Rules for Selecting Show Quality KOI

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The first Rule for all varieties is: the KOI should have excellent body conformation.

Selecting KOHAKU 

Rule two for kohaku is the color rule. The white should be clear like fresh driven snow with no yellow or pinkish tints or red or black spots or specks. The hi should be deep, thick and bright red. The KOI should have a clean head with a bright white nose. 

Rule three for kohaku is sharp kiwa.  Kiwa is the line separating the red and white and it should be sharp and not blurred or faded on the side or back edge of the red pattern. The forward edge may have some white scales that overlap a red patch. 

The pattern is considered next, rule four. A kohaku must have red on the head, have no red extending into the gill plates, the eyes, the tail, below the lateral line, or on the fins. There should be a white break between head hi and shoulder hi and a white break between last hi and the tail called odome. The pattern should be interesting and the red as deep as possible. Note the no set rule on pattern. An interesting pattern is in the eye of the beholder and can be as unique as each person’s opinion..  

Note:   as the kohaku grows, the red pattern tends to stay about the same size. So, if you pick a small kohaku with a small hi pattern, it will probably have a skimpy hi pattern as a large KOI.

The last rule for kohaku is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance. Many times a KOI exhibiting these qualities, elegance and imposing appearance, will win even though it may have small pattern or color faults.  

Selecting SANKE

Rule two for sanke is the color rule. The white should be clear like fresh driven snow with no yellow or pinkish tints or red or black spots or specks. The hi should be deep, thick and bright red. The sumi must be coal jet solid black, and the KOI should have a clean head with a bright white nose. Note: the above description is for a finished KOI which may take several years to develop.

Rule two for sanke is sharp kiwa. 

Rule three for sanke is the pattern rule. This KOI will have a kohaku hi pattern with islands of sumi between the hi pattern and contained on the white part of the body. The pectoral fins will be clear white but may contain black stripes. There will be no hi on the fins.  The hi on the head will be between the eyes not touching the nose. The sanke should posse odome that is the last patch of hi should be 1 to 2 cm from the tail. There should be no sumi on the head. Shoulder sumi that is large and well defined is preferred. The sumi spots should appear like stepping-stones and be balanced. Sumi on a 10” KOI should be 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter and on a 24” KOI they should be 2 to 3 cm.  If you ever find this perfect sanke, expect to pay over $100,000.00!                       

 Note:   as the KOI grows, the hi will stay about the same size while the sumi will grow with the KOI.                

The last rule for sanke is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.  

Selecting a small sanke:   pick a good kohaku step pattern with tsubo-sumi (small sumi pattern on the white) and 3 or less sumi stripes on the pectoral fins. 

Note:    a black pattern on the white body of a sanke is called “Tsubo-Zumi”. A black pattern on top of the hi is called “Nose-Zumi” or “Kasane-Zumi”.  Tsubo-Zumi is considered to be of better quality and more stable.  A small sanke that has very dark and large sumi pattern may lose thickness as the body grows. The sumi may break into small clots or an uneven, blotchy pattern. Some small sanke with good blood lines do not show sumi until they reach 2 years of age, about 10 inches in length.            

Selecting  SHOWA 

Rule number two for the showa requires the red, white, and black be bright, clean, uniform blocks of color. All two colors should be deep with good luster and have no specks or faded areas. The white should be snow white with no yellow or pinkish tints or red or black spots or specks.  The deeper the sumi the better. The showa should have very deep hi. Ideally, the hi and sumi should be separated with white. The showa must have all two colors on the head. In an unfinished showa, the black may be under the skin and appear gray or even blue. As this fish matures, the black will either come up and be inky black or it may go away. 

Rule three for showa is sharp KIWA, which is the line separating the red, black, and white, should be sharp and not blurred. 

The pattern rule for showa is:  this KOI will have a kohaku hi pattern with no hi on the fins or tail. The sumi pattern should start at the bottom of the body and go to the top forming a checkerboard effect with the white and red. There must be sumi on the head. Sumi that splits the head and extends to the nose is called hachiware. Sumi that begins at the nose and extends up onto the head as an inverted  “v” is called kuchisumi. Motoguro, black at the base for the pectoral fins, is desirable. The showa should posse odome, that is the last patch of hi or sumi should be 1 to 2 cm from the tail. There should be a white shoulder.     

The last rule for showa is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.     

Selection  Summary:   SHOWA has a black body with red and white markings,        without black it is a good kohaku, without red it is a good shiro utsuri, good kiwa,
and possess motoguro.

When selecting a small Showa:  white and kiwa are the most important, kohaku hi,
less than ideal sumi (skimpy), distribution of color on the head, motoguro, look for sumi inside the mouth for better quality sumi.

Selecting  ASAGI 

Rule two for the asagi is that the upper back should show the beginning of a light blue net pattern.  The scale interior will be a muted light blue with a white/gray outline creating a beautiful reticulated pattern. 

The next consideration is the head should be clear and perhaps as white as possible. 

The fourth rule allows the lower half of the KOI to the midline, including the gill plates, lower jaw, fins and tail to be red or orange.    

The last rule for asagi is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.  

Note:  The red tends to move up the back, as the KOI grows older. KOI that are dark blue as a small KOI may be almost black as a mature KOI.  

Selecting  SHUSUI  

Rule number two deals with color: the head should be clean and clear light blue/white with no specks, the dorsal half, lateral mid-line up, of the body is a clear dark blue with no specks, and the ventral half, lateral mid-line down, of the KOI is a beautiful red. 

The pattern is considered next. The dorsal scale line should be straight and uniform. If there is a lateral scale line, the scales also should be straight and uniform and centered along the lateral line. There should be no muda-goke or unnecessary random scales anywhere on the body.  This KOI must have blue scales. 

The last rule for shusui is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.  

Selecting  UTSURI  

The color rule for utsuri is good clean snow white, brilliant yellow, or deep red that is bright, uniform, has luster and has very few or no black specks.  The sumi, black, is bright ebony.  The color should be clean and the color of the body.                       

It is desirable for the kiwa to be as sharp as possible. 

The pattern must include sumi on the head, white (or yellow or red) on the shoulder, head and odome. There must be motoguro on the pectoral fins. A checkerboard pattern is desirable and the sumi should make up about one-third of the body and the color, shiro, hi, or ki, will make up the remaining two-thirds of the body color. 

The last rule for utsuri is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.

Note:  sumi usually doesn’t settle until the utsuri KOI reaches 4 or 5 years of age.

Selecting  BEKKO 

The color rule for the shiro bekko is for the white should be clear like fresh driven snow with no yellow or pinkish tints or red or black spots or specks. For aka bekko, the hi should be deep, thick and bright red and contain no off colored specks. For the ki bekko the yellow should be deep and pure bright yellow with no off colored specks. The sumi spots should be a deep jet black. 

It is desirable for the kiwa to be as sharp as possible. 

The sumi spots should appear like stepping-stones and be balanced. Sumi on a 10” KOI should be 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter and on a 24” KOI they should be 2 to 3 cm.   

The last rule for bekko is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.

Selecting  GOROMO (KOROMO)  

Rule number three for goromo deals with color. The white should be clear like fresh driven snow with no yellow or pinkish tints or red or black spots or specks, the hi is deep, thick and bright red, and the KOI should have a clean head with a bright white nose. The ai goromo requires each red scale to be outlined or bordered with indigo blue. The result is a beautiful net-like reticulated scale. The ai goromo is therefore a kohaku whose red scales have asagi blue borders. The buda goromo will have a black semicircle on the edge of each red scale making the pattern appear to be brownish-purple in color. Basically, follow the kohaku standard for color, kiwa, pattern, etc. 

It is desirable for the kiwa to be as sharp as possible.   

The pattern is considered next, rule four. A goromo must have red on the head, have no red extending into the gill plates, eyes, tail, below the lateral line, or on the fins. There must be a white break between head hi and shoulder hi and a white break between last hi and the tail, odome. The pattern must be interesting.  

The last rule for goromo is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance. 

Selecting  OGON  (HIKARIMUJIMONO or HIKARIMUJI)  

The color rule for ogon as well as all other hikari KOI is that this KOI must be a bright, shiny, metallic color heavy with luster. The entire body of the KOI must be a deep platinum color and the head and body should be identical in color. The fin color should match the body color and be deep and shiny. 

The scales should be evenly formed in straight lines, be heavy with luster, and have golden trimmings, fukurin. 

The last rule for ogon is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.   

Selecting  HIKARIMOYOMONO 

The color rule for hikarimoyo is a KOI body that has a metallic sheen and a deep bright glistening metallic luster.  The hi must sparkle. 

Sharp kiwa is required.

The pattern rule depends on the variety.  Yamatonishiki is a metallic sanke, kujaku is metallic with a kohaku red pattern on a platinum body with matsuba scales, kikusui is a doitsu platinum kohaku, and hariwaki is a doitsu with a yellow pattern on a platinum body are examples of the varieties in this class. 

The last rule for hikarimoyo is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance. 

Follow sanke rule for selecting yamatonishiki. They should have a clean, clear, platinum head. The sumi should be a deep, inky black,  and they should have a  striking color & pattern.

Kujaku are metallic KOI with a kohaku pattern on a platinum body with matsuba scales on the dorsal side. The head should include clean pure bright platinum and shine. The body should have a kohaku hi pattern,  sharp kiwa, and the reticulated scales need to be uniform.

Selecting  HIKARIUTSURIMONO   

The color rule for hikariutsuri is for this KOI to have exceptionally deep metallic shine and luster, especially on the head, pectoral fins, tail and back. Otherwise, it should follow the rules of its’ non-metallic cousins the showa and the utsuri.  

Sharp kiwa is important. 

This KOI should have a clean head, neat appearance and be free of blemishes. It should have motoguro. 

The last rule for hikariutsuri is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.

Selecting  KAWARIMONO  

Since there are many varieties in this class, it is difficult to generalize one set of  rules for all.

The word goshiki means five colors: red, white, dark blue, light blue and black. The modern goshiki has evolved into a kohaku red pattern on a blue/gray body. Actually there are many variations for this variety.

Clear red is preferred. Follow the kohaku rules for this variety. 

Kumonryu means “dragon of nine markings”. It is a doitsu KOI from the karasu lineage that is black and white and the black pattern changes continuously.  The beni kumonryu adds red to its black and white pattern and can be exceptionally beautiful.  Matsukawabake is the scaled version of the kumonryu. 

Benigoi is a solid red KOI, the deeper the red the better. They are seldom seen because they come from kohaku breeding and seldom survive the culling process. The red should be deep and free of blemishes. A deep red KOI about 24 inches long is true magnificence to behold!                  

Longfin KOI come in all varieties. The Japanese did not readily accept them until the emperor’s wife added a few to the royal pond! Follow the rules for their respective regular finned counterparts except for the fins, which should be long and flowing. 

Midorigoi is a green KOI. Good specimens are seldom seen because they come from crossing  shusui and yellow ogon and very few occur in a spawn. As they grow older, most will turn almost black. Therefore, very few breeders try for them. 

The chagoi is a brown KOI with reticulated scales. The brown can go from almost blond to a dark brown, and sometimes even a root-beer color. It has a tendency to be friendly and eat out of your hand. It also tends to grow very large, maybe the largest of the various varieties.. When selecting, be sure it is free of off-color spots and has a strong net pattern. Every pond needs at least one! 

The last rule for kawarimono is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.   

Selecting TANCHO

The kiwa and color rules for the tancho KOI are the same as for kohaku, sanke, and showa except that the hi spot, tancho, on the head must be contained on the head and be as close to a perfect circle as is possible. The Japanese accept a less than perfect tancho and have many names for all the different forms the tancho may be in. It is more important for the white to be a perfect white on a tancho KOI than any other white boded KOI. 

The last rule for tancho is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance. 

Selecting GINRIN  

Since all varieties can have ginrin scales, the rules for each ginrin variety are the same as for their respective regular-scaled counterparts except for the scales.  The scales must sparkle like diamonds.

The last rule for ginrin is that the KOI must posses overall elegance, quality, and an imposing appearance.