Black Koi Information

It is well known that Koi fish come in a large variety of colors and patterns. Black Koi are set apart from other Koi varieties because of their coloring and not much else. Koi fish can live for a very long life time even living as long as two hundred years but, normally live for about twenty-five to thirty-five years of age.

They are regularly seen in outdoor ponds all over the world. Koi males can be easily recognized by their concave anal section. They may also display breeding spots on the head. Spawning can result in up to 1,000 eggs being produced. Baby Koi known as fry will begin emerging in around four to seven days, depending on the temperature of the water. Amazingly their distinctive color doesn't emerge until the fry are between three and twelve weeks old.

When the Japanese started breeding these magnificent fish from carp mutations, they were only found in one or two colors. With intensive breeding throughout the years came more color varieties and combinations of patterns.

Black Koi can grow to be about thirty-six inches in length. Like all Koi fish because of their size, black Koi need to be kept in large ponds. The Magoi Koi species is one of the first all-black mutations and can grow to very large sizes. They are actually a deep bronze but they look black when viewed from above. Because of their potential in size, Magoi blood is being introduced into other species to hasten and maximize growth potential.

One Species of black Koi fish is the "Karasu", meaning "crow" in Japanese. The Karasu is another extremely old species. It has black fins and a black body. This species sometimes has a white or orange belly.

Koi have a tendency to change color due to the effects of their environment or due to their diet. These color changes typically entail the fish going from a duller or brighter shade of color. The Matsukawabake Koi species takes the ability to change color. It is a black Koi that typically has areas or white on its body. Depending on the temperature of the water or the time of year the color of this Koi fish can change completely. This Koi can turn completely black or completely white. But, amazingly the Koi will return to its original pattern once the conditions change.

First appearing in the 1980"s, the Kumonryu is the most popular of the black Koi species. The name means "dragon fish". The Kumonryu received its name because some people likened them to the bodies of the dragons depicted in ancient paintings. Some also thought that these fish looked like dragons ascending through the white clouds in the sky. Like the Matsukawabake, these Koi can also change their color.
One of the characteristics that attract pond owners to the Koi is the large variety of colors that they come in. An even more attractive notion is that of having the ability to own a fish that will literally be able to change color before your eyes like some of the black Koi species can.