest section should be somewhere between the back of the gill plates and the start of the dorsal fin.

As it is, most koi photos are taken from a slightly forward angle which tends to give the impression that the hind end of the koi is shorter than it actually is, therefore giving the illusion of a symmetrical American football.