Suda showa for critique

[Ethan25]

I want to learn, so don't worry about hurting my feelings. That's already been done in other threads.

Bought this for $35 at the Koi and Pond supply of Japan in Marengo from Mr. Kawayoke. Nice gentleman.

Fish is just over 6 inches. Skinny as can be but has a nice head and shoulders. The sumi that is showing is of good quality, but the Hi seems a tad weak in areas. There's a split dorsal fin that I think will repair itself (had two of these before). Tail tube is skinny, but fish in my pond always gain weight to repair this. I had two that has small tail tubes and now are nice and thick. The white is a nice white, fish swims well and seemed full of vigor when I bought it. I like the rising head pattern. Hope it comes up nicely. Please critique fully as I am here to learn.

One person on another board thought that there's a chunk missing on the left side of the face/head, but's it's an illusion. The sumi and white create an area that looks like it's missing. I almost didn't buy it because of this, but after Mr. Kawayoke netted it, I checked it and it was fine. Here's an upclose shot of the head so you can see what I'm talking about.

Blessings,
Ethan

[Ethan25]

here's the clearest picture I got of it with my crappy camera.

[PapaBear]

Things are looking up for your pond
I wouldn't worry about the skinny look on this one. It has a nice broad head and a long body. Time, food, and exercise will take care of that. In many ways the long slender beginnings may portend good things down the road. Showa have long struggled with football and bowling pin body issues, but this one looks to have the potential for a better frame. Very good looker for the small amount spent, and another big step in the right direction for your "pond beautification".

[gcuss]

A good step in the right direction.

I like that it has a decent kohaku pattern going on. Menware maybe....

Seems that you're on the same road that I'm on. Be careful, next thing you know 500 dollars for a tosai seems like a good deal.

You can change your avatar soon

Grant

[Ethan25]

Thank you both. I'll definitely learn something from it. Sumi does well in my water, which is why I picked up one that has some stong sumi in the pecs, with some blocks on the body. We'll see how that decision went. The hi is a tad weak in some areas, but I think that's a moot point on this showa. Very little sumi has risen thus far. Hopefully by summer's end, I'll see some more coming up.

[HEADACHE6]

Ethan , Congrats !

I think you have done very well for the Money spent . Keep us Posted on her progress over the summer . Don't forget , give her (?) plenty of Room & Food !

[Meg]

I like the three step to it's pattern also.
for 35 I'd of bought it too.
yup, looks like she'd make a good avatar

[Ethan25]

Thanks. The dealer had a lot of nice kohaku the same size...1,2,3,4 steps. Maybe 1/3 were ginrin. May pick up a kohaku the next time.

any thoughts on the hi? Beni quality? Should I be able to see where the sumi should come through at this point (7 inches in length).

[dick benbow]

As is most cases when a new purchase is posted, everyone comments on the pattern. In my classes as the Koi Coach, I teach the last thing to look at is pattern.

First is body structure and with showa you always start at the head. Nope, I don't see a crooked head but I do see a smaller than normal length between nose and eyes. Most koi that are proportionate, take the distance between the nose and eye at one and a half times the length between the eye and the gill cover. there is atleast two nose to eye lengths there, which says to me the area between the nose and the eye is proportionately shorter. How many have heard this referred to commonly as " dolphin head " in Platinum (purachina Ogon? )

I think the last picture touted as the best from a basic camera helps you to see the head in the proper perspective relative to the rest of the body.

[Lam Nguyen]

Ethan, I hope you don't mind me editing the last image of your koi. As you can see, your Suda tosai is about 4 and 1/4 head length long. This is much shorter than the desired 5.5 head lengths. I don't know if Suda koi farm breed their oyagoi in the fall, so lets assume that they breed them in the spring. If that's the case then this koi was bred last spring which would make it ake-nisai (heading into its 2nd growing season). Generally speaking and from what little I know, ake nisai with some potential should be about 10-14" by now. While I agree with others that, given the right genetics, a koi that was kept in a crowded environment will catch up to its tategoi siblings if given the right environment and diet, I don't think that this koi will grow very big given its present conformation.

Furthermore, as Dick mentioned, it is desirable for the distance from the nose tip to the eye to be about 1.5 x the distance from the eyes to the gill plate. This koi has the reverse of that, that is the distance from the eye to the gill plate is 1.5 x the distance from the nose tip to the eyes. Also, as you mentioned earlier, the tail tube is not very large.

After carefully examining the head, I think that it still curves to the left. I know that the angle of the image and the sumi may have caused the illusion that it's curving to the left so I think that it's best if you take a look at the koi more carefully, esp when it's swimming. Also, the right shoulder area looks a little indented. I don't know if it's the image or whether it's been injured in the past and has healed.