Koi Varieties

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A Koromo with a white Koi with red patterns with the edge of each red scale tinged with black or blue

A red Koi with black markings (aka is red body colour). See Bekko.

A red Kawarimono with black centres to its scales, creating a pine cone effect.

A red Kawarimono

These are a non-metallic Koi blue-grey in colour, with a deep orange or red colour along the sides and belly and in the fins. The scales upon the back are edged in a darker grey or blueish giving a highlight to each individual scale. The light blue head should be clear and unblemished. The Asagi is one of the oldest varieties of Nishikigoi and has provided the basis for many subsequent varieties.

Bekko are a non-metallic white, red or yellow Koi with black markings. There are three types of Bekko; the Aka Bekko, the Shiro Bekko, and the Ki Bekko. The Bekko has a simple stepping stone pattern of black running down it’s back set against a red, white or yellow background.

A deep red Kawarimono.

A Koromo white Koi with Sumigoromo appearance. They have black overlaying the red giving a purple/maroon colour. The edge of the pattern can resemble a bunch of grapes.

Rainbow Koi annual Gala weekend and Grow-on competition. July 28th & 29th 2007. £160 for two Koi of excellent quality. Big prizes for Class winners and The Grand Champion! For more details contact Geoff or Spencer at Rainbow Koi.

Rainbow Koi annual Gala weekend and Grow-on competition. July 25th & 26th 2009. £160 for two Koi of excellent quality. Big prizes for Class winners and The Grand Champion! For more details contact Geoff or Spencer at Rainbow Koi.

Rainbow Koi annual Gala weekend and Grow-on competition. July 25th & 26th 2009. £160 for two Koi of excellent quality. Big prizes for Class winners and The Grand Champion! For more details contact Geoff or Spencer at Rainbow Koi.

A white, red, black, blue and dark blue Kawarimono, giving a purplish appearance.

A black Kawarimono with white tips to its fins and white head and nose.

A black Kawarimono with white tips to its tail and pectoral fins.

A predominantly red Showa.

A black Koi with red markings.

Has a continuous red marking from the head to the tail, but with variation (inazuma means ’lightning strike’).

A black Kawarimono with white or orange belly.

Kawarimono accomodates all non-metallic Koi that do not fall into the Asagi, Bekko or Hi Utsuri groups: Karasugoi, Hajiro, Hageshiro, Kumonryu, Aka Matsuba, Ki Matsuba, Shiro Matsuba, Goshiki, Kigoi, Chagoi, Soragoi, Midorigoi, Benigoi, Shiro Muji, Aka Muji, Ochiba Shigure.

A yellow Koi with black markings (rare variety). See Bekko.

A yellow Kawarimono with black centres to its scales, creating a pine cone effect.

A black Koi with yellow markings (rare variety).

A yellow Kawarimono.

A predominantly white pattern.

A white Koi with red (hi) markings on its back. This has been considered the most common variety of Koi, and has been said that Koi keeping begins and ends with the Kohaku. Kohaku’s red should be deep red with well defined edges (kiwa) where it meets the white, which should be a pure and bright white.

Koromo literally means ’robed’. This describes the red pattern, outlined in a darker colour, which varies with the variety. These Koi were developed by interbreeding Kohaku and Asagi.

A doitsu Koi which is black with white markings on its head, fins and body.

A Taisho Sanke with a separate red spot on the head with normal markings on the body.

Scaled Kumonryu.

A green Kawarimono.

Has two red markings (nidan means ’2’).

A blue-grey Kawarimono with a brown pattern.

Has three red markings (sandan means ’3’).

Known simply as Sanke or Sanshoku, is a 3 coloured Koi with red and black on a white background. In the early 1900’s, this new variety of Koi was created by the addition of black markings to the basic Kohaku patterns of red and white

A white Koi with black markings. See Bekko.

A white Kawarimono.

Known as Showa, this is a 3 coloured Koi with red and white markings on a black background or base. The Showa, created around the 1930’s, features white and red markings against a jet black base. The black is the basis for appreciation of this variety, forming a strong background against which the white and red markings interweave in interesting patterns. Showa that have comparatively more white than black are called Kindai (modern) Showa.

The Shusui is the same as the Asagi except it has German (or Doitsu) scales along dorsal and lateral lines only. They are blue-grey with dark blue scales along the dorsal and lateral lines and red on the sides and fins.

A blue-grey Kawarimono.

A Koromo with a white Koi with a black-ish pattern, the edge of each black-ish scale tinged with red.

Known simply as Sanke or Sanshoku, is a 3 coloured Koi with red and black on a white background. In the early 1900’s, this new variety of Koi was created by the addition of black markings to the basic Kohaku patterns of red and white

A white Koi with a red spot on the top of its head, and no red on its body.

A Taisho Sanke with a red spot on the head and a white body with black markings.

A Showa with a red spot on its head and no red on its body.

These are a non-metallic Koi often confused with Bekko but are mostly black with white, red or yellow markings. Utsurimono literally translates as “reflections” or “reflecting ones”. This category is made up of three different colour varieties. All three colour variations are accentuated by a black base which emerges from under the white, red or yellow field to create a pattern that suggests the “reflection” of colour on a black background.

Has four red markings (yondan means ’4’).