Nishikigoi or better known as Koi outside of Japan, are basically a breed of common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) which were first developed in Japan to be a source of animal protein during harvest season by the rice Farmers of Yamakoshi Village in Niigata Prefecture.
But during the early 1800's some of the Magoi (Japanese carp) began to show some interesting mutations, some of them showing patches of red, yellow and white which lead the farmers to keep them as pets and breed these mutations together. During these days Gregor Mendel was still experimenting with pea plants yet the farmers of Niigata were already in the verge of proving his own theory half a world away.
Magoi (Japanese Koi) with Sanke's
The Magoi is the Ancestor of the modern Koi, it is basically a strain of common carp first introduced in Japan from China. These Black-Brown carp were raised in mud ponds with rice during the summer season by farmers and then harvested just before the rice paddies were dried out during the autumn.
Asagi
Asagi
The first Magoi mutations ever recorded were Red (Hi Goi), White (Shiro Muji) and a carp with a red underbelly which eventually gave rise to the Asagi which is a Bluish-Grey carp with a silvery outline on each scale and having a bright red underbelly that reaches up to its cheeks and sometimes its pectoral fins.
The Asagi later gave rise to three separations of the Family tree, the first being the Black line of Koi. The black and red line first came from the Darker colored Asagi's with dark grey backs or even black with very deep red sides and underbellies.
The Asagi later gave rise to three separations of the Family tree, the first being the Black line of Koi. The black and red line first came from the Darker colored Asagi's with dark grey backs or even black with very deep red sides and underbellies.
These Dark Asagi's or may be a Tetsu Goi (Iron Koi) are then crossed to the Hi Goi or Beni Goi to produce the Aka Bekko or Red koi with black markings on its back and Ki Bekko which are yellow Koi with black markings on its back. The Akka Bekko will later be crossed back to Magoi or to Karasu Goi (Jet Black koi with white underbelly) to produce the Hi Utsuri (Black Koi with red markings) and Ki Utsuri (Black Koi with yellow markings) and might have contributed to some Shiro Utsuri (Black Koi with white markings) lines aswell.
Taki Asagi
The next line developed from the Asagi's are the lighter colored lines or the White lines. These lineages include the Kohaku and the Koromo, they came from the lighter colored Asagis or Taki Asagi which had white sides. Then eventually White Koi were born from these, some having red underbellies which later made way for the development of the Kohaku. These were later bred with Hi Goi to achive red and white koi.
The next line developed from the Asagi's are the lighter colored lines or the White lines. These lineages include the Kohaku and the Koromo, they came from the lighter colored Asagis or Taki Asagi which had white sides. Then eventually White Koi were born from these, some having red underbellies which later made way for the development of the Kohaku. These were later bred with Hi Goi to achive red and white koi.
Between 1830 and 1849 several different patterns appeared of the new red and white variety, including Zukinkaburi (red forehead), Menkaburi (red head), Kuchibeni (red lips) and Sarasa (red spot on back). In the Niigata region the breeding of Kohaku intensified and was fascilitated by a man named Gosuke.
Kohaku Development
He first bought a red headed female called a Hachi Hi and then crossed it with a male with Cherry Blossom patterns on his back called Sokura Kana. The result of this union is the base for all modern Kohaku's of today. He wanted to achieve solid patches of red on the back's of his Koi which he achived with this combination.
Sanke's were later found in Kohaku broods which later was then bred to Shiro Bekko to stabilize the Sumi or black patterns with the Hi or red patterns.
The Black based koi lineage came from the Dark Asagi Magoi's with no red markings on their undersides. This later developed into the Karasu (Crow Koi) which is a Jet black koi with a white underbelly. Further mutations gave rise to Hajiro (Black koi with white pectoral fins) Hageshiro (White headed black koi) and then the Kumonryu (Nine step sky Dragon) in which the white patterns fade and come back depending on the water temperature and water quality.
Koi's with balanced white and black patterns were later developed into the black lineage Shiro Utsuri (Black Koi with white patterns). Combining the Hi Utsuri and the Shiro Utsuri is the base for all modern Showa's (Black koi with Red and White Markings on the back).
Doitsu Goi
The Metallic Koi lines came from another branch of the Asagi Magoi lineage, this was due to the introduction of the Doitsu Goi's (German Carp). German carp were first introduced in Japan as a table fish, these were Black or Brown with leathery skins or a few large scales which makes the Doitsu's a variety of Mirror carp (Carp's with large reflective scales).
Yamabuki Ogon
Doitsu Goi was crossed with the Konjo Asagi to produce Shusui which is basically a leather carp version of a Asagi. Other mutations that came out of this outcross gave rise to several lines namely the Hikari Muji (Metallic One colored Koi). The predecessors of the Hikari's is the Kinbo (Brass colored carp) which later paved the way for the Kin Kabuto (Shinny Bettle colored Koi) and with later refinement eventually brought out the first Ogon's which are one colored Shinny Koi's in either Yellow or Dirty Orange.
The Beginning of the Koromo line find its origins with the Kohaku and the Goshiki Asagi (Red pattern over an Asagi Pattern), offspring of this cross are the Ai Goromo (Red pattern over white having mess pattern or vignettes), Budo Goromo (having Blue or Purple marking`s on the red or hi ) Sumi Goromo (solid black on the hi markings)and the Koromo Sanke which can also be achived through crossing a Sanke with an Ai Goromo.
During the 1920's some Koi in Hiroshima started to exhibit the first signs of becoming Gin Rin (Shiny Diamond like scales on the back) and so they began breeding them together and to other popular Koi at that time to have Koi with shinny Diamond like scales on their backs, hence these fish were first called Dia Ginrin. The Ginrin lines were already established during the Second World War, which was good because most of the Koi were ordered to be eaten due to the shortage of food. The Gin Rin core stock along with other strains and lines were then hidden at Shinto Temples to prevent them from being looted or eaten.
Koi Memorial in Niigata
With the popularity of Nishikigoi culminating after the second world war the Farmers of Niigata changed from rice farming into Koi farming. Many crosses came after inorder to make other varieties of Koi that we know today.
Some of these new crosses have vibrant and shinny scales like the Ginga which is the most recent Koi strain that came from the crossing of Platinum Ogon with a Hajiro. The result of this combination is a stunning Koi with lusterous purewhite scales and jet black sumi.
Today's Koi Market is so competitive that before there were hundreds of breeders in Niigata alone which is the birth place of Koi keeping, but because buyers tend to look only for the best it is said that if you dont produce really good Koi your business will not survive. This is both beneficial and detrimental for Nishikigoi in general, for this means only the best of the best can survive and produce Koi year after year and the quality will continue to improve as time goes by. But because there is now a limited closed circle of breeder lines are becoming to be so inbred due to lack of genetic diversity on the parent's stocks.
For now Koi's have reached the pinicle of Aquacultural fancy that no other species of fish can match, with some fish being prized for as big as 4 million dollars! These fish are not only beautiful carp but have become the living canvas of a once obscure group of rice farmers in Japan who are now like the Demi Gods of the Pond and Aquarium keeping world.
But in the end Koi keeping is not about who has got the most expensive fish, certainly not, it all boils down to one's ownself...Does your fish make you happy? Do they calm your mind and spirit? If yes then I believe your Koi have indeed fulfilled their destiny - to be the living jewels of our ponds.
