long-fin koi vs butterfly koi
Yvonne Loo
wondering if these are the same as long-fin koi. I've been told that the
butterflies are actually hybrids between regular koi and goldfish. And
the long-fins are koi that were bred that way.
The long-fins that I've seen have been primarly solid colors. They
have long barbels, long fins, and long tails, but they have the bodies
like regular koi. The butterflies I've seen have a thinner body shape but
they have long barbels. I've only seen small (2"-4") butterflies and was
wondering if it's worth getting a few. They also don't cost as much
($4-$15) as some of the "long-fins" I've seen ($50 for 6" fish not
including tail).
- Yvonne
yvo...@rockie.nsc.com
Mark Bianco
That's interesting... I've always thought they were the same thing. I have
seen the long barbels on some, but thought it was just an individual thing.
Sounds like either one is a bargain, if they have nice markings.
--
Mark Bianco
mbi...@pipeline.com
BACKUPS? We don't need no stinkin' BACk*$x6
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Run4DRoses
things. We have a butterfly koi with extremely long and slightly curved
fins/tail and this fish is fat as fat can be <grin>
A friend has what he also calls a butterfly koi and while the fins/tail
are rather long, they are nowhere as long as on our fish and the fins are
quite "straight" as opposed to "curved".
Ours is a solid orange and his is a light gray with matsuba pattern.
Would appreciate it if anyone can clarify.
Steve Heller
Butterfly koi and long fin are most likely the same thing. And, BTW,
butterfly koi are a variety of koi, and have no goldfish blood in them.
Steve Heller
says...
Check out the current edition of Fresh water and marine Aquarium
magazine which has an excellent article on Fairy Koi, which are derived
from butterfly koi and hikari koi. It details generation development.
It is on page 124.
STeve Heller
Run4DRoses
it shortly.
skk...@tam2000.tamu.edu
>
> Lately I've been seeing "butterfly koi" in the local pet stores. I was
> wondering if these are the same as long-fin koi. I've been told that the
> butterflies are actually hybrids between regular koi and goldfish. And
> the long-fins are koi that were bred that way.
>
> The long-fins that I've seen have been primarly solid colors. They
> have long barbels, long fins, and long tails, but they have the bodies
> like regular koi. The butterflies I've seen have a thinner body shape but
> they have long barbels. I've only seen small (2"-4") butterflies and was
> wondering if it's worth getting a few. They also don't cost as much
> ($4-$15) as some of the "long-fins" I've seen ($50 for 6" fish not
> including tail).
>
> - Yvonne
> yvo...@rockie.nsc.com
The fish that you refer to were, in general, developed by breeding koi
with long-finned carp, that lack much color, and then crossbreeding for
several generations. Several koi farms have done this and they all use
different methods and varieties of breeding so you obviously get many
hybrids. This is probably why you see several variations of long-finned
koi with varying degrees of fin length and body size. I think the term
"butterfly koi" was coined by someone at Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery to
describe their long-finned koi, and the name just caught on. So I think
"butterfly" and "long-finned" are more or less just used as general terms
to describe koi with long fins. Koi/goldfish hybrids are bred here in
Texas to use as feeders for gamefish such as bass, but are not sold as.
ornamental fish. Check out the article about "fairy koi" in the July
issue of FAMA.
Hope this helps,
Sebastian K.