| In the beginning there was the common carp, dull and | | | | skin. Shrimp, plankton or daphnia, marigold and green |
| gray- or brown-colored, usually found in the wild or | | | | algae known as Spirulina are ideal for the koi if you |
| bred as food source in China when rice wasn't readily | | | | want to get the best effect. |
| available. Later on the Japanese took an interest, and | | | | There are koi that change color patterns not |
| devoted their lives to achieving the ultimate in | | | | because of health reasons but because it is in their |
| ornamental freshwater fish. The result of their | | | | nature to do so. The Matsukawabake is one such |
| efforts is the multi-colored koi, and koi colors until | | | | breed. The change in koi color does not mean a total |
| now are still being developed today. | | | | transformation, only that the distribution of the black |
| Common koi colors are white, red, orange, yellow | | | | and white areas changes according to the |
| and black. The not so common colors are blue, green, | | | | temperature of the water in which it is kept, or |
| purple and cream. Some koi can be plain with just a | | | | according to the seasons of that particular locale. This |
| single color, while others can come in a combination | | | | is a good basis to find out whether the water in your |
| of two or more different hues, with different | | | | pond or aquarium has the right temperature for your |
| patterns and shaped like blotches, splashes, dots or | | | | koi. While it is true that koi can survive in freezing |
| blots. There are koi that have a metallic sheen to | | | | water, it is better to be safe and keep the coldness |
| their color, making their scales look like hammered | | | | to a minimum. |
| platinum or silver. | | | | Sometimes though, the reason that koi colors are |
| Color is usually a reflection of the koi's state of | | | | not as dazzling as they ought to be is because the |
| health. Whatever shade the fish come in, koi colors | | | | koi hasn't yet reached its full potential. Many |
| should be vibrantly alive. The red blots in a kohaku | | | | hobbyists are discouraged when finding a young koi in |
| should be brightly colored, while the black spots in a | | | | dull yellows and oranges, thinking that they should be |
| showa sanke koi should be deep and even. If a plain | | | | seeing the sparkling golds and brilliant reds. The truth |
| white koi has dots of grey appearing on its scales, or | | | | is, these koi fish will be future eye-catchers, but at |
| if a black koi looks dull, this can sometimes indicate | | | | that particular time development is more focused on |
| that there is something wrong somewhere. The | | | | improvement of the body and not enhancement of |
| problem may be poor water conditions, so it would | | | | color. When the koi has matured enough to be the |
| be advisable to regularly check the pH balance of the | | | | hardy fish that is characteristic of carp, only then can |
| pond or tank. It can also be the food - the brightness | | | | it turn its attention to boosting its color. One should |
| of koi colors depends largely on nutrition, which is | | | | practice at least some patience with the koi fish in |
| why vitamins are also added to their diet. However, | | | | this aspect. It took years for the Japanese to |
| frozen or fresh and raw foods will do, especially if | | | | develop koi colors in the carp. It is only fitting that |
| they have high concentrations of carotenoid | | | | we acknowledge their efforts by allowing the koi fish |
| pigments, which are the major components of a koi's | | | | to take their time in making themselves beautiful. |