Agreed, for example I like fish with cone shaped head profiles, not blunt heads.Body conformation is also important. If a small koi looks “off” it will only get worse the bigger it grows.
How very interesting. This is where personal preference does come in like davemal said. Just buy fish you like the look of.Agreed, for example I like fish with cone shaped head profiles, not blunt heads.
Another thing to look for is even finage no crimps, uneven/unbalanced or deformed fins.
You know your koi.How very interesting. This is where personal preference does come in like davemal said. Just buy fish you like the look of.
I personally like the look of blunt heads better. Lol. My German scale doitsu koi and my bekko are my favorite body wise because they have very rounded faces. So does my very mutty black and orange koi.
I also like the look of a stocky body. That’s the main reason I like my girls so much. The males are too thin for my liking.
I completely agree. Good koi and show quality koi are very different. And I have yet to see a domestic koi that can stand up to those bred and kept in Japan.You know your koi.
To me "good koi" is any koi that is disease free whether defect or not.
"Show quality koi" is different story. Many factor come in play and not just pattern. There are best in class, best in size, best in show,........Qualities like Kiwa, Sashi, sumi are judged.
Tategoi (koi with potential) are not cheap and domestic kois almost never will be good enough for show. Bloodline and controlled breeding is down to a science. More times, it is the big females with round faces that win best in show. It is very hard to keep show quality kois. Water quality and diet is a must. There are forums just dedicated to kois that discuss topics with great knowledge and depth.