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Koi Varieties

Koi are classed by pattern and color.
These are some terms to understand when reading the explanations of the types of Koi:
Ai - means Blue color
Aka - is red (as a base color over the body)
Beni - means orange-red (as a base color over the body)
Cha - means brown
Gin - silver (metallic)
Hi - means Red markings on the body of the koi
Karasu - black (as a base color. Literally means 'Crow'
Ki -yellow in color
Kin - gold (metallic) color
Midori - green in color
Nezu/Nezumi - means gray (literally 'mouse')
Orenji - orange in color
Shiro - means white
Sumi - black (markings on the body of the koi)
Yamabuki - yellow in color (literally, a Japonica bush with pale yellow flowers)
Doitsu - means a fish without scales or very few or scales in a pattern on the koi
Tancho - means a red spot or cap only on the head of the koi
Matsuba/Pinecone - means a darker color in the center of each scale giving a net like appearance to them

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Kohaku - Duel color Koi, White Koi with Red markings/pattern
All Kohaku, including Doitsu, excluding Tancho Kohaku & Kinginrin Kohaku

• Nidan - Two step Hi pattern
• Sandan - Three step Hi pattern
• Yondan - Four step Hi pattern
• Straight Hi - Single, continuous Hi pattern
• Maruten - Hi spot pattern on Head, shaped in various patterns, round being most desirable
• Menkaburi - A red pattern that spreads over the face
• Inazuma - Lightning strike Hi pattern running down the body
• Kuchibeni - Lipstick Hi pattern, koi appears to be wearing lipstick
• Hanatsuki - A Hi marking that reaches the mouth
• Doitsu Kohaku - Red and white koi in any pattern with doitsu scales

Taisho Sanshoku"Sanke"-Tri-Colored Koi, White body with red and black markings
All Sanke, including Doitsu, excluding Tancho Sanke & Kinginrin Sanke

• Nidan - Two step Hi pattern
• Menkaburi - A red pattern that spreads over the face
• Maruten - Crown Hi pattern, a single spot on top of the head
• Aka Sanke - Single, continuous heavy Hi pattern, extends from the nose to the tail
• Subo Sumi Sanke - Sumi only falls on the Shiro
• Doitsu Sanke - Various patterns as in all of the above except they have the Doitsu scalation

Showa Sanshoku "Showa"-Tri-Colored Koi, Black Koi with Red markings and White markings
All Showa, including Doitsu, excluding Tancho Showa & Kinginrin Showa

• Kindai Showa - Predominantly white pattern on the body
• Hi Showa - Predominantly red with straight Hi marking from nose to tail.
• Boke Showa - The sumi is blurred and distinct, more gray than black in appearance
• Maruten - Crown Hi pattern, a single spot on top of the head
• Doitsu Showa - Various patterns as in all of the above except they have the Doitsu scalation

Bekko - A Koi that is two colors, the base color being white

• Shiro Bekko - White Koi with black markings
• Aka Bekko - Red Koi with black markings
• Ki Bekko - Yellow Koi with black marking

Utsurimono - "Utsuri"A Koi that is two colors the base color being black

• Shiro Utsuri - Black Koi with White pattern
• Hi Utsuri - Black Koi with Red pattern
• Ki Utsuri - Black Koi with Yellow pattern

Asagi and Shusui

• Asagi - Blue or Blue/Gray Koi often with Red on belly and up to the lateral line, Scales edged in black giving a Netting pattern
• Shusui - Doitsu version of the Asagi "Autumn Water".
• Hi Shusui - Doitsu version of the Asagi. Hi spreads up from the belly and covers the back

Hana Shusui - Doitsu version of the Asagi. Known as the flowery Shusui, Hi markings between the abdomen and the lateral line and between the lateral and dorsal lines.

Koromo

• Ai Goromo - White Koi with red scales that have a blue semicircular border, gives the Koi a reticulated pattern
• Sumi Goromo - White Koi with Red markings that contain black overlay on them
• Budo Goromo - White Koi with red markings and a complete overlay of black on the red creating a purple coloration. Has been stated that it looks like a cluster of grapes
• Koromo Showa - Black, white and red koi with dark overlay on the red areas

Kawarimono- A category for many types of koi that do not fit into a specific one listed.  Also includes some  Doitsu.

• Aka Matsuba - A red Koi with black markings in the center of the scales, the red head does not have markings
• Ki Matsuba - A yellow based equivalent of the Aka Matsuba
• Benigoi (Aka Muji) - Benigoi is a deeper solid red color than the Aka Muji which is also red in color
• Chagoi - A single colored koi ranging in color from brown to tea to light brown or saffron color
• Kigoi - Bright Yellow Koi whose color should be of an even hue all over
• Akame Ki-goi - Same as Kigoi but with pink (albino) eyes
• Shiro Muji- Pure White  Koi
• Magoi - Black Koi
• Soragoi - Blue/Grey Koi of single color
• Ochibashigure - "Rain on Autumn Leaves", Blue-Grey Koi with a Mustard or brown Pattern
• Hajiro - Black Koi with White tips on the caudal and pectorals fins
• Aka Hajiro - Red Koi with White tips on the caudal and pectorals fins
• Hageshiro - Similar to the Hajiro Koi, but with White on the head and nose
• Kumonryu - "Dragon Fish" Doitsu White Koi with random Black patterns (Patterns are often unstable)
• Beni Kumonryu - Kumonryu with additional Red patterns
• Karasugoi - Black Koi with Red belly, it literally means Crow
• Midorigoi - Usually Doitsu, Green/yellow Koi with black or silvery scales often transparent looking, especially when young
• Kikokuryu - Metallic Kumonryu, comes in many colors from orange to red to silver and some black patterns
• Silver Kikokuryu -Metallic Kumonryu with predominantly silver color
• Beni Kikokuryu - Metallic Beni Kumonryu. Here are two other examples Beni Kikokuryu....Beni Kikokuryu
• Kin Kikokuryu - Metallic Kumonryu with Gold Pattern
• Ginga - "Galaxy" Shiny Black koi with some cream patterns
• Kanoko Kohaku - The Hi markings on this Koi are called Kanoko (dappled) on the body, but the Hi on the head almost always remains solid
• Kage Showa - Grey areas show on the white as opposed to black, this sometimes changes to black as they mature
• Doitsu Platinum Ogon - Platinum colored Koi with doitsu scales
• Doitsu Soragoi -Blue/Grey Koi of single color with doitsu scales
• Doitsu Chagoi - A single colored koi ranging in color from brown to tea to light brown or saffron color but with doitsu scalation
• Doitsu Gin Shiro Bekko -Metallic White Koi with black markings and doitsu scales
• Doitsu Ochiba  - Blue-Grey Koi with a Mustard or brown  patterns and doitsu scales

Hikarimono or Hikari-Muji   - (Metallic single color Koi)
Commonly know as Ogon and Matsubas

• Yamabuki Ogon - Metallic yellow/gold Koi, can range from bright yellow to a soft cream
• Purachina Ogon- Metallic platinum or silver Koi
• Orenji Ogon - Metallic solid orange Koi
• Cream Ogon - Metallic cream Koi
• Nezu Ogon - A silver grey color koi that has a dull metallic luster, clear head and even scalation
• Kin Matsuba - Metallic gold or yellowish Koi with the center of each scale being black giving an appearance of a net pattern
• Gin Matsuba - Metallic silver Koi with the center of each scale being black giving an appearance of a net pattern

Hikari Utsurimono - (Metallic Showa and Utsuri)

• Kin Showa - Metallic Showa of red/orange, black and white in various patterns Kin Showa ... Kin Showa
• Gin Showa-  Same as Kin Showa but with predominantly metallic silver color
• Doitsu Kin Showa - Same as Kin Showa but with doitsu scales, comes in various patterns
• Kin Hi Utsuri - Metallic Hi Utsuri that is red and black in color
• Kin Ki Utsuri - Metallic Ki Utsuri that is bright gold and black
• Gin Shiro Utsuri- Metallic Shiro Utsuri, black markings on a silver body form the same patterns as an Utsuri

Hikarimoyo - (Metallic Multi-Colored Koi other than Showa and Utsuri)

• Yamato-nishiki- Metallic Sanke with a platinum or silver skin with Hi and Sumi markings
• Hariwake - A Metallic koi of platinum and either orange, lemon or gold markings. They can be fully scaled, doitsu, matsuba or doitsu matsuba
• Doitsu Lemon Hariwake - Same as Hariwake but with doitsu scales. Another example Doitsu Lemon Hariwake
• Yamabuki Hariwake - A silver koi with metallic yellow markings which should be balanced over the body
• Orange Hariwake - Same as the Yamabuki Hariwake but with orange markings that should be deep and metallic
• Kikusui- Means "Chrysanthemum Water". A platinum koi with deep gold or orange in various patterns. Head should be platinum and is always doitsu
• Kujaku - Metallic "Peacock" They are platinum with Hi markings that normally cover a large proportion of the body. Scales are overlaid with matsuba or (black pinecone pattern) and can also come in yellow or orange shades. Here are two other examples Kujaku  Kujaku
• Kinsui/Ginsui- Metallic Shusui. Kinsui being blue with some red markings and doitsu scales, Ginsui being sky blue with doitsu scales
• Gin Shiro Bekko- Metallic Shiro Bekko, platinum skin with sumi markings as those on the Shiro Bekko
• Heisei-Nishiki - Doitsu version of the Yamatonishiki. A metallic Sanke with a platinum or silver skin with Hi and Sumi markings
• Doitsu Kujaku - Same as Kujaku but with doitsu scales. Can come in many colors and patterns

Tancho - Koi which have a single crown or red spot on the top of the head. This pattern can come in many shapes, round being the most desirable.

• Tancho Kohaku - Solid White Koi with a single Hi head marking
• Tancho Sanke - Like a Sanke but there are no red markings other than a single mark on the head. Another example Tancho Sanke
• Tancho Showa - Like a Showa but no red markings other than a single one on the head
• Tancho Kage Showa - Same as a Kage Showa but with a single red marking on head
• Tancho Kanoko Showa - Same as Kanoko Showa but with a single red marking on head

Gin Rin & Kin Gin Rin - literally means golden silvery scales and refers to the sparkling effect of the scales which appears golden over Hi and silver over white and sumi. It gives an iridescence in individual scales rather than an over all metallic luster. Must have over 20 scales to be considered Gin Rin. There are four types of scales, namely Pearl, Ginrin, Beta-gin, Diamond Ginrin and Kado-gin.
KINGINRIN (GROUP 1)

• Kinginrin Kohaku - Same as a Kohaku but with Ginrin Scales
• Kinginrin Sanke - Same as a Sanke but with Ginrin Scales
• Kinginrin Showa - Same as a Showa but with Ginrin Scales

KINGINRIN (GROUP 2) All of the koi below are the same as what is listed in the above categories except that they all have Gin Rin Scalation which can appear as any of the four different types of scales.

• Gin Rin Hariwake
• Gin Rin Chagoi
• Gin Rin Soragoi
• Gin Rin Ochiba
• Gin Rin Yamabuki Ogon
• Gin Rin Tancho Kujaku
• Gin Rin Tancho Kohaku
• Gin Rin Maruten Kohaku
• Gin Rin Benigoi
• Gin Rin Asagi

Goshiki -The 5 color overlay consists of white, yellow, red, blue and dark blue pigments

• Goshiki - Is a Kohaku with 5 color overlay patterns on body. Another example Goshiki
• Goshiki Showa - Is a Showa with 5 color overlay patterns on body
• Doitsu Goshiki - Is a Showa with 5 color overlay patterns on body but with doitsu scales