Old Magazine....

[dick benbow]

garden pools by paul stetson, koi by glenn y. takeshita, 1973 tropical fish hobbist (august) with article on koi, aquarium digest (1973) WITH FEATURES ON KOI, GOLDFISH AND DR KUROKI.

[luke frisbee]

I got another TFH around here with some butt ugly koi on the cover...i think they were platinum kohaku esque

[The Pond Digger]

Quote: Originally Posted by JasPR Mike, here's one from 1963, six years earlier. But to be far, the content of garden pools is about water gardening transitioning to fish ponds. The koi section os referred to as Japanese colored carp "koi". Also a TFH publication. Check out the koi identification chart---

I noticed in the identification chart some names have evolved. For example, the Yellow Carp (kigoi) know to me NOW as Yamabuki (spelling?) Ogon like the fish Bob WInkler has a crush on.

Was the name koigoi a typo or is it used correctly and possibly still used in Japan? Why did the name evolve?

In my experience with African Cichlids the scentific names evovled every few years. For example as new fish were being collected from Lake Malawi they would dump similars species in one lump genus catagory like Haplochromis.

Then as the scientists had time they started to separate them out of the Hap. genus and into appropriate catagories as they figured the fish out. (Placidiochromis, Nimbochromis, Buccochromis and on)

Instead of using these cumbersome names to sell the fish, common names where created for many. It is my understanding that showa, kohaku, ogon and so or are what would be considered common names in the tropical fish hobby because they are all the same species. Like Electric Blue cichlid could be used to describe 50 different fish with African Cichlids. Not the case with Koi.

I find it interesting that the Japanese descriptive names appear to be universal. Do you care to elaborate on this topic?

Respectfully,

The Pond DIgger

[JasPR]

Hey Digger,

The chart is indeed using some unusual terms for koi- very Americanized and poorly translated most likely. We did call showa and sanke 'tri-colors; and calico's for a while , probably from the goldfish ponding orientation. He is definitely on his own with names like 'mottled and Tortoise shell'.
But kigoi is a kind of yellow koi . It is a dilute gene of yellow that creates a pastel color with a pink eye. And although they can have black eyes, kigoi is really known for that albino pink eye. So I think they actually got that one right.
The names of Nishikigoi are not scientific. The Japanese have named them after historical dates/periods ( showa as an example) or simply by descriptions ( kohaku as red and white). And there are whole groups named as artistic pieces or poetic phrases. I think it is frustrating for the beginner who is trying to learn the 'logic and reasoning' of the namings. But to tell you the truth, I find it to be one of those things that makes Nishikigoi more interesting and charming.
The real trail for learning koi is from base color and pattern type. The rest falls into place once you have this down.

Back to this author with his identification chart, I found these names particularly amusing---
ShiroutSUSHI
HiutSUSHI
kiutSUSHI

JR

[MikeM]

Funny stuff!

JR: For a long time the koi hobby in the U.S. was focused in California and in the central mid-Atlantic area. The Japanese historical relationship with California explains why the hobby would spring up strongly on the West Coast. What was the catalyst/person/group who made the central mid-Atlantic area such a koi hobby center?

[JasPR]

Axelrod. From Neptune New Jersey. He was an early speaker at the MAKC meetings. And there was some koi involvment coming out of Florida. A few Japanese even tried to breed koi in Florida for a short while. JR

[aquitori]

I got the magazine today, and found it very interesting...

The 1968 All-Japan GC was from Yoshida was sold after the show for $20,000 to be sent to Hawaii. $20,000 back then is equal to $200,000 now...