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AIMS
A - Organized by people with the interest of raising and improving the quality of Nishiki Koi, and its culture
B - through Nishiki Koi, promote better international and community relations and for public welfare and the better understanding of brotherhood among members through a common interest.
C - To improve the technology of raising and keeping koi
D - To promote Nishiki Koi
BUSINESS
A - To encourage the raising and better development of koi through public and private exhibition
B - We will have a monthly study discussion and make field trips to various member’s ponds
C - To carry our necessary business functions of the Club
MEMBERSHIP
A - a qualified member must be interested in pond culture
B - Persons wishing to become a member must be first introduced by another member in good standing and have approval of the Officers - Dues are payable immediately
C - Membership will be terminated by the Officers if a member is found guilty of negligence of his duty, is against the purposes of the southern Arizona Koi Association, and/or who disgraces or insults the Club
Page 3 President Corner
page 3 The United Colors of Nishikigoi
page 5 Koi Photography Tips
page 5 Putting Your Koi on the
page 7 10% Discount
page 8 Fish of the Month
page 9 Know your Koi
page 10 Kawarigoi Kornor
Page 10 Hereford Pond Tour
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our vendors, members and nonmembers who participate, in giving us discounts. Your continued support is greatly appreciated!
KoHoHu??? What kind of fish is that? Don't you wish you were as smart as everybody else? Don't you wish you could say all your fish by their name?
Tom, Dick and Herbert... If you think this would be a good idea then be sure to come to our next meeting and we will discuss how to pronounce and Identify various types of KOI.
Since the weather is warm and turning hot, if possible, try to shade your pond. This will help curtail the growth of algae and put your fish in cooler, more conformable waters.
Our thanks goes out to the pond owners from Hereford and Sierra Vista for helping to make the Sierra Vista and Hereford pond tour a great success.
I would also like to refresh everyone's insight to the 20th Anniversary of our KOI Show. Raising KOI can be, should be and is a fun hobby not only for ourselves can be to many others. Twenty years is something to be proud of and we need every member of the club to help support our great KOI Show tradition. Please don't hesitate to call the show committee to volunteer your time and share your ideas.
Speaking of sharing ideas, if there is a particular topic you would like brought up at the educational part of each meeting, please let me know. You may call 747-7278 or write:
Be cool with KOI.
Bob Panter
President
The coloration and patterns of a Koi are in many cases, the thing that attracts people into the hobby of Koi keeping. These same two factors are also very important in determining the quality and therefore value of any particular fish.
Yet our understanding of fish and, particularly Koi, coloration is still and inexact science, which is plagued by theories, old wives tales and relatively few facts.
My aim here is to provide an overview Kai coloration and in doing so help to explain some of the mysterious changes you may have noticed in your own fish.
The coloration of a Kai is produced by three color pigments which are contained within cells called chromataphores. The three pigments are Erythrin (red), Melanin (black) and Xanthin (yellow), each of which occurs, in different chromataphores. Complementing the color pigment are irridocytes, which can be best, described as tiny reflective spheres within the skin.
All of the colors we see on our Kai are a mixture of these components. For example orange is a combination of red and yellow chromataphores; brown is a mixture of black and yellow and red is just the red chromataphores. If there are no chromataphores present the Koi will appear white due to the irridocytes However, the position of the irridocytes within the skin affects its reflective properties. If they are on the surface of the scales the Kai will have a silvery appearance. If they are in the lower layers of the skin the fish will have a mat color.
In certain cases, the irridocytes can combine with the chromataphores to produce reflective colors (e.g. gold on the surface). Blue is an unusual color in that it is a result of deep lying black pigment with irridocytes in the middle of layers of the skin. The irriclocytes interfere with the light to give a blue color.
The chromatophores may be positioned on the surface of the skin (above the scales), immediately under the scales or deep in the skin. If the chromataphores are very dense the coloration will also appear dense, with the chromataphores on the surface of the skin blocking those below. However, the position of the chromataphores affects the 'stability' of the color. The chromataphores on the surface of the skin will often produce unstable coloration due to them being removed or spreading as the fish ages. Those deep in the skin are more stable and less likely to break up. The ideal is to have the some, dense color pigment in all layers of the skin. This results in both a dense and stable color.
Koi cannot synthesize their own color pigment therefore they have to consume it. In wild conditions the color pigments would originate from eating algae, shrimps, snails etc, In the confines of a Kai pond there is insufficient of these different organisms to satisfy the Kai's requirements, therefore it is important to feed color-enhancing foods. As with all Koi feeds, it is important that the color enhancing food given is of high quality to ensure that the pigments are in a form that the fish can absorb into its body.
If color foods are not given to your Koi, the chromatophores would not be filled with pigment and the Koi will look pale or poorly colored. This can result in a Kai of high potential quality only looking mediocre. Feeding a color food would greatly enhance the appearance of such a Kai - but could not make a poor Kai great.
When the chromataphores are filled with pigment, the excess is passed through the Koi in the feces. It is possible to get white areas of the koi becoming pink due to a temporary build up of Erythrin. This pigment is not in a chromataphores and will quickly disappear as soon as the amount of color food given is reduced.
Each Kai is born with a fixed number of chromotaphores which remains relatively constant throughout its life. As the Kai ages and grows, these chromataphores, have to cover a larger area of skin therefore there is a tendency for the coloration to become paler (due to the chromataphores becoming less dense) or to fragment. This helps to explain why many stunning young Koi are not as attractive when they are slightly larger. Buying young fish from a known *high quality bloodline" usually means you are buying fish with more dense chromataphores, which results in the color remaining even when the Koi has grown.
In some varieties (e.g. Sanke and Showa) it is common for the pattern to change considerably as the fish grows due to the surface color fragmenting and revealing a deeper different color. When your Koi become very old they tend to become paler and in some cases turn white. This is the equivalent of our hair turning gray and cannot be reversed.
A chromatophore is a branched cell, within which the color pigment can be moved. The two extremes are that the pigment spreads though out the entire cell (which results in the Koi being the color of the cell) or it is concentrated in one small spot in the center (resulting in the background color showing through - usually pale or dark). The distribution of this pigment is affected by a number of different factors including:
Water Quality - Different water quality conditions can have a major impact on the coloration of the Koi. Raised levels of pollutants (e.g. ammonia, nitrite or nitrate) will cause the pigment to contract, resulting in the Koi losing its color. pH and hardness affect coloration differently, red pigment tends to spread in softer, more acidic water, whereas black pigment spreads in harder more alkaline water and vice versa.
Background Color - Although it is difficult to merge into the background when you are a red and white Koi, they do try to do so. Against a pale background the Koi contract the pigment to make themselves as, pale as possible. The opposite occurs when the Koi is next to a dark background, which is why blue vats are used at Koi shows to ensure each Koi looks at its best.
Treatments - Salt is often added to Koi ponds as a treatment or to control nitrite toxicity, however, it causes the pigment to concentrate resulting in poorer coloration. The same is true for antibiotics, whether added to the water or injected and malachite green based remedies.
Algae - Koi (and goldfish) which have lived in an algae rich, green pond often appear intensely colored due to the color pigment spreading in the chromataphores. This effect can be recreated without the "green water' by using Tetra Pond Koi Vital.
Temperature - At high summer temperatures pigments contract; at cool autumn and winter values they expand resulting in the koi looking at their best in the cooler months of the year.
This list could be continued, but hopefully some of the examples my help to explain color changes in your Koi which you have observed. Unfortunately these things don't happen in isolation, making it very difficult to ascertain exactly what caused the coloration of your Koi, this can only be remedied by more people making more accurate records of the coloration of their Koi and what happens when conditions change.
If you are unsure of how to go about taking a portrait photo of your koi, do not be discouraged. Here are a few tips from Tom Graham, Advertising Manager of KOI USA, which can help you get a great photo of your koi.
Koi look best when photographed against a blue background. Blue Koi Handling Tubs should be available
at your local Koi Dealer and make the best container for a photo session. Make sure you are either in full sun with no shadows, or in full shade using a flash. Shadows and reflections on the surface of the water will result in poor quality photos. Put enough water in the tub to cover the dorsal fin of your koi. Then, be patient.
Good photos take time, and many exposures. Make sure the water is crystal clear, with no debris floating around, and no bubbles on the surface. Wait for the water to settle down before you start shooting, as the ripples will distort the shape of the koi. If you are shooting a number of koi, you should change the water every second or third fish.
Get down at a 45 degree angle and looking lengthwise at the tub, wait for the koi to swim towards you. Experimentation is the key. Fill the frame with your koi, but don't cut off the tail. You will figure out what works for you, but most important, be patient and wait for the koi to settle down and pose for the camera. Shooting at a slight angle will avoid having the flash reflect on the surface of the water.
Take lots of shots, 10 at least. If this is your first attempt at koi photography, use a short roll of film (12 exposures), then take it to a 1 hour photo lab so you can see how it looks. Then you can correct or refine your technique, and go for the gold with your second attempt!
If you don't have a 35mm camera, another option is to use an inexpensive Polaroid camera. The Polaroid camera that I have had the most success with, is the Close Up version that uses 600 film. This has a built in flash, and a "Close Up" setting, which is necessary when photographing koi. In experimenting, I found that the best exposures come with the "Close Up" setting on, and the brightness setting all the way to the dark end of the scale. Now, get in close (about three feet away from the fish), wait for the surface of the water to settle down, and fire away!
Whether it's teaching, entertaining, documenting, or simply spreading the word, video is the communications tool of the 90s. It's a format used by artists, journalists, advertisers, story tellers, and consumers alike. VCRs are in over 80% of America's homes and we all at least know someone who owns a camcorder.
In my occupation I have shot children, puppies, puppets, lawyers, in-laws, NASCAR racers, nuclear reactor interiors, CEOs, Rachel Ward, aerials, animation, soap star bo-hunks, rock groups, rock formations, mineral deposits, microscopic parasites, and other assorted living and lifeless objects, but many of my most enjoyable and often challenging subjects have been fish.
Videotaping your Koi can add another facet to your hobby, or your Koi business. A few Koi dealers are already taking advantage of video by shooting footage of their season's selection. A dealer can provide a customer with detailed footage of a specific Koi and have a tape sent to them the next day. When video compression technology catches up with the internet you'll be able to see that footage the same day. With video a customer can get a close look at the Koi from all sides, which is better than a photo and less expensive than flying out to the dealer's location. The customer can see how gracefully a Koi swims in the dealer's pond, and how it compares to the fish around it. I know a couple of dealers who are taking camcorders with them on their buying trips to Japan. For those of us who haven't yet traveled to Japan, video lets us visit the facilities and mud ponds of Matsunosuke, Isumiya, and Torazo. This is a tremendous contribution to the promotion and appreciation of Koi.
In addition, video tends to be fairly honest with color reproduction if it hasn't been tweaked in any way, unlike photos where the shades of red can vary greatly depending on the brand of film or the mood of the printer.
I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from shooting footage of my Koi throughout the year. I don't need to bowl them or stress them in any way to document the changes they are going through. I'm able to shoot close shots of questionable areas of Hi, Sumi, or injuries just to see how they are improving. In the dreariest part of winter I can pull out a tape I shot in July and be taken back to summer for an hour or two. A simple way to get Koi TV is to set your camcorder up on a small tripod aimed at your pond, press record and just let it run. Now you can enjoy your Koi and pond anytime day
or night. You may also notice some things you didn't see before such as which wild critters are visiting your pond during the day, or how your favorite Sanke got the scratch on it's head. When I first started shooting fish I learned two things very quickly. They are hard to keep up with, and they tend to go out of focus easily as they change depths. Large graceful Koi are much easier to shoot than the quick and zippy small ones.
Here are some tips on shooting better video. The first thing you must do is glue a large rat trap onto your zoom controls. This will keep your fingers off them. Zooming is an obnoxious and unnecessary toy in the hands of an amateur. Use your zoom to get from a wide shot to a close-up shot with the record button OFF. This will eliminate a lot of unnecessary footage and will provide you with a pleasing edit from wide to close.
Also, plan your shots in advance and roll only on what you want. This helps to eliminate the unnecessary footage of your feet as you walk around to the other side of your pond. You've seen the footage I'm talking about in your friend's wedding video. That's the point where you start yawning and thinking that the video could have been two hours shorter.
Keep your videos interesting by eliminating the rough stuff. You and your family will enjoy watching your movies over and over if they are more entertaining. Try to keep your shots smooth, and stay on a particular fish for a few seconds or more. This eliminates the darting around never finding a shot effect. Concentrate on one fish or group of fish then slowly move on to another. Soon your camera moves will become smooth and professional looking.
Most camcorders come with an auto focus. It's best to switch to manual focus because ripples in the water, leaves, and fish swimming at lower depths will all cause the auto focus to switch from object to object never finding an acceptable focus. If your camcorder has a manual iris use this also. The black or dark bottom of your pond causes an auto iris to open up and overexpose your fish. Simply point your camera to a wide-shot of your yard, switch the auto iris to manual and you will be exposing for the fish correctly when you point your camera back to the pond.
Don't be afraid to get close-up on your fish. Close-ups are generally more interesting. You'll see your Koi's eyes shift, look at you and wink as they swim by or stop to beg for a treat. You'll glow with pride when you see your Sensuke Kohaku's straight, sharp, beautiful Kiwa up close.Most camcorders have auto white and black balance functions. If yours has an optional manual white balance, hold a white piece of paper in front of the lens near your pond and get a white balance. This will help ensure the colors are accurate. Glare is always a problem when shooting ponds. Sunny days with clear blue skies will offer the best results. Cloudy or overcast skies cause heavy glare. A polarizing filter will help fight glare but only if you are locked down on a tripod. When you try to move the camera the polarizing effect will change also. Shaded ponds tend to photograph well if you shoot in only the shaded areas. Many times you can eliminate glare by shooting straight down onto the fish, or by testing different angles until the glare is lessened. Very contrasty areas, (shots that include very light and very dark areas in the same shot), will wreak havoc on most all consumer camcorders. Try to stick to more flat evenly lit scenes for better picture quality.
For Koi keepers who are considering buying a camcorder, buy the best you can afford. A little extra money can go a long way when buying a camcorder that produces quality images, as you will most likely be watching your videos for many years to come. The new Digital camcorders produce near Broadcast Quality images and CD quality sound, though sound is not a critical consideration when shooting your fish. The most important things to look for when purchasing a camcorder are the quality of the lens, the ability to go manual on most functions, and the number of lines of horizontal resolution the camera is capable of reproducing. The lens should have quality optics, have at least an 8 to 1 zooming capability, and preferably be able to go into macro focus for extremely close shots. As we mentioned earlier, the ability to use manual iris, manual focus, or manual white balance will result in better looking images, and more professional looking home videos. Any consumer camcorder that is capable of reproducing 400 or more lines of horizontal resolution will give a very pleasing image. The picture will show more detail, be less grainy, and will be more enjoyable to watch. As a reference, a 35mm motion picture image offers over 1400 lines of horizontal resolution. When you are shopping for a camcorder put a few cameras side by side and decide which picture looks the best to you. Generally, if a camera produces a nice looking image in low light situations it's a quality camera. Again, the better cameras will cost a little more.
Remember to take your camcorder to the shows to get footage of your Koi's competition. Many people say that Koi shows are mainly for exhibiting Koi and sharing them with the public, but people are competitive by nature. Get footage of the Koi that knocked your fish down a notch, take it home and study the areas you need to improve upon. Next year you'll be back to kick some caudal fin!
In this group are placed koi which have two color pattern moyo meaning pattern, so that the translation is thus Shining (or metallic) patterned ones. As with a number of the groups there are exceptions to the members of it so that Utsuri koi, which one might expect to find in the group are not, and are placed in their own section.
Hariwake - This very attractive koi is both gold and silver and should ideally have a clear, one color head. It is seen in each of the scale types so there can be normal scaled Hariwake, Doitsu, Matsuba, and Leather.
Yamabuki - This is a yellow and platinum koi. Some have all yellow heads, others have this in platinum. Those with the Matsuba pattern are very striking. The Orange Hariwake combines a golden orange with platinum.
Doitsu - The Hariwake with the mirror scales are especially impressive if the scales are aligned as they should be, but even those with random large Doitsu scales still look very pretty, but of course could not win at exhibitions. If the yellow or golden color forms a wavy broken pattern along the sides of the koi, this is known as Kikusui which is a water chrysanthemum. If one has really outstanding alignment of the dorsal scales, it is referred to as being a Hyakunenzakura, meaning a 100 years zakura. The edges of the dorsal scales however are the main feature of this variant and have really reflective sheens to them.
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Platinum Kohaku - This is the Ogon paired with the Kohaku and the result is a Kohaku with a beautiful luster to its surface. An obvious problem is that the effect of the platinum tends to lighten the shade of Hi, so that in some instances you will see yellow appearing in the fins and also orange on the body.
Yamatonishiki - This means Japanese brocade and it refers to the effect produced when a Hikarimoyo is crossed with a Taisho Sanke. The Ogon will normally be the Kin and the result is that numerous scales have extra golden sheen to them. The whole fish sparkles because the areas of white glisten. The red becomes intense, yet there can be a string of orange scales showing, so it is a very variable koi depending on both the pattern of the Hi and of the extent of it.
Kinsui & Ginsui - These are the Hikari of the Shusui line. If the koi has much Hi then it is a Kinsui, but if it has little it is Ginsui. They are best as young koi up to a few years old. After this the metallic luster fades along with the color.
Shochikubai - These are the metallic Aigoromos-the 'robed' koi produced from Asaki crossed with Kohaku. The result is a sparkling sheen to the koi. As with all Hikari koi the expression is variable and shows itself more in some individuals than in others- and better on some patterns than on others. You cannot, unfortunately, know in advance how the koi will look and in any case, as it has been stated many times, the full effect of any color and pattern is greatly influenced by the way in which the koi is reared and by the water temperature. The combinations are such that one has to state that 'luck' must be considered a factor even for the most careful of breeders-but isn't this true in most pursuits?
Kujaku - If the Asaki or Shusui carry Hikari then they are Kujaku, which means peacock. They were first produced in 1960 and a feature of these fish is the Sumi markings which reminded the original breeder of the black spots when a peacock displays. The Doitsu mirror scaled Kujaku and the Kinsui are very similar but the former has Sumi scales not blue. However, you will see Kujaku with blue scales so we have another instance where there is a problem deciding which name is better applied to an individual koi under consideration. A Kujaku of Doitsu type does not always have a red colorbut it may be orange or yellow and this remark also applies to those of the Asagi type.
Tora - The Tora Ogon is the Hikari of the Ki Bekko (yellow koi with Sumi patches on it) but it is not commonly available. It is a very impressive koi more appreciated in the West than in the East.
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Know your Koi! This handy chart below will help you to classify your Koi, while learning a little more about them too. If you have some definitions that you would like to add, let us know. We're always looking to expand our information! Some helpful tips from the Pond Doc @ http://www.ponddoc.com/
| Word | Meaning Japanese | Definition | Example | Description of fish |
| Ai | Blue | Used with Koi types to determine color | Ai Goromo | White fish with red markings, whose red scales are outlined in blue |
| Aka | Red | Used with Koi types to determine color | Aka Bekko | Red fish with black tortoise shell markings |
| Doitsu | German Scale | Leather (scaleless), or Mirror (rows of large scales) on otherwise leather body | Shusui | Pale blue fish with orange belly, and rows of dark blue scales on otherwise scaleless body |
| Hi | Red | Used with Koi types to determine color | Hi Utsuri | Black striped fish with red markings |
| Ki | Yellow | Used with Koi types to determine color | Ki Matsuba | Yellow fish with black inlaid into the scales on the back, creating a pine cone patterned effect |
| Sanshoku | Tri-colored | Three colors of white, red and black used with Showa and Sanke Showa | Sanshoku | Black fish of Showa era, with red and white stripes |
| Shiro | White | Used with Koi types to determine color | Shiro Bekko | White fish with black tortoise shell markings |
| Sumi | India ink | Used to refer to the quality (deepness) of black markings | None | None |
