Top Ten Precious Species of Koi

Koi, a beautiful ornamental fish, is actually a variant of carp. It originated in Japan and has now become a high-end ornamental fish that is popular all over the world. There are many types of koi, which can be roughly divided into 13 categories according to domestic and international standards, with about one hundred different varieties. Among these many types of koi, which one are you most familiar with? Let's take stock of the top ten precious koi, including red and white koi, Taisho three-color koi, red-crowned koi, Showa three-color koi, golden koi, dragon and phoenix koi, etc. Through this ranking list, let us take a deeper look at these fascinating koi species.

1. Red and white koi

As we all know, red and white koi can be said to be the representative of koi. There is a saying that "koi begins with red and white and ends with red and white", which shows how much people cherish red and white koi. For beginners, red and white koi may be one of the best choices, but as the understanding of koi gradually deepens, many people will eventually prefer this type. The standard requirements for red and white koi are that the base color should be pure white, preferably without other colors, and the red part should be as bright as possible.

2. Taisho Sansho Koi

Taisho Sansho Koi is also one of the most expensive koi in history. This koi is a special type with red, white and black stripes. It was named Taisho Sansho because it was born in the Taisho period. Its body is covered with a white base color, dotted with red and black stripes. It is worth noting that its head has only red spots and no black spots, while its pectoral fins are covered with black stripes. High-quality Taisho Sansho Koi needs to have red, white and black colors, and have shiny blue-based ink spots, which complement the white spots distributed in areas such as the shoulders.

3. Red-crowned Koi

Red-crowned Koi is a treasure among koi, and can be identified at a glance no matter in the school of fish. It is covered with snow-white, with a round spot like a red tassel in the middle of its head. When swimming, it is like a white dragon turning over the river, and when still, it is like Danyang lying on the water. This kind of koi always becomes the focus of people's attention, noble and gorgeous, full of aristocratic atmosphere.

Among the many types of koi, the red-crowned Koi is known as the most popular one among officials, also known as "official carp", which symbolizes the smooth and prosperous officialdom. Therefore, the red-crowned Koi also has the reputation of "good luck".

4. Dragon and Phoenix Koi

Dragon and Phoenix Koi is a unique species of Japanese Koi bred in Taiwan. Its uniqueness lies in the shape design of the dragon head and phoenix tail. The fish whiskers are slender and upright, like a mighty dragon, and the mouth and nose are decorated with lively patterns. When it swims, the pectoral fins dance like long sleeves, like a fairy bird and a phoenix dancing; the tail fin is elegant and agile, like a dragon swinging its tail, and like a colorful phoenix dancing, showing a beautiful posture. Dragon and Phoenix Koi symbolizes the meaning of dragon and phoenix, good luck and good fortune. They have distinct personalities and excellent memory. Long-term interaction and tacit understanding can be established with the owner. It is precisely because of these characteristics that Dragon and Phoenix Koi have been loved and sought after by more and more fish lovers in recent years.

5. Hikari Koi

Hikari Koi, also known as Hikari Koi, is a type of Koi bred from Hikari Koi and Golden Koi. Its body exudes a dazzling metallic luster, and its body is covered with large patches of spots, which is unique and charming. Hikari Koi can be divided into two categories: Golden Showa Koi and Golden Showa Koi. The former is produced by hybridizing Showa Sanse Koi and Golden Koi, with a distinct golden element, while there is also Silver Showa Koi, whose body color is white and silver. The latter is bred from Yellow Koi and Golden Koi. Hikari Koi has attracted much attention for its outstanding appearance and is widely sought after by many fish lovers.

6. Showa Three-color Koi

The Showa Three-color Koi that appeared in the Showa era in Japan is divided into two types: traditional Showa and modern Showa. The traditional Showa type has fewer white areas, while the modern Showa type has relatively more. This type of Koi is covered with a large number of red patches, the red is even and full, the edges of the patches are clear, and the richer the red, the better the quality; the white part requires pure white throughout the body, and high-quality Showa Three-color Koi should have white patches on the head and tail.

Excellent Showa Three-color Koi should have face-cut ink spots on the head, and triangular or lightning-shaped ink patterns on the body. These ink patterns should be thick and extend to the abdomen. The pectoral fins should have a certain amount of black, not all white or all black, and there should be no red patches. This is one of the important criteria for measuring quality.

7. Pine Leaf Koi

Pine Leaf Koi is a species of koi with a long history. Their appearance is both beautiful and contains profound meanings. These koi are covered with black spots. If white spots appear on red scales, they are called white pine leaf koi; if there are black spots on red scales, they are called pine leaf koi.

8. Autumn Green Koi

Autumn Green Koi is a species bred from light yellow and German apple carp, and has a unique style. Its head is clear light blue without any spots, and its back is dark blue, just like a clear sky. The nose, gills, abdomen and fins are dotted with red spots, which are like icing on the cake, adding highlights to the overall appearance. Some of the more well-known species of Autumn Green Koi include Flower Autumn Green and Red Autumn Green, both of which show unique beauty and charm.

9. Golden Koi

This koi has a golden appearance, and its neat scales shine like gold in the sun, symbolizing prosperity and wealth. When selecting this golden koi, the fish back is straight, the swimming posture is steady and dignified, the two ends of the body are full and not concave, and the fins are symmetrical and complete. In terms of color, the biggest feature of the golden koi is its golden hue. It is more ornamental to select individuals with brighter and more colorful colors. Due to its magnificent appearance and the attraction of golden color, the golden koi is favored by many fish lovers.

10. Yili

Yili is a species bred from red and white or three-color koi and light yellow koi. It is named "Yili" because a faint blue can be seen under its red markings, as if it is wearing a thin gauze. Yili is relatively easy to identify. You only need to observe whether the scales under the red markings are blue or darker to confirm that it is Yili. It is precisely because of this classical beauty, as if wearing a light gauze, that many fish lovers are attracted by the beautiful appearance of Yili.

The ranking of the top ten koi species is mainly based on the living habits, distribution range, ornamental value, preciousness, popularity and other related information of koi. The list is for reference only. If you have any questions, please comment/communicate at the end.

animal tags： koi