The most critical question for every aspiring fish owner and Koi keeper is to know how to choose the best specimens for their pet pond. Koi, being a beautiful species, is one of the most popular fish chosen by amateur and experienced fish lovers, for breeding purposes or to keep as pets.

While choosing the ideal specimens for your pond, it is important to carefully consider a few important species features, which outline a Koi as being a good specimen of their breed, and an ideal choice for a pet.

Following are some fish traits which can be carefully observed to make the right choice while selecting a Koi.

Body Height

The best way to determine the size potential of a Koi is to observe if the specimen has a strong and good curve at the back. It is also a great indication to establish the specific kind of body shape that a Koi will develop as it grows.   

Head

The head of a good Koi specimen is long and broad, accompanied with a wide mouth. The eyes should be set a good distance from each other and must not be present close to the mouth of the Koi. Koi which have short or narrow heads, with eyes that are present too close to the mouth, are not a good choice, as they rarely grow up to a good size.

Gills

It is important to note that the gill covers are in line with the smooth line of the head shape. If the gills flare outwards before the body, the Koi is not an ideal specimen to choose as a pet.

Tail  

To assess if the Koi has the potential to grow up into a strong and healthy Jumbo Koi, the distance between the ends of the dorsal fin up to the root of the tail should be carefully observed. A thick tail presents the possibility that the Koi will grow up to be a Jumbo Koi, and also gives the species a powerful look.

Quality and Pattern

It is very important to determine the quality of your chosen Koi by evaluating the shine of the skin and the color of the specimen. A pleasing pattern is one of the most common reasons for choosing a specimen, a fact which every enthusiastic pet owner should remember to pair up with a good quality specimen.

Choose a high quality and healthy specimen for your pet.