ORIGINS OF KOI CARP

KOI is the Japanese word for Carp and Nishikigoi (brocaded Carp) are collected in many parts of the world and generally regarded as the most beautiful of ornamental pet fish. These are all descendants of the wild, black Carp known in Japan as Magoi.

Magoi were introduced to Japan for food farming purposes. In the region of Nigata the main population consisted of farmers, who produced rice and vegetables. In order to make use of all available land they would terrace the mountainsides into rice paddies which were irrigated by man made mud reservoirs sited above the paddies. The ponds filled naturally with rain and snow and were found to be ideal for growing Carp fry in the summer months. The farmers began grow carp in order to supplement their standard winter diet which tended to consist of rice and vegetables only.

The harsh winters in Nigata meant that the farmers and their families were virtual prisoners in their homes. The koi were important in order to add protein to their diet.

In the early days, the Carp fry were produced in early June and grown on until mid-October. At this time they would be around 10cms long. They were dried and salted prior to being stored and eaten during the winter months.

The breeding stock were housed in small ponds next to the house or in many instances, inside the house. This prevented losses caused by severe low temperatures. With out electricity, members of the family would disturb the water surface in order to add airation.

The farmers began to see irregular pigmentation in their food stocks, this started a hobby and farmers would experiment breeding the koi with different coloration and over time the the many Koi varieties we see today were developed.