The Colors of Koi

Of all the world’s brightly hued fishes, the koi are those solely considered to be as brilliantly colorful as the rainbow. The koi colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple nearly complete the color spectrum, while the further addition of black shades creates a contrast which further enhances the vividness of these koi fish colors.

The strange truth about all this though, is that koi was not born colorful at all, but are the product of accidental mutations, which later on became deliberate. Koi, which simply means “carp” in Japanese, started off as a food source to supplement rice eaters in the early days, in certain parts of the world. It is thought that it was through China that the fish were introduced into Japanese waters. They were known then as the humble common carp, hunted in the wild and domestically reared in the backyard ponds of farmers’ homes. As is inevitable in confined spaces, cross-breeding occurred and mutations took place. What came to pass, the Japanese called nishikigoi, or “brocaded carp” because the appearance of the color patterns reminded them of tapestry.

Color is usually a reflection of the koi’s state of health. Whatever shade the fish come in, koi colors should be vibrantly alive. The red blots in a kohaku should be brightly colored, while the black spots in a showa sanke koi should be deep and even. If a plain white koi has dots of grey appearing on its scales, or if a black koi looks dull, this can sometimes indicate that there is something wrong somewhere. The problem may be poor water conditions, so it would be advisable to regularly check the pH balance of the pond or tank. It can also be the food – the brightness of koi colors depends largely on nutrition, which is why vitamins are also added to their diet. However, frozen or fresh and raw foods will do, especially if they have high concentrations of carotenoid pigments, which are the major components of a koi’s skin. Shrimp, plankton or daphnia, marigold and green algae known as Spirulina are ideal for the koi if you want to get the best effect.

There are koi that change color patterns not because of health reasons but because it is in their nature to do so. The Matsukawabake is one such breed. The change in koi color does not mean a total transformation, only that the distribution of the black and white areas changes according to the temperature of the water in which it is kept, or according to the seasons of that particular locale. This is a good basis to find out whether the water in your pond or aquarium has the right temperature for your koi. While it is true that koi can survive in freezing water, it is better to be safe and keep the coldness to a minimum.

Koi colors themselves are a subject of constant debate, as most people do not believe that they hold any significance whatsoever, even if others are convinced that koi colors have specific meanings. For example, there is a symbolism connected with the color and shape of the reds: the more round-shaped red spots in a koi, the more financially successful the owner will be. If the koi colors present in the fish are those that exactly make up the colors of the rainbow, the more fortunate in life a man will be. Whatever the representation attached with the koi, breeders, owners and hobbyists everywhere agree to one thing: there is nothing more spectacularly kaleidoscopic in the world than koi colors.

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