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.
Consider to subscribe if you enjoyed this video. And stay up to date of new video’s coming up! Thank you for watching and see you in the next episode!
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[@christophersmith7714]

Just bought one to go with my Hi Utsuri and Ki Utsuri. Great explanation. I guessed straight away you are Dutch. I lived in Hoorn for 9 years and love the Netherlands.

[@Fabiano2265]

Thank you so much for investing the time in making such an informative video.

[@Aboutkoi]

Thank you for the wonderful compliment! 👍

[@rattanayatikul8]

Thank you for a very knowledgeable and helpful video. Looking forward for another selection guide video in Showa and others.

[@Aboutkoi]

That's a great compliment, thank you! Showa selection will surely follow, stay tuned 😉

[@mountainkoi9673]

Great video , bought a shiro utsuri yesterday before seeing your video..... Thanks for sharing.

[@Aboutkoi]

Nice, what breeder is your Shiro from? Thanks for your compliment!

[@mountainkoi9673]

@@Aboutkoi it's just a grow on from a local dealer in the UK.

[@Aboutkoi]

Still nice. I personally like to follow the development of shiro utsuri, always fascinating to see the sumi slowly come up.

[@jomathew7414]

Well explained

[@Aboutkoi]

Thank you, hope it was useful!

[@nolanacheson7005]

Great stuff!!! Thankyou!!!!

[@Aboutkoi]

Glad you like it! Thanks for your compliment!

[@stevenlane2641]

Another excellent video

[@Aboutkoi]

Thanks Steven, hope you enjoyed!

[@nickyyves2678]

Aaaaw now it's clear to me why my "shiro utsuri" developped orange all over his body. At first, 3 months old, it was all deep black with little white. Then at 2 years old it developped orange on the head and now it has spread all over his body

[@Aboutkoi]

Aw that is too bad! Hopefully it is still a nice Koi to enjoy though. Thanks for your comment!

[@jerometundag2943]

Hi have a nice Shiru have a motogoro I like one, from here Philippines

[@Aboutkoi]

For sure Motoguro is something beautiful on a Shiro Utsuri. Without it, a Shiro is more likely to look unbalanced if you ask me

[@michaelfox4955]

Thank you for another excellent informative .

[@Aboutkoi]

Thank you Michael! Great to hear you enjoyed

[@llz7033]

very good accent for japannese👍

[@gevkhalulyan3583]

Thabk you once again

[@Aboutkoi]

You are very welcome

[@jaare344]

You are good man!!!!! Thank you

[@Aboutkoi]

Thank you! Hope it is insightful!

[@tejjensen9402]

Well told and understood by me. Can't you make a video on how the breeders find out if it's a sanke or a showa? Of course, it is easy to know a showa if there is a lot of black right over the mouth, but where does the boundary go - and is a showa (just) a sanke with black from a certain place by the gills? Hope you understand my question.

[@Aboutkoi]

Hi, thanks for your reply! I can make a video on the difference between a Sanke and a Showa. But essentially there is a large difference between Sanke and Showa. Showa are black Koi, as fry they are entirely black. While Sanke are white Koi, they are white in the first few days. Plus a breeder is normally making use of Sanke parent Koi to breed Sanke, and Showa parent Koi to breed Showa. This way the breeder will get 100% Sanke offspring or 100% Showa offspring. I will make a video in the future about the differences in Sanke and Showa, one where the difference is difficult to spot. Hope that helps!

[@tejjensen9402]

@@Aboutkoi It would be great with such a video ... I definitely think other also will be happy with a closer knowledge of the difference between sanke and showa and what makes them what they are. I’m already excited.

[@Aboutkoi]

@@tejjensen9402 I will definetly create it later :). Thanks!

[@Aboutkoi]

For everyone that wants to know how to determine the difference between Showa and Sanke. Check this video out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pH3XmqtjZdWtaac

[@darfboony824]

I have one in my pond. Although most of my kois are mutt.

[@alvinocumas1582]

Yahooo!!!

[@Aboutkoi]

Shiro Utsuri time 🏆👍

[@k.kees.9347]

Weer een interessante video. Ik heb ook jouw video met je Kohaku selectie gezien. Daarin selecteerde je koi die al af waren zeg maar en het rood goed was doorgekomen. Is dit voor wat betreft de shiro utsuri anders. Daar zaten koi bij waar het sumi nog door moest komen. Ook goede site heb je dus weer bedankt.

[@Aboutkoi]

Voor Shiro Utsuri zit dit inderdaad net een klein beetje anders. Bij Shiro Utsuri let je op het onderhuids sumi, het zwart wat nog door moet komen. Ik zal later kijken om ook eens een video te doen met kleine Tosai Shiro Utsuri, soortgelijk aan de video met de Kohaku selectie. Dank voor je complimenten!

[@jezeelariff]

Hi! One of the koi sellers told me that the orange spots on the head of the shiro utsuri koi fry will vanish when the fish gets bigger. Is it true?

[@Aboutkoi]

Probably not. There might even be more orange that starts to pop up. Usually on the belly or the bottom of the head/shoulder area

[@KoiRun50]

Thank you for this video. My shiro has lost his sumi on his head. I can see some remnants under the skin. It used to come back in the winter time, but not anymore. How can I bring it back? I've had him for 7 years.

[@Aboutkoi]

Hi, it might be that this Shiro has lost the Sumi 'forever'. Do you know the age of this Shiro Utsuri?

[@KoiRun50]

@@Aboutkoi I got him in 2014 so likely 8 years old.

[@Aboutkoi]

It might be than indeed. However, still not super old. When you are lucky it might come back a bit more when the temperatures become lower.

[@tycho_8859]

Are you from the Netherlands?

[@Aboutkoi]

Can you hear it by the accent?

[@tycho_8859]

Ja ik ben ook Nederlands!

[@AgileCait]

How old must a koi be before you can detect semen or can feel the rough texture of the gills and pectoral fins? Thanks! Your explanations are very helpful!

[@Aboutkoi]

It becomes easier when it is two years or older! You might also want to look at this video, where I explain more about male/female: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4nIqaeCgcmgbq8

[@zebragreen3944]

Why my shiro is losing sumi?

[@Aboutkoi]

It might be growing fast, black can slowly fade a bit. But it usually comes back later. Or it is a warm period? Usually in warmer water sumi fades, and tends to come back later with colder temperatures. Or you are having some bad luck :(

[@zebragreen3944]

@@Aboutkoi temperature is warm and i think is growing fast. Thank you

[@Aboutkoi]

That probably is the reason :) good luck!

[@harrymeldrum9994]

Music is too loud cant hear what you are saying!,

[@Aboutkoi]

Oh I am sorry! It is only the first part right? Most of details are discussed later on. Hope you enjoyed though

[@carson7985]

sorry but this aint a high grade shiro utsuri

[@Aboutkoi]

It's not bad quality as well 😉

[@atsuminaoki9910]

Don't all the ones you are offering as samples look like males? A clue to the density of the ink is the way the SUMI of the hand fins is produced. Don't you think that stripes are generally of low quality?

[@Aboutkoi]

I can't honestly remember if it were Male or Females. This video is from a while ago 🙂