My koi

Update on the Shiro Utsuri Koi

Posted by lorivertin on

The shiro utsuri koi continue to be interesting. I did lose three this winter to illness which was disappointing. From my small sample the bottom line is that little tosai koi can change an awful lot as they grow. Picking a shiro koi at 6 inches is like purchasing a lottery ticket. Of course, buying a larger koi is no assurance that it’s going to keep its looks as it grows. You can look for the sumi under the skin and do some imagining but the koi experts will say, 5 – 7 years for a shiro utsuri to finish in most cases. Going for a nice shape and beautiful skin is probably the best advice when purchasing a shiro utsuri. Here are some photos of how the koi are doing right now:

Lily is an omosako shiro utsuri growout koi at Koi Acres. Like many shiros, her sumi comes and goes. Much of the sumi we saw on her as she came out of the mud in October has now receded again. The large patch of sumi on her side appears to be getting darker. Her skin is a lovely white and she looks healthy at about 24 inches long.
Lily is an omosako shiro utsuri growout koi at Koi Acres. Like many shiros, her sumi comes and goes. Much of the sumi we saw on her as she came out of the mud in October has now receded again. The large patch of sumi on her side appears to be getting darker. Her skin is a lovely white and she looks healthy at about 24 inches long.
Miyu is my largest koi and she is probably around 26 inches now. She seems to be even tempered but will push other koi out of the way when she's hungry. Her sumi has lightened up and hopefully it will reverse this trend and come back in darker over the next to years.
Miyu is my largest koi and she is probably around 26 inches now. She seems to be even tempered but will push other koi out of the way when she’s hungry. Her sumi has lightened up and hopefully it will reverse this trend and come back in darker over the next to years.
Natsumi can be the bully in the pond and at around 24 inches, she usually gets her way. She has been putting on a lot more girth to her over the last six months. Her sumi pattern seems to remain fairly stable.
Natsumi can be the bully in the pond and at around 24 inches, she usually gets her way. She has been putting on a lot more girth to her over the last six months. Her sumi pattern seems to remain fairly stable.
Sumiko has been with me since July 2015. She continues to have steady growth and her sumi pattern does not change drastically. Sumiko is at least 20 inches right now.
Sumiko has been with me since July 2015. She continues to have steady growth and her sumi pattern does not change drastically. Sumiko is at least 20 inches right now.
Wild Bill was white all spring and summer and I have been curious what would happen to those two little marks on his head. Over the last two months, some sumi has been coming up on the body and the head.
Wild Bill was white all spring and summer and I have been curious what would happen to those two little marks on his head. Over the last two months, some sumi has been coming up on the body and the head.
Sundance Kid was all white most of the spring and summer. Sundance came into the winter pool with a little skin problem that healed nicely. Sumi has been coming up.
Sundance Kid was all white most of the spring and summer. Sundance came into the winter pool with a little skin problem that healed nicely. Sumi has been coming up.
Billy the Kid was a tosai last year and won Baby Champion in the 2016 UMKC Koi Show. He has now developed some sumi over his face.
Billy the Kid was a tosai last year and won Baby Champion in the 2016 UMKC Koi Show. He has now developed some sumi over his face.
Roxie was purchased at the MPKS show in Chicago in June 2016. While she looked pretty good, this summer she developed some latent hi spots. They have faded somewhat and I am hoping that as she grows the sumi will overtake and cover the spots. Crossing my fingers.
Roxie was purchased at the MPKS show in Chicago in June 2016. While she looked pretty good, this summer she developed some latent hi spots. They have faded somewhat and I am hoping that as she grows the sumi will overtake and cover the spots. Crossing my fingers.

These are the shiro utsuri koi that I lost over the summer and winter šŸ™

Super died of illness this January. The sumi on his head was always changing the 9 months that he was with us. When Super came out of the pond for winter quarters he had lost the sumi on top pf his head and was sporting a frito bandito mustache.
Super died of illness this January. The sumi on his head was always changing the 9 months that he was with us. When Super came out of the pond for winter quarters he had lost the sumi on top pf his head and was sporting a frito bandito mustache.
Disappointed about losing Black Jack to illness in January. I like the menware (broken mask or lightening pattern) on koi.
Disappointed about losing Black Jack to illness in January. I like the menware (broken mask or lightening pattern) on koi.
Butch Cassidy was always the nondescript one of the shiro utsuri tosai group and died this January of some illness. Kept pretty much the same pattern for 9 months.
Butch Cassidy was always the nondescript one of the shiro utsuri tosai group and died this January of some illness. Kept pretty much the same pattern for 9 months.
Jesse James was lost to a predator some time over the summer. I think sumi changes would have been interesting to watch on this one.
Jesse James was lost to a predator some time over the summer. I think sumi changes would have been interesting to watch on this one.
Belle Star lasted about two months in our pond before she got stuck in the skimmer and died.
Belle Star lasted about two months in our pond before she got stuck in the skimmer and died.