Yamato Nishiki Koi

Yamato Nishiki (YAH-mah-toh-nee-SHEE-kee):The Yamato Nishiki koi fish is the metallic version of the Sanke koi fish. Unlike the Sanke koi fish, the Yamato Nishiki has brighter and more vibrant coloring. Still, the standards for the Yamato Nishiki koi are very much the same as those in place for the Sanke. This breed of koi is the result of crossbreeding the Sanke brood stock with Platinum Ogon brood stock.

The koi’s red or orange coloring should be an even hue throughout. At the same time, the koi’s black coloring should be deep and evenly spaced throughout the body of the fish. These black patterns should also not be confined to only one side or one end of the body. Instead, they should be solid and consistent without windows of orange or white disrupting the color balance. It should be noted that the Yamato Nishiki koi is an exceptionally rare fish and finding one that meets all of these standards is challenging.