How to select a good Shiro Utsuri [Detailed guide]

Content
00:59 Why do these Shiro Utsuri look yellowish?
01:58 Development process of Shiro Utsuri
02:44 Black base & Sumi pattern
03:44 Underdeveloped sumi
05:13 Motoguro
06:39 Imbalance in the pattern
07:22 Pattern
07:57 Menware and Hachiware (pattern)
09:46 Importance of large sumi patches (pattern)
10:47 White and super bright skin
11:28 Yellow looking skin at a young age
11:53 Body posture
12:36 Body posture: Backbone or Jitai
14:03 Body posture: straight body line
14:39 Body posture: Tail section
15:35 Secundair Hi (orange or red visible)
16:50 Summary on selection of Shiro Utsuri

Shiro Utsuri are two-coloured Koi, with white and black markings. It is next to Kohaku, Sanke and Showa one of the most popular varieties.

We make use of Shiro Utsuri of breeder Omosako to explain you in detail how to select good quality Shiro Utsuri. Omosako is the most famous and known breeder for this variety.

Development of Shiro Utsuri: This variety is quite nice to have in your pond. It will develop intensively over the lifespan. Black will develop quickly in the first couple of years. Often in the first year you can see the sumi under the skin, it will gradually develop. The difficulty is to pick Shiro Utsuri that will become not too black and dark.

Shiro Utsuri have a black base: That means when the variety is born and is only a week old, the entire fish is black. You surely don’t want a Shiro Utsuri that will develop too much black markings.

Motoguro: in the fins you want to look for a potential Motoguro pattern in the pectoral fins. These are black markings in the base of the pectoral fin. It shows up as a blob of black paint, right in the middle of the core of the pectoral fin. Motoguro can reveal some of the potential of the sumi development on young Koi. Motoguro should be equally divided over the two fins.

Pattern: This is something personal. I won’t go into detail about patterns. Most important is a good balance. 50% white, 50% black on average.

Head pattern: Head pattern is important for a Shiro Utsuri. You want to look for a Menware or a Hachiware. A menware is a V-shaped pattern on the head, dividing the white and black skin. Hachiware literally means ‘divided head’ and is a lightning pattern on the head, it runs from the head section towards the shoulder section. The head should be 50% black and 50% white. Well balanced is most appreciated.

The black pattern and large sumi patches: The black patterns should be in large patterns. Preferable the patterns comes from the belly section upwards the Koi towards the back. Especially when the Koi will grow large this will look way nicer, more elegant and looks stronger. Don’t look for small black spots, you want large patches!

Super bright white skin: When you have perfectly developed black on a Shiro Utsuri, but the white is not white at all. The black just won’t look at nice as it is! You want to make sure you select one with a shiny, bright white skin. The whiter the skin, the more intense black markings will look like. Note that Shiro Utsuri will always look a little bit more yellowish when feeding heavily during summer time.

Body posture: Most important if you want to grow large elegant looking Koi. Body is probably one of the most important factors top select on. A good body posture is key for a magnificent and elegant look when Koi grow larger. You want to make sure the Shiro Utsuri has a strong backbone visible at a younger age of around 2 years old. The backbone (Jitai) refers to the height of the body of the fish just behind the head of the Koi and the highest part of the body. The backbone reveals how much body and weight can be put into the shoulder area in the future.

Tail section: The tail selection should be large. And it is not only about the width of the tail. Especially the height of the last part of the body is important. So not the tail itself, but the last part of its body. In comparison with the rest of the highest part of the body section. A strong tail hints on potential of a large body structure.

Something you surely don’t want on your Shiro Utsuri is secundair Hi visible: These are very light red or orange markings on the Koi. Reasons for it are often ‘Showa’ blood in the variety, which develop red markings. If you can already spot light red or orange on this variety at a young age, you should leave it and look for another one.

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