A few to grow out....opinions please!!!

[Brutuscz]

These are the little ones I have decided to keep. I plan on growing them out for the season and seeing what comes of them. They are: Doitsu kujaku, doitsu sanke, Ginrin butterfly showa, Yellow ogon, kohaku, goshiki-showa, Showa, Yamatonishiki, kohaku.
A few from Blackwater creek..a few from Kodama. They are all smaller than 8 inches. Opinions are welcome...thanks!!

[MikeM]

I think several are at their peak or close to it now. If growing to have a better fish after a year, I do not see any easy choices. To learn from, I'd suggest the two Kohaku and the Showa. A summer in cool New England might give some initially positive development. But by October I expect fading Hi and smudgy sumi.

[dick benbow]

and have to agree with Mike's assessment.

Yesterday I popped down to my local dealer to check on her shipment. I get to go thru them Friday, Out of 5 boxes of tosai, I probably saw 6 that caught my interest. From those, there was but one kohaku I'd keep and one sanke I'd take a chance on.

So I think these grow ons of yours got stuck with opinions from a coupla picky olde codgers

[Russell Peters]

Are you sure that is a Goshiki Showa, it doesn't seem to have the right color for one? Just curious as it is hard to tell from the picture.

[Brutuscz]

I thought that one was a goshiki-showa. It's shiro has a gray quality that make me think it was. Last season, I grew out a bunch of kumonryu and learned a great deal studying the effects of my water on sumi. I found that the best ones, looked almost all white at the start..and developed nice patterns over the year. Those that were mostly black...went all black and stayed that way. I kept 2 and sold the others. I will probably do the same with these. Grow them out...study them well, then sell the ones not fitting the bill.

I also watched a yellow ogon closely. I know the conventional wisdom says to buy a very pale yellow...that will deepen in time. In my soft water, the pale yellow became even more pale. So, I am going to grow out this deeper yellow ogon and see how it develops.

I expected more people to like the yamatonishiki. It came from BWC...really an excellent sheen and pattern. Nice conformation as well for a 5-6inch fish.

The bottom right kohaku is from BWC. I have been growing out another from there for 3 seasons. It too had a light beni to start. It has been a slow but steady grower....but the beni has improved steadily. I think it will peak at a larger size, I HOPE!!. I like the pattern on this one and hope it does the same.
Thanks for the feedback as always.