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History and Lore

Butterfly Koi – The Most Beautiful Fish In The World?

Jul 13th, 2011
by GuestBlogger.
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a butterfly koi, viewed from above

BUTTERFLY KOI SURROUNDED BY SMALLER FISH. Image via Wikipedia

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this is especially true of Butterfly Koi. Many regard the Butterfly Koi one of the most beautiful fish in the world.

They are very popular in America and it is sometimes referred to as the American Koi. It is a hybrid and not regarded as a true Koi by the purists.

The Butterfly Koi have fins that are long, flowing and almost featherlike in appearance. They are reputed to be a hardy breed and better able to handle colder temperatures. However the breed finds very little acceptance outside of  America and traditional breeders of Koi will not breed them.

Unacceptable Compromise

In the breeding program that led to emergence of Butterfly Koi the aim was to breed an increase in the hardiness of the fish. It is thought that Koi were interbred with wild Indonesian Longfin river carp. The offspring were hardier but had long fins. (more…)


The Essential Book of Koi: A Complete Guide to Keeping and Care

Jul 8th, 2011
by KoiWaterPeace.
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The Essential Book of Koi: A Complete Guide to Keeping and Care

The Essential Book of Koi combines research from leading international authorities on koi with the captive-care techniques of experienced aquarists to yield the most up-to-date and extensive book available on the science, care, and breeding of these large ornamental fishes. This cutting-edge guide discusses topics that are imperative for sustaining a thriving family of koi, including how to create and maintain the best water quality, how different filtration systems work, the biology

Sale Price:$20.30

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The Long Journey to World-Wide Popularity – The History of Koi

Jun 1st, 2011
by GuestBlogger.
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Koi fish, up close

Image via Wikipedia

For centuries in the days before our understanding of chemistry there was the search for a process that would turn some common metal into gold. Charlatans for centuries sought deprive the wealthy of their riches by promising the secret that would make any man abundantly rich.

The amazing story of a few simple fisherman in Japan who learned how to turn a very drab looking fish that was almost worthless into what is now a world-wide trade of very expensive fish. It is hard to imagine that anyone would pay scores of thousands of dollars and in some cases even hundreds of thousands of dollars for one single fish!

Today in the world of Koi there are real treasures and some are willing to pay for them. In a sense these simple fishermen achieved what charlatans for centuries were never able to achieve, turn a simple fish into gold!

Early Koi History – Carp in China

The name Koi is simply the Japanese word for ‘Carp’. The real history of Koi or Carp is lost in the mists of legend but it is believed that Koi had their beginnings in an area that today we would call Iran, history would call Persia. (more…)


Choosing the Right Magnoi Koi Carp

Mar 9th, 2011
by KoiWaterPeace.
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Without seeing a picture of the koi it is very difficult to correctly name it. I also have a 2 solid yellow koi, one is what they call a ginrin yama butterfly. The koi are a mix of jap and magnoi with sturgeon. The closer the koi is to the natural carp, the hardier it is. Any koi that does fit a type of koi falls into the Kawarimono class which is all other koi.

My husband and I planned on purchasing 3 koi this spring. I picked it out by accident as just an interesting dusty looking little koi then winter came and he turned mostly white.

What is nice about the white koi is they do stand out in the pond. So it will not be a problem and not all Platinum Ogons are a problem it is just that they are the only type of koi that have demonstrated this type of behavior. I guess when you see a lot of pattern koi, it is nice for a change to have a few solid ones in the bunch. (more…)


Japanese Koi Carp – A Remarkable Journey of Time and Transformation

Jul 14th, 2009
by KoiWaterPeace.
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Location Map of Ojiya in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Michael C. Harris

Japanese Koi carp are known throughout the world as beautiful fish comprising of vivid colors and markings. Anyone who owns them can tell you how wonderful it is to have them as part of their lives. But there as is mysterious past surrounding these marvelous fish as to where their journey of time and transformation truly began.

Over the centuries Koi have gone through many remarkable stages of migration, evolution and breeding. Still today, historical gaps in their timeline have many toiling over where they originated and how they truly came to be the revered Koi that grace the ponds of so many gardens the world over.

The word Koi is a Japanese name meaning carp, but the original name comes from the Latin word Cyprinus carpio also meaning carp. Though many believe that Koi are a product of the Japanese, it is understood that Japanese Koi carp are actually believed to have originated in the waters of the Caspian Sea and areas surrounding China.

In fact, there are records of carp fossils found in China dating back 20 million years, along with early accounts of the very first color mutations of Koi being bred in China. It was here where selective breeding of the Prussian carp led to the development of the goldfish. Now goldfish were not introduced to Japan until the 16th century. Later goldfish were brought to Europe in the 17th century.

With ongoing research and investigation, it is still unclear as to when Koi were actually introduced to Japan, but the mystery mounts as stories are told of Koi having been brought to Japan as a result of early Chinese invasions of Japan. Others tell stories of a Japanese emperor keeping Koi back in 200 AD. The history of Japanese Koi carp is sketchy at best. As to what really happed between the 2nd and the 17th century is an ongoing exploration still today. (more…)