How to judge the quality of a Tancho Showa koi? Master these key points for identification

The Tancho Showa koi refers to a fish whose body markings are composed of the three true colors red, white and black. Black serves as the base pattern, white markings are distributed over all parts of the body and may extend over the head. As for the red, the whole body has only this one spot, unblurred, with no muddy areas, a pure bright red sitting right on top of the koi's head.

Inkoi varieties, only the Tancho Showa has that single spot of red that may exist only on top of the head; it is not allowed anywhere else. Only a combination of colors like this can be called "Tancho Showa".

1. First look at the distance between its eyes. Whether the distance between the two eyes is wide enough; koi whose eyes are set relatively far apart usually grow to a relatively large size. Then look from the base of the pectoral fins all the way to the tip of the snout, that is, whether the length of the head is long enough. Next, see whether the distance between the eyes and the mouth is too short; if this part is too short it will form a triangular head, which is very undesirable.

2. The mouth should be a little thick; for a thin-mouthedkoiit is very difficult to raise it into a large fish.

4. Pectoral fins that are too small, too pointed or triangular do not count as good. The body shape from the pectoral fins to the caudal peduncle must be very smooth, with no sudden bulges or depressions.

5. The caudal peduncle should be thick and strong; from the caudal peduncle one can also tell whether a fish's build and development are good.

6. When viewed from above, besides having an appropriate width, the fish body must also have an appropriate side height, and the highest point should be a little in front of the dorsal fin. If the highest point of the side height is in the middle of the dorsal fin, making it look humpbacked, it is unqualified.