koi varieties - utsuri & goshiki

What makes koi keeping so exciting is the fact the fish come in a great variety of colour's which provide endless combinations of colour arrangements There are 13 recognized classes, based on a set of different characteristics including colour, pattern and scale type. Unique koi with new colour and pattern combinations arise from time to time

Utsuri can often challenge the "big 3", and they are a fun fish because of the amount of change that will occur as they develop. There is a video on our AKCA page which illustrates just those changes, see the San Jose Seminar

shiro utsuri

  • A nice shiro with less sumi
  • This shiro has a lot more sumi for a totally different look
  • Rows of gin rin scales adds a nice shine

Shiro Utsuri

This is a beautiful understated pattern and it looks like the sumi is finishing up

Shiro Utsuri

Talk about your inky blue black sumi, this fish has it. The shiro is down a bit due to stress

Gin Rin Utsuri

This is a beautiful fish with a nice amount of sumi and of course, the nice rows of shiny scales add another dimension


other utsuri

Hi Utsuri

Replace the white with red and you have a Hi Utsuri. These are not as popular as shiro's

Ki Utsuri

It is hard to find a clean pattern on a Ki utsuri as their are usually lots of sumi specs

Kin Ki Utsuri

This is a metallic utsuri that should have nice shine on the pec fins
[not our photograph]




goshiki

  • Here are 3 goshiki, the upper fish is a Tancho Goshiki
  • This fish is a great example. The beni just pops off of this fish
  • Beginners might mistake this for a kohaku as the netting hasn't really appeared. This fish is quite special
Goshiki are a 5 coloured fish - red, white and black like a showa or sanke, but with blue and gray added
The newer style goshiki have clean red patterns. Goshiki can have a lot of variation in their looks
Fish number 3 is spectacular, an amazing inazuma type Hi pattern. Goshiki do not grow very large when compared to gosanke. At the base, a nice kohaku pattern is desired