Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, Elite Koi, Ghost Koi, Healthy Koi, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi History, Koi Terminology, Ogon, Quality Koi
What a perfect day to discuss the scariest of all Koi – The Ghost Koi!
The Ghost koi has gained some popularity in the last few years, but many “Koi people” still do not recognize them as a true koi! – they are refereed to as Ghost carp instead.
The “Ghost Koi” is a product of breeding a mirror carp with a metallic Ogon Koi. For this reason many Koi purists don’t consider them a true “Koi”…
They are very hardy fish and much less susceptible to diseases. They also grow extremely fast! Both of these traits make them a great first Koi!
Ghost Koi don’t have a lot of markings like other Koi so their beauty comes from their shining metallic scales! Their colors can vary from dark to cream to silver and even golden. The head is generally creamy and the body colors will widely vary depending on the parents color.
I guess what I’m saying is, even though they have a scary name, & the fact that it is Halloween – Don’t be wary of the Ghost Koi! They are really pretty cool 🙂
Enjoy your Koi! AND – HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Elite Koi, Hariwake, Healthy Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi for sale, Koi History, Koi Ponds, Lemon Hariwake
The Hariwake is a beautiful Koi that displays a solid metalic white base with bright patterns of color – red, orange or yellow. Their patterns of color are similar to the Kohaku but NOT to be confused! The white base is bright and vibrant and the color patterns are eye catching with a tone and hue that flow across the entire body of the fish. When they have a bright yellow pattern, scaled or doitsu, they are referred to as a ‘Lemon Hariwake’.
This is a Doitsu (scaleless) Lemon Hariwake.
Look for one with a nice pattern of yellow with a bright white base color. Also look for clean defined edges/lines where the colors meet. And of course, body conformation is #1.
Variations include Doitsu (scaleless), Gin Rin, Butterfly and more. Examples include the fact that many Hariwake with orange or red Kohaku type patterns are refereed to as Kikusui Koi…
The Hariwake was developed from selectively breeding Kohaku and Platinum Ogon. Now, the Hariwake is a breed unto itself.
I hope this little tidbit satisfies your “Koi Fix” on this beautiful Hump Day! 😊
And as Always – “Enjoy your KOI”!
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Chagoi, Elite Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi Fix, Koi History, Koi Terminology, Ochiba Shigure, Soragoi, Soragoi Koi
One of the friendliest Koi in your Pond will be the Soragoi. The Soragoi are a grey or silver color combined with a subtle net pattern.
Soragoi are very docile & friendly and will be among the first koi in your pond to learn to eat from your hand.
Soragoi are very similar to Chagoi in their look and mannerisms. The two are bred together to create the Ochiba Shigure, a two colored Koi.
The Ochiba Shigure is the offspring of breeding a Chagoi and Soragoi Koi.
Soragoi means – Sky Carp.
Variations of Soragoi include the Gin Rin Soragoi and the Doitsu Soragoi.
The Soragoi may not be the most colorful or flashy fish in your Pond, but it’s probably the first one to greet you and is always great with other Koi. They can get rather large too 😊
Thanks for reading!
Remember- Enjoy Your Koi!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, TN 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Doitsu Koi, Elite Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I Love Koi, Kiko, Kikokuryu Koi, Koi History, Koi Pond, Koi Ponds, Koi Supplies, Koi Terminology, Premium Koi, Quality Koi
The Kikokuryu Koi is a scaleless koi (doitsu), with a white base color with black markings along the single row of scales down it’s back. The black markings are also on the head, prominently around the eyes and nose of the Koi.
The Kikokuryu is a metallic black and white Koi developed from crossing Kumonryu and Doitsu platinum Ogon.
Commonly called ‘Kiko’s’, the colors of a young Kikokuryu can range from black and white with blue and silver mixed in too. But the colors tend to darken with age and even in the cooler water in Fall & Winter. This changing, maturing color is a trait they got from their Kumonryu cousins.
A very interesting, beautiful Koi, the Kikokuryu is a favorite of mine as well as many others in the hobby.
Thanks to all! and,
~ Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, TN 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Elite Koi, Gosanke Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I Love Koi, Kohaku Koi, Koi Health, Koi History, Koi Terminology, Sanke, Showa, Showa Sanshoku Koi, Taisho Sanke Koi
Well I am still talking about the ‘Gosanke’ – The Big 3. In the Koi world these 3 are the most popular – Kohaku, Sanke & Showa. We have covered the first 2 (Kohaku & Sanke) today lets talk about the Showa Sanshoku, aka: Showa!
Showa Koi have white & red/orange patterns over a black base. Sometimes confused with Sanke, Showa are an incredibly beautiful& popular Koi.
The Showa is bred by crossing a Kohaku with a Shiro Utsuri. They were first produced in 1927 & were named for the Emperor of Japan at the time. The Showa is a three (3) colored Koi – Black base with red and white markings. The markings on the Showa are more striped or banded (more like the Utsuri) as opposed to the Sanke which are spots or patches, more like a classic Kohaku. Showa also have sumi markings on their heads where a Sanke does not. The colors should be well balanced about the body with clean edges between colors.
Variations of Showa include Tancho Showa, Maruten Showa, Gin Rin Showa, Doitsu Showa and Kin Showa.
Have a GREAT Day! And Remember, always – “Enjoy your Koi” 🙂
Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden | Tags: Elite Koi, Gosanke Koi, Hi, Hump Day Koi Fix, Kohaku Koi, Koi Fix, Koi Health, Koi History, Koi Pond, Koi Terminology, Premium Koi, Sanke, Shiro, Showa, Sumi, Taisho Sanke Koi, Taisho Sanshoku Koi
Last week I talked about the Kohaku because I had customers looking for some and we got to talking and looking until we found one he liked. As you know the Kohaku is one of the “Big Three” of the Koi world – The Gosanke – Kohaku, Sanke & Showa.
I have covered them before and broke each down in that article, but I think that each one of the Big 3 needs their own Blog! So today We’re talking about the 2nd. of the Big 3 – The Sanke!
In the early 1900’s, a new variety of Koi was developed by the addition of sumi (black) markings to the basic Kohaku patterns of red and white. This new variety was named Taisho Sanke and is usually referred to as simply ‘Sanke’.
Originally known as Taisho Sanke or Taisho Sanshoku they are commonly called Sanke by most in the hobby. Sanke Koi are one of the most popular and rightly so. They are beautiful, graceful fish & have been in the forefront since their introduction. The word ‘Sanke’ means ‘Tri Color’ in Japanese, signifying their three colors – White (Shiro) the base color, Red (Hi) the main overlaid pattern & Black (Sumi) the 3rd. accent color pattern. They say a show quality Sanke starts with an outstanding Kohaku pattern with beautiful black (sumi) accents that compliment the Koi. Some variations of Sanke include – Doitsu Sanke, Maruten Sanke, Tancho Sanke and Gin Rin Sanke.
Remember- Enjoy your Koi! 😊
and…. Happy Pondering!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: General Blog Entry's, Koi, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden | Tags: Doitsu Kohaku, Elite Koi, Gosanke, Gosanke Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, I Love Koi, Kohaku Koi, Koi, Koi for sale, Koi History, Koi Supplies, Koi Terminology, Tancho Koi
I have had several customers at the Nursery stop in to buy Koi lately looking specifically for high quality Kohaku. Different varieties enjoy the popular spotlight from time to time, but beautiful Kohaku are always a popular choice.
The most well known variety of Koi is the Kohaku. This one pictured is a HIGH Dollar Show Quality Kohaku! Top quality Kohaku have a bright, blemish free solid white base, overlaid with a deep red pattern.
Kohaku – 琥珀 – Is the Japanese word for Amber. It’s also the most well know and most popular of the Gosanke – “The Big 3” of the Koi world… Kohaku, Sanke & Showa (the 3 most popular varieties).
Variations of Kohaku include the Doitsu Kohaku, Gin Rin Kohaku, Maruten Kohaku & of course the Tancho Kohaku.
This is a Doitsu Kohaku (scaleless). Beautiful!
Happy Hump Day! and…
Enjoy your KOI!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
