Koi Varieties
There are over 100 varieties of koi. Some of the most common koi sold and exhibited in US koi shows are described below.
This chart was created with permission from Taro Kodama, president of Kodama Koi Farms.
It is available as a downloadable PDF on their website: https://www.kodamakoifarm.com/koi-varieties/
What kind of koi is my butterfly koi?
Butterfly koi, also known as longfin or hirenaga exhibit similar patterns to traditional (standard) koi. They are generally not included in many koi shows or are placed in a single subset. Butterfly koi are very popular in Europe and Asia. Many new koi hobbyists and water gardeners enjoy the slender koi with elongated finnage.
Why are some koi referred to as “doitsu”?
Doitsu refers to koi with no scales other than enlarged scales along the lateral and dorsal lines. The koi in the left photo is a doitsu koi.
Why are some koi referred to as “ginrin”?
Ginrin koi are characterized by shiny silver or gold scales. A koi is considered ginrin if it has at least three lines of ginrin scales on each side. The koi in the left photo is a ginrin koi.
