

These fish became known as Nishikigoi, which can mean affection or love.

It was during this time that Japanese farmers using these fish as a food source began to notice changes in color from careful cross-breeding.Įventually, Japanese farmers began to selectively breed these ornamental fish for their best colorations and patterns. However, it wasn’t until the 1800’s that mutations started appearing in Niigata, Japan. In order to understand how we ended up with so many variations today, we need to go back several centuries.ĭuring the Heian period (794-1185) in Japan, it is known that the progenitors of koi fish were already being kept by members of the upper class and nobles these fish were actually wild carp fish, sometimes referred to as Magoi, which had migrated or been introduced to Japan from China a few hundred years earlier. Though Japanese koi fish might seem like an ancient species, these beautiful fish only started to be developed during the 1800’s.
#Blue koi fish how to#
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the history of koi fish, how to take care of koi fish, and the types of koi that you are most likely to find available at your local fish stores! The History of Koi Fish The art of keeping and breeding koi fish is a century-old tradition that has resulted in some of the most beautiful and expensive fish in the aquarium hobby.Īs a result, there are over 100 different types of koi fish that each have their own patterns and stories of origination.
