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"NOW OR LATERS"
A Simple Lesson In Koi Development
By: Brady Brandwood – Lotus Land Koi Farm
I won't say just how long ago, but recently I had the opportunity to
attend my 10 year class reunion. These are always fun because we get to see how our classmates have changed, developed, or "finished". As I was looking around the room picking out the people I knew or remembered I thought what a great analogy a class reunion is to the development of our koi. Naturally, I was searching for the girls I once had a crush on or knew to be popular. This is where the analogy thing hit the hardest. The girls that were the "dreamboats" back then were the least impressive looking now. They had had their day in the sun. Their peak was in high school, they were essentially "finished" and in show condition back then. Several of the less attractive "stick figured" or "nerdy" girls were now incredible looking well proportioned women. They were "tategoi" back in school and we shallow boys didn't even have a clue that they were slow developing women for the future. The same was true of the boys that were the strong athletes back then. Now, most of them were sporting beer bellies any Sumo Wrestler would be proud of. They peaked early.
I believe koi development is the least understood aspect of koi keeping in America right now, and the "class reunion" analogy is a
simple way for new koi keepers to understand the development of koi. Basically, there are two types of koi, koi for now, and koi for later. Koi for now look good right now. The red or hi is solid and thick with no growth marks in the center of the scales. The sumi or black is up and solid. There are very few gray or bluish areas showing through the white background of the koi. Koi for now tend to be smaller koi and often males. This type of koi is a great choice for hobbyists with smaller ponds, or hobbyists who do not have the patience to wait for a slower developing koi to show it's true beauty. Also, hobbyists often buy now koi, or finished koi so they will have koi to show now while their tategoi, or later koi are developing. Unfortunately, most koi can not look great when they are young, and also look great when they've finished growing.
Koi for later will often grow to be large koi of 80cm or more. We rarely see these koi
here in America while they are young because first the Japanese know we don't understand them, and we're generally not willing to pay the price they are asking. Second, they are generally grown large in mud ponds in Japan before they are sold to maximize the profits. These koi usually go to wealthy Japanese hobbyists. If you are lucky enough to see one of these koi under 3 years old here in America it is because it has been given as a gesture of friendship by a Japanese breeder, it has a defect, such as a misshapen head or fins, or it was bred here in America from incredible parent stock and you somehow got a peek at it.
We do often see koi that still have a long way to go in their development though. The sumi will be hidden under the white causing the
blue or gray patches mentioned earlier, the hi will have a darker streak in the center of each scale showing the hi or red is not yet finished developing, and the koi's body will be long and slender
with an obvious spine line from just behind the head all the way to the tail. The fish just looks like it will keep growing and growing.
You should be careful when buying a koi, or at least when paying high prices for a koi, that all of the elements in the koi's development
are in sync with each other. We often see beautiful young 6 to 12
inch Sankes or Showas for sale with deep red hi, but the sumi is still way under the skin. With this type of koi the hi is often too far ahead of the sumi in development for the two elements to ever meet and form a beautiful well finished koi. The hi will be "over the hill" as the sumi is just coming into its prime. The opposite can happen also where the sumi is up solid on a small fish, but the hi still has a long way to develop. In a few years as the koi grows, the sumi may begin to break up while the hi is just beginning to look good. Either way you don't have a good package. The truly valuable koi will have all these elements developing at a similar pace so when the koi finishes growing the colors will just now be finishing and looking dynamite. These are the koi that win Grand Championships at 12, 14 or 18 years old. These are koi for the future!
As simple as all this sounds there are always exceptions. Some of my
classmates were gorgeous back then, and are still gorgeous now. I'll call them Ogons. Ogons look good from the day they are born! On the other hand, some of my classmates weren't so attractive then, and, well... you understand. Koi development is also influenced by many factors such as bloodlines, breeding techniques, type and quality of white, type and quality of hi, whether it is orange based, purple based, brown based, or pink based, or whether the sumi is Sanke sumi or Showa sumi, or a mixture.
I suppose before we all go wondering if we've chosen the right koi,... or spouses, we should remember beauty is all in the eyes. If you like it, then
you like it. When my wife asks me if she was a "now spouse" or a "later spouse" , and I know she will, I'll tell her she's an Ogon, and a show winner at that!
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