Kinginrin Scale Form

My description was based on 2 (two) sources, that is, The Interpet Encyclopedia of Koi @ 1999 Interpet Publishing (page 198) and Modern Nishikigoi by Takeo Kuroki, published by Shuji Fujita (page 142). Basically they described the same thing but in different terminology.

The left picture was original from Takeo Kuroki San, but in The Interpet Encyclopedia of Koi were called: (a) Pearl Ginrin for Tama-gin, (b) For Beta-gin, they use the same terminology, (c) For Kado-gin, they use the same terminology, (d) Diamond Ginrin for Hiroshima-nishiki.

Kinginrin means 'golden silvery scales'. In general, the koi scales was devided into two different groups, the first group is where the scales have a heavy, almost lumpy sparkling deposit, while in the second group the deposit of each scale is flat. Kinginrin often referred to as Ginrin and the Ginrin type is now most likely to be found in all kind of koi varities.

Pearl Ginrin (Tama-gin or Tsubu-gin) was grouped into the first group. Pearl Ginrin looking attractive when koi is still small but when the koi is getting larger their beauty diminishes and become more dull.  
 
Beta-gin, the whole surface of the scale sparkles, completely  covered with glittering surface. Such scales are more likely to appear on the abdominal region, along the lateral lines, or from 2 - 3 rows under the dorsal fin, these shimmering scales are often uneven over the body and therefore being most prominent on the sides of the koi.

Diamond-ginrin (Hiroshima-nishiki or Hiroshima-ginrin),  this type of ginrin called Hiroshima-ginrin because  this type was historically first found at Konishi Koi Farm in Hiroshima in year 1969. These ginrin scales tend to spread neatly on both sides.

Kado-gin (Sudare-gin), only the edges of the scales are iridescent (meaning: kado = edge) or the sparkling deposit is found only on the scale edges. The worst ones have silver lines on the tips of the fins. From below pictures, you can see that almost all koi types have Kinginrin scales

Kinginrin Kohaku

Kinginrin Sanke

Kinginrin Tancho Sanke

 

Kinginrin Showa

Kinginrin Shiro Utsuri

Kinginrin Shiro Beko

 


to be continued <koitutor.blogspot.com>

Tips of How to buy Koi

Dear koi hobbyist, 

If you would like to buy Nishikigoi, I suggest you that you may go together with your friends or family, who also having knowledge of Nishikigoi and not alone. Why ?, because both of you may remind one another when observing Koi that you want to select at Koi dealer. You may overlook but your friend may notice, vise versa. For examples : when you are observing koi pattern, body shape, koi fins, koi disease, swimming behavior, or even other small things

I personally always go with my brother. We always remind one another before finally coming out with one decision.

Selecting Your Koi

Observing Your Koi

Observing Your Koi

Watch Out !! Swimming Behavior

to be continued <koitutor.blogspot.com>

What Tancho is ?

Tancho Sanke

Tancho Kohaku

Tancho Showa

Tancho usually refer to the big three, that is, Tancho Kohaku, Tancho Sanke and Tancho Showa. Even in a limited sense people think that Tancho is only Tancho Kohaku. Those among the big three,  which has a red (Hi) patch on its head called Tancho. 

The best Tancho must have  a big circle/round head Hi as large as possible as well as round as possible. Even though you can find many shapes of head Hi such as heart, oval, square or cross shape, but the round shape is the most awarded.

Tancho Kohaku or "Hinomaru" (national flag of Japan) is a koi which entirely has white skin except round head Hi on its head. Tancho with Shiro Bekko body called Tancho Sanke and shud be no black marking (Sumi) at all on its head area. While Tancho Showa is showa family which has round head Hi on its head with a small black marking on the red circle area and ideally is V shape.

Since the color pattern is so simple,  therefore the white color must be unblemished and having snow white skin, so that between the red and white color must be contrast (source : Takeo Kuroki San).

As a hobbyist, you must be aware when you are looking for Tancho. It was very hard to find out Tancho with original round head Hi, and many koi dealers therefore try to do the surgery by anesthetizing their koi and using sharp knife to form the round head Hi when koi is in unconscious condition, of course, the price is much cheaper compared to Tancho with original round head Hi. Be aware !!! the red color might possibly come out again to the skin surface after such a long time.

Japan National Flag

 

 
















to be continued < koitutor.blogspot.com >

Genealogy of the colored koi - By Masanaga Kataoka San

Dear Hobbyist;
This cross breeding picture was obtained  from one of Indonesia web-site and original author was Seishu Kataoka San , but I read from "Manual to Nishikigoi" hand-book, ninth edition Oct. 15, 1990  by Takeo Kuroki San, it was actually conceived by Masanaga Kataoka San.  Please be advised if anyone of you who knows the real author of this koi family tree picture !!!

to be continued <koitutor.blogspot,com>

Differences Between Japanese & Your Home Country Koi

As per our last discussion, if you have already understood of how to choose your nishikigoi, you are therefore being able to discuss with your dealers and you will gain more insight whether your koi dealer talk professionally or unprofesionally. In addition, you will be able to choose good quality koi, which might be overlooked, with slightly cheaper price.

(Sebagai kelanjutan atas diskusi kita yang lalu, jika anda sudah memahami bagaimana memilih seekor koi, maka anda akan mampu berbicara dengan para pedagang koi dan anda akan memahami apakah pedagang koi tersebut benar-benar mengerti tentang koi atau omongannya hanya sekedar "sok tahu". Juga, anda akan mampu memilih kwalitas koi yang bagus, mungkin  ada koi tosai bagus yang tidak terlihat oleh sipedagang dan anda bisa mendapatkannya dengan harga yang relatif lebih murah)

Herewith some differences between Japanese koi (imported koi) and your home country koi:
(Beberapa perbedaan antara koi import Japan dengan koi hasil ternak lokal):

(1) Japanese koi is imported from Japan, while local koi is koi that has been bred locally and the parent koi might also be bred locally for many generations;
(Koi Japan adalah koi hasil import dari Japan, sementara koi lokal adalah koi yang dibiakan lokal dan mungkin indukan koi nya juga sudah secara turun temurun diternak lokal).

(2) The white color of Japanese koi may be snow white, while for the local koi the white color may be yellowish. Japanese koi usually have a better body shape;
(Warna putih koi import Japan berwarna putih salju, sementara koi lokal agak ke-kuning kuningan. Koi import Japan biasanya mempunyai bentuk badan yang bagus)

(3)  Eyes of Japanese koi looks bigger and like having an eye lid, while the local koi looks flat and normal.

(4)  Beside white color, the other colors such as red and black color are also more promising since Japanese breeders doing tight selection in culling the koi fry

(5) Japanese koi, of course, is much more expensive compare to local koi.

Actually your local koi can also be as good as Japanese koi as long as the breeder select the parents koi carefully which has the best requirement for parents. 

To be honest, it was very hard to find the local koi in Indonesia which has criterias as good as original Japanese koi. Many koi pattern is still acceptable, but most of the body shape and eyes can not be as good as the original Japanese koi.

Be aware!! Many koi dealers said his/her local koi is an imported koi - Japan origin. As a hobbyist, regardless Japanese koi or local koi, as long as you like these Koi, you may have it if you really want. Therefore, your koi knowledge is terribly Important !!! 

Note: see koi video album --> taken at Changi Airport, Singapore on March 7 2013, in my opinion, these koi are original Japanese koi.

  to be continued <koitutor.blogspot.com>

More Discussion about Pond

If your pond without bottom drain, the water flowing to your filter chamber totally rely on the water flow gravity and not all debris or small particles will flow to your filter chambers. In addition, if your pond with bottom drain but without aerator, the waste and debris  flow to the bottom drain is not as effective as using an aerator.

But, if your pond with bottom drain system and aerator, the debris , sinking waste and all small particles will flow properly to your filter chambers. By using aerated bottom drain, your bottom drain  will be working more effectively because the bubble air created will pull all waste to the center of your bottom drain. In my personal experiences and those who has experiences  in keeping marine fish in a glass tank, the system is analogically working seems like 'under gravel' filter system at the bottom of  your glass tank.

Please keep in mind!! You must be well prepared before you initiate and deciding to build your pond and filtration system, because once you have already built it and you have been keeping your koi, it become extremely a big effort to re-design again!!

Without Bottom Drain

Bottom drain without aerator

Bottom drain with aerator

to be continued <koitutor.blogspot.com>

 

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One of the addresses where you can find your koi pond tools in Jakarta-Indonesia (salah satu alamat toko penjual alat perlengkapan kolam di Jakarta- Indonesia).

Have a try ! (coba saja visit atau hubungi bila anda perlu!)

Koi Palace Indonesia
Jl. Makaliwe Raya No. 40B, Grogol - Jakarta Barat (samping puspa)
T. +(62-21) 5657342

F. +(62-21) 5630470

 

http://www.koipalace.net/

BB (ALAT DAN PAKAN)  : SURYA: 312EF8A0

BB (IKAN & HANDLING) :  PENYOT : 2267AF9D

Email : admin@koipalace.net

YM : pro_printer@yahoo.com

BB Lj: 29EDC343

Working hours (Jam kerja) : 8:30 AM - 17:30 PM Monday-Friday (Senin Minggu)

Week-end days are offline service at the shop (Sabtu dan Minggu hanya Offline service di Toko).

How to Identify your Koi Gender

It is very hard to identify, especially for young koi and will be easier for mature koi. There are many tips of how to identifying your koi gender, such as:

(a) Female and Male Koi have different shape of fins. 

Female koi has larger pectoral fins than the male one, and also usually have less color. Female fins will also have a rounded edge and will be opaque. (see courtesy picture)

(b) While, male pectoral fins will have a pointy edge and will usually have a solid color look to them. (see courtesy photo)

 

(c) Body Conformation  (see courtesy photo)

 


(d) Touch Gently Over The Cheeks

Run your fingers gently over the side cheeks of the Koi. Your fingers will feel rough for male koi, like soft sandpaper. On the other hand, your fingers will feel completely smooth for female koi. The roughness is caused by tubercles which grow along the sides of male Koi. It is beneficial to stimulate the female koi to release her eggs when spawning

(f) Traditional way

I personally do not suggest this method, unless you are an experienced koi trader/breeder. Turn your koi body upside down with abdomen facing up. Massage carefully and slowly the abdomen part between your thumb and your pointing finger backward toward its vent. You can see white liquid come out from its vent for male koi and like excrement for female koi. Again, do not do this method since it may hurt your koi.

(g) Eating behavior

Observation during feeding time will also give us a clue to strengthen our  conclusion, whether male or female koi. Eating behavior of female koi is more aggressive than the male one. Male koi usually will be swimming around after eating one bait before eating another bait, while female koi are more likely to eat more and more bait as often as possible. So you may observe and playing with your koi during feeding time. This eating behavior obviously tell you why female koi are commonly bigger than the male koi.



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Remarks: One of the best Koi dictionaries, in my opinion  you can directly connect to the following web site address:

 http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/html/japanese_dictionary.html

to be continued (koitutor.blogspot.com>