Quick Answer Shusui is the scaleless (Doitsu) counterpart to Asagi — a blue-grey koi with a single row of large mirror scales along its back instead of full scaling, with red (hi) or yellow (ki) markings along its sides. It was the first Doitsu koi variety ever bred, created in the early 1900s by crossing
Shusui Koi: The Complete Guide to History, Types & Care Read More »
Quick Answer Asagi is one of the oldest koi varieties, with a net-like pattern of pale-edged blue scales across its back and red (motoaka) at the fins, cheeks, and belly. It’s considered a direct descendant of the Asagi Magoi — the wild black carp regarded as the ancestor of all modern ornamental koi — with
Asagi Koi: The Complete Guide to History, Varieties & Care Read More »
Quick Answer Ki Utsuri is the oldest and rarest of the three Utsurimono koi varieties, pairing a deep black (sumi) base with bright yellow (ki) markings. It was the first Utsuri type developed, but its yellow pigment is notoriously hard to breed consistently — which is why it’s rarer today than the later Hi Utsuri
Ki Utsuri Koi: The Complete Guide to the Rarest Utsuri Read More »
Quick Answer Hi Utsuri is a Japanese koi variety with a jet-black (sumi) base overlaid with bold red (hi) markings. It’s part of the Utsurimono family alongside Shiro Utsuri (white) and Ki Utsuri (yellow), and is prized for sharp kiwa (the edge where red meets black) and clean, unbroken sumi that wraps the body rather
Hi Utsuri Koi: The Complete Guide to Kiwa, Care & Price Read More »
Introduction Quick answer: A Shiro Utsuri is a black-bodied koi overlaid with bold white markings (shiroji), part of the Utsurimono group alongside Hi Utsuri and Ki Utsuri. It’s most often confused with the Shiro Bekko, a different fish worth checking for before you buy — the difference comes down to whether the black reaches the
Shiro Utsuri Koi: Identification, Buying & Care Guide Read More »
Quick answer: Breed guppy fish by keeping one male to every 2–3 females in a mature, planted tank at 24–28°C (75–82°F) and pH 7.0–8.0. Watch the female’s belly for a dark “gravid spot” near her vent — that means she’s due to give birth within a few days. Move her to a breeding trap or
How to Breed Guppy Fish: A Step-by-Step Guide (With Real Cost Data) Read More »
Quick answer: As a general rule, allow 250 gallons of pond water per adult koi (koi grow to 18–24+ inches). For young koi under 6 inches, a safer starting point is 10 gallons per inch of fish — but you’ll need to re-stock down as they grow, since a 4-inch koi you buy today can
Koi Stocking Density: How Many Koi Per Gallon? (Free Calculator) Read More »
Quick Answer Kohaku is a koi variety with a white body (Shiroji) and red markings (Hi), and it’s the founding member of the “Gosanke” — the three most prized koi varieties alongside Sanke and Showa. Quality is judged on the whiteness of the skin, the depth and evenness of the red, sharp clean edges between
Kohaku Koi: History, Judging Terms & Every Pattern Type Explained Read More »
Quick Answer Koi pond maintenance breaks down into four cadences: daily (remove debris, check fish behavior), weekly (test pH/ammonia/nitrite, clean skimmer basket), monthly (deep-clean filter media, inspect equipment), and seasonal (spring startup, fall shutdown prep). Feeding and testing frequency should also shift with water temperature — stop feeding below 50°F, switch to wheat-germ food between
Koi Pond Maintenance Schedule: Daily, Weekly, Monthly & Seasonal Checklist Read More »
Quick Answer The best koi pond plants fall into four categories: submerged/oxygenating (hornwort, eelgrass), floating (water hyacinth, water lettuce, water lily), marginal (scouring rush, water smartweed), and bog plants for the pond’s damp edges. Koi will nibble roots and leaves on some species (hyacinth, lily, lettuce) but generally avoid others (lotus, horsetail, eelgrass). A balanced
Best Plants for Koi Ponds: 7 Species by Category (+ What Koi Won’t Eat) Read More »