Koi Carp History

Common carp (cyprinus carpio) is a species native to Asia. There are three forms of the olive-brown common carp: the leather carp, with almost no scales; the mirror carp, with a few large scales; and the scale carp, which is covered with scales. Carp are often bred for food, because it is possible to produce large amounts of fish per acre.

The breeding of colourful carp can be dated back to more than two thousand years. Back then the people of Japan kept live carp in vats housed in their homes as a source of protein to help carry them over the winter period. Selective koi breeding according to colour, size and body shape first started at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The standards of Japanese koi are very high. Much emphasis is placed upon size, body shape, colour, colour distribution, skin quality and finnage.

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