Butterfly Koi Grade A

Butterfly Koi Grade A

Butterfly Koi have distinctive long flowing fins. They come in a variety of colors and patterns usually of white, yellow, orange or some combination of these colors. Koi are hardy fish that have been referred to as "living jewels". Koi thrive in large outdoor ponds with a good filtration system to ensure proper water quality. Koi can be distinguished in thirteen classifications with different types within those classifications. These classifications are all Japanese Terms.

Koi Classifications

• Kohaku - White with red markings, the most common classification
• Taisho Sanke - White body with red and black markings, also known as Sanke
• Showa - Black body with red and white markings
• Bekko - White, yellow, orange, or red body with black markings
• Utsurimono - Black body with red, yellow, orange, or white markings
• Asagi - Bluish grey koi with red on its fins and sides
• Shusui - A nearly scaleless koi with bluish grey scales only on its lateral lines and dorsal lines, as well as red on its sides and fins
• Koromo - Literally means "robed" where the body is white, with red spots outlined in blue, black or purple
• Kawarimono - All non-metallic koi fall into this classification where coloration varies
• Hikarimono - Single solid colored metallic koi in a variety of colors
• Hikari - Utsurimono - Metallic Showa and Utsurimono
• Hikarimoyo - Mono - Metallic koi with more than one color, but don't fall into Utsurimono or Showa
• Tancho - Koi with a Red Patch on its head, named after the National Bird of Japan, the Tancho Crane, also known as the Red-Crowned Crane, Grus japonensis
• Kinginrin - Literally means "Golden Silvery Scales" which is referring to the sparkly scales. All koi have kinginrin scales, but must have twenty or more individual scales to be classified as Kinginrin