Koi carp, otherwise called brocade carp, refers to the decorative variety of the common carp. More than 2500 years ago, these fish were brought to China from the territories located near the Caspian Sea. The first mentions of carp in Japan can be found in the XIV-XV centuries A. D. e. It is assumed that the carp was introduced to Japan by immigrants from China. The Japanese nicknamed him "Magoi", which means "black carp". Later, Japanese peasants began to specially raise carp for human consumption. When some of the carp showed changes in color, they were not used as food, but were left to be kept at home. Gradually, such content of colored carp became a hobby. The owners specially crossed their fish to obtain more and more new color options. This hobby gradually became popular and spread throughout Japan. Today in many countries of the world there are clubs and associations of koi connoisseurs.
Koi can be considered a fish that has passed at least six selection selections. There are about eight dozen koi carp breeds, which are divided into 16 main groups:
- Utsurimono. Koi of this species have large black spots. Depending on the color of the pattern, koi of this type are divided into several types: Ki Utsuri, Shiro Utsuri, Hi Utsuri, in order: with yellow, white and red patterns.
- Showa Sanshoku. This type is characterized by the fact that it has a black color, with white and red spots.
- Taisho Sanshoku or sanke. This type was named after the Japanese emperor Taisho. It is a white carp with red and black spots.
- Kohaku - snow-white koi, which are covered with a red pattern. It is one of the most beautiful and sought-after koi species.
- Tancho. The main distinguishing feature of Tantho is a red spot on the head, which should be the only one. Ideally, it should be round.
- Asagi. The main color of this koi species is blue, which is located above the lateral line of the fish. The blue area is surrounded by scales that should line up in straight lines.
- Bekko - white carp with a black pattern applied.
- Fire. Determined by a single color without spots. Solid colors can be gray, white, red and orange.
- Kawarimono. Most of all, the koi carp species, since it includes koi that do not belong to any of the main species, as well as new koi species. This type differs in that they all do not have a metallic luster.
- Hikari-moyomono - metal-colored carps, this is a hybrid obtained by crossing utsuri and ogon. The main color of this type is white, but we can say that the scales are colored red and black at once.
- Kinginrin - koi, whose backs are distinguished by the luster of gold (ginrin) or silver (kinrin) scales.
- Shusui - koi, in which the back is decorated with large bluish scales, and the sides are covered with orange spots.
- Gosiki are black koi with spots of red, brown, white and blue.
- Doitsu-goi are a type of colored carp without scales, or with very few scales.
- Kumonryu. This is a black hairless carp with white spots on the body, head, belly. There is also beni kumonryu, which has red instead of black.
