Introduction
Have you ever attempted to learn how to classify the Japanese Kois? I have and I think I have succeeded. In this post let me share lived experience of what I have gleaned from two books [1] and [2], a post in the Internet [3], visiting fish shops and commercial koi ponds over the years, and most of all from keeping them.
I first got interested after visiting my brother Donald way back in 1992. That was 30 years ago. I was really enchanted. I was particularly attracted to one of his kois which was pure white with red spot over the head. ‘That is a Tancho’, he said. The rest is history. I started keeping kois too. Both of us have encountered tribulations of mass casualties that eliminated the whole stock of fish of pond in a matter of hours, not once but many times. What is amazing is Kois properly kept can have life expectancy of up to 70 years, I am told.
Back to the living Kois in my little Koi pond, today. The feature picture shows 5 of the 9 Koi fish in my pond that I purchased from a neighbourhood aquarium pet fish shop on May 1, 2021. Starting on the left of the picture you can see:
- Three coloured Koi
- All white Koi
- All white Koi with a red spot on the head
- Nearly all black Koi with some white
- Another three coloured Koi.
These represent 4 varieties out of the 13 described in the book by Herbert Axelrod. [1] The Koi varieties have gone up to be as many as 22 from a 2021 post in the Internet I read a month back in preparation of this post. [3] For now, some things I have learned on the Kois that I now have with reference to the featured picture.
1.Three colored Koi
There are two varieties — Taisho Sanke and Showa Sanke. The two in the feature picture are essentially spots of colours on a white body. These are called Taisho Sanke. “Taisho” refers to the period of Japan from 1911 to 1924 which was the period prior to control of Emperor Hirohito. Thus Taisho Sanke refers to the three color fish which made its appearance during the Taisho era.”
What I don’t have for now is the Showa Sanke. This Koi is also a 3 coloured koi. So what is the difference? First is the era. The term “Showa is applied to Emperor Hirohito’s era which roughly started in 1924 and is continuing into the present.
Second, unlike the Taisho Sanke which has colours on a white body, the Showa Sanke has colours on a black body! There are of course many other differences. [1]
2. All white koi
This is a degenerate Kohaku (two coloured koi of white body with red patches) Koi. “Often Kohaku parents produce single coloured fish”. The plain white Koi is called “Shiromuji”, and the plain red Koi is called “Okamuji”. They are really “Kohaku with a colour missing”. Considered to be of very poor value by the Japanese for competition but in the English speaking world, these are regarded as “very valuable Koi and very interesting”. Reminds us of the saying ‘One man’s meat is another’s poison’.
3. White Koi with a red patch on the head
This Koi is called the Tancho, named after the name of the Japanese crane which has a red spot on its head. “Some Japanese refer to this variety of a red spot on an all white fish not only as Tancho Kohaku but also as ‘Hinomaru’. Hinomaru is the national flag of Japan.” [1] Other varieties of Tancho are also recognised, for example a Sanke can also has a red spot on its head. This will be called Tancho Sanke.
4. A nearly all black Koi with some white
This Koi is called a Utsuri Mono, which is “a wide ranging group of Nishikigoi. Basically, they are black fishes. The black body is coloured with a second colour. The second colour can either be yellow, red or white… Standards for Utsuri Mono vary considerably. Essentially the fish should be basically black and all of its fins should be predominantly marked with black. The more black the fins, the more attractive is the fish.” This is by Japanese Koi competition standards.
Origin of the Japanese Kois
Finally in this post, we delve into the origin of the Japanese Kois. Several historical facts are interesting:
“Colored carp all descended from the wild care which probably originated in eastern Europe through to Persia…Wild carp are called ‘Koi’ in Japanese… The Japanese now have a special word for wild carp which is ‘Magoi’. Colored and inbred Magoi are called Koi. Those Koi which have been bred for color are called ‘Nishikigoi’ .” [1]
” ‘Koi’ to most of the English speaking world, means the colored carp which the Japanese refer to as the ‘Nishikigoi’ ” [1]
“There seems to be no question that Nishikigoi or Koi (initially bred in Japan by the rice farmers of old) had their origin in China… centuries old works of Chinese ivory and wall hangings also featured colored cap.” A series of carp stamps was issued in China starting in 1897. [1]
The recent post that I read [3] has this to say: “The Japanese are considered to be the very first breeders and koi hobbyists. The black koi carp, also known as the magoi koi, was first introduced in Japan from China in the 200 BC. Hence, opposed to the common belief, kois fish are not indigenous to Japan. The Japanese were indeed the first to appreciate these swimming flowers as they are commonly called. But the koi fish came from the Aral Sea, the Caspian Sea and China.” [3]
“Due to genetic mutations, the rice farmers noticed the unusual color patterns on different types of koi fish. The revelation is recorded to have taken place in the 1880s.”[3]
It is to the credit of the Japanese rice farmers of old that varieties of colored koi that we see today were created. “Koi has a vibrant history of evolution… All the different types of koi have a common descendent — the solid black koi carp. This koi is called the black crow.” [1]
Amazing
It is amazing to note that out of the solidly black Koi, the great variety of colours that can come out of genetic mutations and breeding of these mutants selectively. Much credit must go to the amazing efforts of the Japanese rice farmers since 200 BC. Enjoy these Kois as joys of living.
References
- Herbert R Axelrod. Koi Varieties. Japanese colored carp- Nishikigoi. New Jersey:T.F.H. Publications. 1992.
- Michugo Tamadachi. The Cult of the Koi. New Jersey:T.F.H. Publications. 1990.
- Richy. Complete Guide to Different Types of Koi Fish (22 Major Koi Varieties. URL: https://www.aquariumstuffs.com/different-types-of-koi-fish/
Dr LG Goh
Dr GOH Lee Gan is a retired Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System. He has an interest in learning and teaching how we can age well everyday (AWE).
