Doitsu Koi - By: David Maguire

Doitsu Koi is commonly considered as a German-scaled carp, not because it can only be found in Germany but because of its origins. This is a type of nishikigoi (koi fish) that is crossbred between a Japanese carp and a black carp that is often imported from Germany. They differ from the common Japanese koi in its scale arrangements.

This arrangement of scales can only be found along the lateral line of the body which is characterized by enlarged scales running on both sides of the dorsal fin. These German carps that have lines of enlarged scales at the back and also along the lateral lines, are called Kagami-goi or "mirror carp". Alternately, those fish with no scales or have only one line of enlarged scales on both sides of the base of the dorsal fin are called Kawas-goi or "leather carp". A few variations of the Doitsu have been given their own names like Shusui and Kumonryu.

Shusui is a Japanese term for "Autumn Water". It is a crossbread between a Japanese Asagi and a Doitsu Koi. Since this fish has no scale except for a solitary line of large scales located dorsally from head to tail, this type can be considered as a Kawas-goi or a leather carp. Color distribution for this type of koi includes a smooth sky-blue to gray color pattern above the lateral line and a red (sometimes orange, and on rare occasions very bright yellow) color pattern just below the lateral line and on the cheeks. Unfortunately, these patterns are not as refined compared to other koi types and can sometimes appear messy and lack symmetry. Many sub classifications are under this type of German carp, depending on the color variation and pattern. A good example is Hana Shusui ('hana' meaning flower) which has more hi (red) than normal and is sometimes laid out in a wavy pattern that gives off an effect that of a flower.

Kumonryu is a type of German koi that is considered to be one of the strangest types of koi seen. It is mainly characterized by a jet black color pattern that greatly resembles billowing black clouds over a striking white background. This cloud pattern is highly unstable because it disappears when there is a change in water temperature and often reappears with a completely different pattern. Its name was originated from a legend that tells of a dragon (ryu in Japanese) that can transform into a cloud, racing through the sky.

Many of these German-scaled fish are becoming increasingly popular among the koi enthusiasts. It is common for them to have the thick German scales all over the width and height of their body that can sometimes appear as if they are wearing a suit of armor.

Because of continuous breeding, there is now a version of Doitsu koi of almost all the varieties of these carps. Some of the popularly known are doitsu sanke, doitsu kohaku, and doitsu hariwake. By crossbreeding these German-scaled koi with the traditional Nishikigoi (Japanese carps), it has increased the variety of this type of Koi fish available.

About the Author

Information about different varities of doitsu koi plus, their colors and patterns. For more information, visit us at http://www.koicolors.net

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