Page 60 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 11
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just what shape a Koi should have, my question would in assessing them with a view to purchasing. What do
be: “At what size?” For example, we would not be you wish to purchase? A Koi for now, or a Koi with a
expecting to see a Tosai with the body shape of an future of improvement and quality ahead of it? This is a
eighty centimetre Koi would we? So already we have major hurdle that has to be overcome before you can
established that the ‘desirable’ body shape for a Koi make an informed decision about your next purchase.
depends, to whatever degree, upon the size of the Koi This is where we leave the realms of what constitutes a
in question. Body shape on Tosai is of very little good Koi and enter the area of what is a good Koi for a
importance apart from any serious irregularities. I also particular purpose.
come across many hobbyists who wish to see
considerable volume on a Koi of say, 40 to 45cm. Once we begin to enter the realm of genuine Tategoi
Whilst this may be desirable if the Koi is to be entered we can highlight the question of what constitutes a
into a show at this size it will very often indicate that WHEN WILL good Koi but even more usefully we can spotlight
the Koi will never achieve a large size, 80 to 85cm for the fact that the matter of ‘timing’ has to be a
example. A Koi with good potential to reach such a A PARTICULAR consideration as well. ‘When’ will a particular Koi reach
size will generally have a more slender shape at KOI REACH its ultimate quality? This will help to illustrate that we
smaller sizes. Bloodline obviously plays a big part in must know what we are wanting from any Koi that we
such pointers though. This is why it is a mistake to ITS ULTIMATE purchase. A thirty centimetre Koi that has (for a 30cm
GENUINE apply rules of thumb to Koi in general and why it is QUALITY? Koi) perfect body shape, excellent skin quality and
pigmentation and may well be capable of winning
TATEGOI GO essential to gain knowledge of an individual Koi’s Baby Champion at a forthcoming Koi show will most
background and also the traits of its bloodline, all Koi
COMPLETELY are different in this respect. likely be, at best, an average quality Koi if and when it
reaches, say 70cm. Vice versa, a Koi that is of a very
UNNOTICED Moving on to skin quality and pigmentation we high standard at 80cm would almost certainly not have
encounter a very intricate area indeed. Bloodline will had the standard when younger to have won Baby
play a huge part with regard to both of these aspects, Champion as it would have been far too unfinished,
particularly that of pigment. We specialise in supplying pigmentation would have been too pale, body shape
Koi that will improve over a long period of time and too slim and pattern far from finished, all of these are
that will hopefully allow the owner to appreciate their likely faults for such a Koi when young. All Koi reach
development and to allow them to learn far more than their peak at different times, different ages and
they would with a finished or nearly finished Koi. This different sizes. So before you look to purchase, you
can cause us a lot of trouble with people who do not need to have some idea of what you wish to purchase.
understand this type of Koi. Very often we see people This will make things far easier.
quite readily reject a particular Koi as they consider it
to be inferior or of a low grade and it is more than likely
in their opinion overpriced for what it is. Sometimes
though, they see the Koi months afterwards in a pond
owned by one of their Koi friends and they comment
as to how they would love to own a Koi such as this.
When they find out they did in fact discount this Koi
when it was in our shop they tend to look harder the
next time. When we have examples of genuine Tategoi
they usually remain completely unnoticed by everyone
except our more knowledgeable clients who tend to
snap them up. I mention this only to highlight that
there is a huge variation in the appreciation of Koi and
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