It is truly an art form to keep show level koi fish. The koi in this collection have been carefully and meticulously bred to have certain colors and patterns, and they are stunning examples of the skill and craftsmanship associated with traditional koi breeders.
These carefully designed and protected breeding techniques produce a truly exceptional show koi that can't be found anywhere else.
With its tri-color patterning and stunning, bold hues, Showa koi represents the craftsmanship and meticulous skill level of these three species.
Take a look at the criteria for awarding a Showa Koi Grand Champion and hear about a few of the koi that have recently been featured.
What is a Showa Koi
Koi fish of the Showa variety, one of the Big Three, are characterized by a set of attributes.
First bred around 1927, Showa koi did not become what we know today until over thirty years later, in 1965.
Using the currently known coloration, Tomiji Kobayashi discovered a unique characteristic of Showa:
Breeding them with other varieties of koi merely enhanced or changed the coloration rather than changing it altogether, giving rise to the most diverse variety of koi in the world.
Koi with showa markings are black as their base color and have red markings on their ground color.
You can tell them apart from the Sanke variety of the Big Three because the Sanke has a white base color and red and black accents.
It is important to ensure that the colors on a Showa are extremely vibrant with no yellowing of the white or brown showing through the black. The colors of a fish indicate its quality if they are solid and bold.
It is important for the markings on a Showa koi to be crisp and clear.
When white meets black or red, it should be defined and not blend in.
Black tints are usually seen under a kois' lateral line, while red hues are usually only visible on the head and back.
A high-quality, traditional Showa will have almost no white showing, and black and red will be proportional.
Showa Health and Care
Due to their vibrant colors, Showa koi are more likely to become prey for birds and other animals.
The less white their bodies have, the less prone they are to being attacked by predators, but you should clearly take precautions to ensure they do not become a meal for other animals.
Keeping https://www.grandkoi.com/shop/ is relatively simple and affordable, so let's examine some options.
You can guard your Showa against predatory animals by using a variety of methods.
Many people install nets over their ponds when they have a high incidence of birds, especially in more rural areas where there are fewer humans and machinery.
Some may also design their ponds with predators in mind, making the problem easier to solve.
In order to deter herons and other larger creatures from standing in your pond and making a meal of your fish, make some parts of the pond deep enough that larger animals cannot stand in them.
It is also a good idea to make the outer rim of your pond tall enough so that animals like raccoons and foxes can't get to the fish.
Additionally, you can plant heavily around the pond so that your koi have plenty of hiding places.
Showa koi see similar health care as other koi fish.
They tend to appear dull if they're not properly cared for due to the stark contrast between their hues and patterns.
Make sure your Showa has a diverse and balanced diet to prevent this.
Also, certain foods and supplements can enhance your koi's color and vibrancy.
A diet high in carotenoids can help your koi develop a more vibrant color, especially in their reds.
You need to be careful about overfeeding carotenoids, however, because it can cause yellowing in the white areas of the koi or a sickly green hue.
In most cases, this discoloration is temporary and can be reversed by stopping feeding color enhancers.
It is possible to get these carotenoids through commercial products or by including foods like spirulina, crayfish, and krill, along with other algae sources.
Supplement with aquatic beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin.
japanese koi fish should look for koi foods containing these ingredients if you want to increase the coloration of your fish.
Current High Ranking Showa
A lot of koi showcases have been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so fewer koi champions have been named.