New Suda kohaku

[Ethan25]

Here's my new ginrin Suda GinRIN Kohaku from Koi and Pond Supply of Japan. I liked the even ginrin on it, and thought the pattern looked pretty neat. Not a showfish by any means, but I think the pattern will look amazing as the fish grows. Shiro was nice, and the beni looked good (sometimes hard to tell on a ginrin).

Any and all thoughts are welcome. Fish is around 5-6 inches. I know it's tough to make comments about ginrin since the flash sets off the shine, but any comments would be great. Thanks all,

Ethan

[MikeM]

Ethan, you have certainly gotten the bug. Nice improvement on your collection. The little sparkly ones can be like the mythical sirens of Greece. They draw you in ...to a crash. Be careful not to go overboard. It is always hard to evaluate ginrin and Hi in photos. That said, I have the impression that the Hi is thin, but I would not say it is going to fade. I'm thinking the ginrin is fairly heavy, but not even. Overall, you will enjoy this one. As it grows, pay attention to how the edges of the Hi plate develop.

[Ethan25]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Ethan, you have certainly gotten the bug. Nice improvement on your collection. The little sparkly ones can be like the mythical sirens of Greece. They draw you in ...to a crash. Be careful not to go overboard. It is always hard to evaluate ginrin and Hi in photos. That said, I have the impression that the Hi is thin, but I would not say it is going to fade. I'm thinking the ginrin is fairly heavy, but not even. Overall, you will enjoy this one. As it grows, pay attention to how the edges of the Hi plate develop.

Thanks, Mike. I will. I won't go overboard, as I will be culling 3 fish this weekend to give to hobbiests in town. Funny you thought the hi was thin, because I almost didn't buy it becuase it was so red. My guess is that the flash throws the picture off (as well as the ginrin). the Ginrin is very heavy on this one. I just wanted to get a real japanese kohaku to see how it developes over a couple years before I pay $200 for a 5 incher!

Gotta draw the line somewhere,right!?

Thanks Mike,
Ethan

[Nancy M.]

I agree with Mike, the Beni does look thin, and the Gin is not even.

Ethan when you are looking to buy Gin Rin, you want to make sure all the gin scales line up evenly on both sides of the fish. If you look at this Kohaku, you will see areas of it do not line up.

All in all a great learning fish, have fun and enjoy it, just another learning curve on your journey.

[CarolinaGirl]

Even though it has a few issues, it is still a HUGE step up compared to some of your other koi.

[Ethan25]

Quote: Originally Posted by CarolinaGirl Even though it has a few issues, it is still a HUGE step up compared to some of your other koi.

I have no clue what you are talking about Carolinagirl!

[Ethan25]

Here's some better shots, including some that show the ginrin along the whole body....

any additional thoughts are welcome. Beni still thin, or just hard to tell with ginrin in general?

thanks,

Ethan

[Ethan25]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Ethan, you have certainly gotten the bug. Nice improvement on your collection. The little sparkly ones can be like the mythical sirens of Greece. They draw you in ...to a crash. Be careful not to go overboard. It is always hard to evaluate ginrin and Hi in photos. That said, I have the impression that the Hi is thin, but I would not say it is going to fade. I'm thinking the ginrin is fairly heavy, but not even. Overall, you will enjoy this one. As it grows, pay attention to how the edges of the Hi plate develop.

Do you still think so?

[MikeM]

Yes.

The concept of thick Beni vs thin can be difficult to really understand until you see the differences in person, observing many koi. (Been there!) It is a question of degree, and relates to the concentration of pigment in each skin layer, and the presence of pigment in all the layers. A Kohaku can be fire engine red, but have thin Hi... while another is a softer orange-red and have thick pigment. In a pond the bright red may stand out as the more intensely colored, but when viewed together in a bowl or show tank, the thicker pigment stands out as more pleasing. It is often referred to as having "greater depth", a very confusing attempt to explain with words that which can only be learned by personal observation. In time, you will have the opportunity to view enough koi in person to begin to appreciate the difference. Koi shows, high-end dealers and better breeders are the best places for seeing the full range.

BTW, you are doing very well in raising her. All positive growth and girth.

[Ethan25]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Yes. The concept of thick Beni vs thin can be difficult to really understand until you see the differences in person, observing many koi. (Been there!) It is a question of degree, and relates to the concentration of pigment in each skin layer, and the presence of pigment in all the layers. A Kohaku can be fire engine red, but have thin Hi... while another is a softer orange-red and have thick pigment. In a pond the bright red may stand out as the more intensely colored, but when viewed together in a bowl or show tank, the thicker pigment stands out as more pleasing. It is often referred to as having "greater depth", a very confusing attempt to explain with words that which can only be learned by personal observation. In time, you will have the opportunity to view enough koi in person to begin to appreciate the difference. Koi shows, high-end dealers and better breeders are the best places for seeing the full range. BTW, you are doing very well in raising her. All positive growth and girth.

Huh. With that explanation, I think I understand for the first time. Is this where sashi is important to understand the quality as well?