I'm setting up a couple of ponds for Koi, and obviously thinking of breeding, but I have a couple of questions.




1.) Do Koi breed true to their colour - for example, Platinum Ogon X Platinum Ogon (coming themselves from PO x PO) produce 100% Platinum Ogon or there can be variations?

2.) Are butterflies (long finned Koi) seen as inferior fish?

3.) Koi are known to change in colour...at what size/age can one safely assume there won't be changes?

Hey Malti

You have asked some difficult questions.

Butterfly Koi are like Red Parrot cichlids - you either love or loath them.

There will be variations in Koi spawnings.

Changes in Koi colour are hard to predict. Some will change at an early and others a late stage in their lives.

Dr. David Ford wrote an excellent article on Koi for Aquarium Gazette Issue 6.

Regards David

generally when koi breed they will produce like offspring

but how you cull these fish is the secret to success as you will have thousands of fry

butterfly koi are the long finned variety and to hardened koi enthusiasts are

in the uk are not really accepted as they have been genetically modified to

obtain the long fins but in the usa for example are widely accepted and have

classes set for them in shows

as david said in his post colours are hard to predict and a fish may finish early or late

and a set time cannot be placed

example i had a momotaro shiro and it took six years for the sumi (black) to fully show through at

the other end of this i had a stunning showa which took baby champion at a show and before it

was three years old the hi (red) had completely faded and the fish was useless for showing

purposes

water hardness can have an effect on colour also

hope this sheds a little more light on the subject