01 May 2014
In Love with Koi
The koi has long been regarded as an auspicious symbol in Chinese history: as a congratulatory gesture to Confucius for his newborn son, Duke Zhao of Lu gifted Confucius with a koi; and the koi was celebrated throughout the Tang and Song dynasties in the works of famed poets the likes of Bai Ju-yi and Zhang Jiu-ling. Cheng Kwok-kwai, President of Hong Kong Koi Club and breeder of a three-time koi champion at the Hong Kong Koi Competition between 2006 and 2008, shares with us the know-how and fun of keeping the koi.
The origin of the koi remains debatable – some say it's from Persia, Central Asia, while some claim it's from China. Even to this day, the origin of koi is yet to be validated. "The domestication of koi began in Japan. Initially a common carp, the koi is the result of extensive hybridisation since the fish was imported to Japan in the 17th century. Generation after generation, the Japanese people would breed koi with unique colouration and patterns, and by the 19th century, the Japanese people began to distinguish koi varieties by colouration, patterning and scalation, and they celebrate the koi as a 'living ornamental gem in the water'."
Defining the Aesthetics of Koi
"The Japanese' transformation of an ordinary carp into a domesticated living gem owed much to their 50 to 100 years of history in koi propagation. By continuously breeding the great koi varieties, the resultant koi would gravitate from the common carp to the premium koi varieties. It's not surprise then that Japan is home to the most premium koi," said Cheng. "And naturally enough, since Japan won't sell its premium koi to other countries, the rest of the world can only breed koi varieties that are a notch below those in Japan."
As defined by the Zen Nippon Airinkai, koi can be categorised into 16 varieties, with the Gosanke being the most notable and shoo-in variety at competitions. Incidentally, the Gosanke comprises of the Kohaku (red and white), Taisho Sanshoku (red, black and white, with small black markings on the dorsal of the fish), and Showa Sanshoku (red, black and white, with black markings scattering all the way to the head and bottom part). "Kohaku tends to win the most prizes at competitions, because judges are inclined to be stricter with the sense of aesthetics for koi with three colours or more," said Cheng, who added that Goshiki (five colours) has been the latest addition to the existing koi varieties. "Goshiki is developed on the basis of Kohaku, except that the edge of the scales feature a hint of black, blue or purple. While the dark colour tone may easily be mistaken as stains, this koi variety has become a welcoming challenge for its enthusiasts in pursuit of the fish's aesthetics."
Speaking of aesthetics, the shape and size of the koi are also among the determining factors. "The body of an exquisite koi is typically plump and streamlined, with a strong caudal fin that propels the fish forward with just a light flick. For a koi to stand to win the grand champion in Japan, it needs to be over 90cm in length."
The Pursuit of the Koi Dream
Like the common carp, koi is a hardy fish. The challenge in caring for a koi lies in accentuating its colour, shape and form over time. "To maintain a premium koi is both the fun and challenge of koi-keeping, and such is the dream of every koi enthusiast," said Cheng.
Koi-keeping is a hobby that fascinates enthusiasts all over the world, with koi specialists in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Meanwhile, breeding techniques are relatively sophisticated in England, Germany, Belgium, South Africa and the Netherlands.
"Every year, the All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association, Zen Nippon Airinkai, and the Zen Nihon Rinyuukai co-host three large-scale competitions, with American and British koi enthusiasts among the grand champions. While the koi of these western enthusiasts were bought and bred in Japan, the fact that these enthusiasts would spend a fortune on an award-winning koi suffices to prove westerners' passion and love for koi." Incidentally, Hong Kong also produces some fairly high-quality koi as well – a Hong Kong-born Showa Sanshoku has just won the grand champion in a competition held in Japan this spring.
Easy Koi Care
Caring for koi is not much work, but there are still certain keys to bear in mind: koi doesn't fare well in overly cold climes, for instance. "The weather in Hong Kong and the Guangdong province (an average of 25oC to 28oC) is favourable for the growth of koi; on the other hand, koi is often kept in a temperature-controlled room in winter in Japan, as otherwise the cold weather would hinder the fish's growth and increase the operation cost. In addition, koi tends to exhibit decreased appetite and exercises in cold weather, so refrain from overfeeding, which could cause digestive problems." If there is this one biggest challenge in keeping a premium koi, it is the water quality. "Water quality is vital. The koi needs to be kept in unpolluted water, with a pH value between 7.1 and 7.2, as overly acidic water will cause discolouring of the scale, while overly alkaline water will lead to lacklustre colouration. Be sure to only grow a moderate amount of algae in the water, as otherwise the fish could become obese and the algae may adversely affect the appreciation of the fish. In the right type of water, the koi will exhibit a strong appetite and liveliness – that way, the koi will stay healthy and grow muscle, instead of accumulating fat."
In terms of equipment, Cheng thinks a fish tank equipped with a filter and gas pump should suffice, although a bigger fish pond may be necessary for professional breeders. "Feed selection is relatively simple – the more expensive the feed, the better quality it is," said Cheng. "The reason is simple: the more expensive feeds use cod fish powder, while cheaper ones use mixed fish powder. But either one works if your koi is not bred for competition."
Koi-keeping as a Hobby
According to Cheng, the small living spaces of Hong Kong make koi-keeping a suitable hobby. Everything from the technique research and impeccable care that enable the healthy growth of the koi, to the development of beautiful colours and patterns gives the owner a great sense of satisfaction. And just looking at the fish swimming in a carefree manner gives you peace of mind too, even if koi-keeping is just a hobby. "In recent years, more and more koi owners are nearing their retirement years, and we as koi enthusiasts would have regular gatherings to exchange ideas on koi-keeping. These gatherings are not just a wonderful pastime but they also enrich our social life," said Cheng, who added that this previously male-dominant hobby has lately seen increased female participation. "The koi of one of our female members has even won the grand runner-up at the 28th Hong Kong Koi Show held earlier!"
When asked about where best to buy koi, Cheng said: "There's a big fish farm in Kam Tsin Village, Sheung Shui, whose koi is imported from Japan and open to the public for appreciation and purchase. The price of the koi starts from HKD20 to HKD30, but beginners to koi-keeping looking for better koi varieties may go for those at HKD200 to HKD300. A koi can be as expensive as JPY30 million (over HKD2 million), like the national grand champion in Japan, and a local award-winning koi can cost between HKD400,000 and HKD500,000. The competition-orientated premium koi all come with a birth certificate with information on the specific Japanese breeding farm where they are born, date of birth, and the fish's mothers."
Like Japan, Hong Kong now hosts three competitions – January, July, October to November – at the Kowloon Park every year. The upcoming competition in July is one for young koi, and participating koi needs to be under 65cm in length; the homegrown competition in October to November, meanwhile, is only open to koi bred in Hong Kong and China. In addition, various Asian nations will take turns in organising the Asia Cup Koi Competition, which will be held in Thailand this year, Indonesia next year, and Hong Kong in 2016.
For beginners to koi-keeping, Cheng recommends learning more about the fish online, not least by visiting the websites of koi associations in different countries. You may even read magazines on koi, or join koi enthusiasts' clubs to explore koi-keeping with likeminded individuals!
Special Thanks:
Cheng Kwok-kwai, President of Hong Kong Koi Club
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