So disappointing to lose koi to illness. Another one of the koi (Athos, a 13-14 inch goshiki) was found quite dead at the bottom of the winter pool yesterday. It’s actually no fun to check the winter pool each morning because we’re wondering if we’ll find another sick koi.

Now that the crew is getting a bit smaller – a little retail therapy brings the promise that our spring ponds will be looking good. The bright red koi (an aka matsuba) and a bright yellow/black koi (gin ki utsuri) are doing well in 72 degree water out in California. Kevin Pham of Genkikoi posted a video of some lovely shiro utsuris that will ship from Japan in a few weeks. Picking out a shiro utsuri is quite a mystery. Small/young shiro utsuris may look kind of plain, kind of ugly and transform into beautiful (or not so beautiful) versions over 5 to 7 years. I picked out an 18 inch shiro utsuri that looks like it’s a bit lacking on sumi (the black). However, the dealer and breeder have specifically talked about the koi I purchased and feel the sumi is there and will come in over the next 2 – 3 years. It’s a different type of sumi, since it seems to develop on the surface versus coming up to the surface. I’ll have to wait and see on this concept. She is shaped nicely; has lovely soft, white skin and comes from the bloodline Panda Jr. I’ll have to do some research to find the right name for this koi. I have plenty of time since she won’t be out of quarantine and shipped to me until the end of March.

Here’s no-name 2016-02 Shiro Utsuri