Some more helpful tips from the Pond Doc!

 

 Know your Koi! The 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!

Koi Types
Type Japanese Meaning Description Pattern
Asagi Pale Blue Pale blue fish with orange belly and net pattern on back Regular scales
Bekko Tortoise Shell White, red, or yellow fish with black markings Spotted
Hakarimono (Ogon) Hikari - Metallic
Mono - Single		 Single colored metallic Koi with no markings None
Hariwake Foiled Metallic fish with two(2) colors Doitsu scales
Karasugoi Crow Fish Black fish with white or orange bellies None
Kohaku Ko - Red
Haku - White		 White fish with red markings Spotted
Koromo Robed A white fish with red markings that are "robed" by a different color scale outline Spotted with reticulated scales
Matsuba Pine Cone A single colored fish with a darker color inlaid in the scales to create a pine cone pattern Pine Cone patterned scales
Sanke Era - 1912-1926 White fish with red and black markings Spotted, no black on head
Showa Era - 1926-present Black fish with red and white markings Striped
Shusui Autumn Sky Pale blue fish with an orange belly, and a large line of dark blue scales down its back Doitsu scales
Tancho Tancho Crane White fish with a red spot on its head Spot is either circular, or triangle
Utsuri Reflection Black striped fish with white, red, or yellow markings Striped

Terms to use when classifying your Koi
Word Japanese meaning 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
 
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