Kohaku Koi

Looks how to spot one

scales

Kohaku Koi have a sleek, deep-bodied shape typical of carp, with two barbels on each side of the upper jaw and a serrated dorsal spine. Their scales are smooth and shiny, and the body is robust and muscular.5

Personality what they are like

Kohaku Koi are docile, social fish that thrive in groups. They are calm and steady swimmers, often learning to recognise their owners and approaching the pond edge at feeding time. They are not aggressive and can share a pond with other peaceful fish.46

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate activity level. They need plenty of open pond space to cruise, forage and interact with other koi. A well-designed pond with enough depth, good oxygenation and room to move without crowding meets their exercise needs.6

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Koi require minimal grooming, but pond maintenance is essential. Strong filtration, regular water changes and stable water chemistry are key. Quarantine new fish for at least 30 days to prevent introducing parasites or diseases like koi herpesvirus. Koi are susceptible to sunburn, so provide shade in the pond.46

Home where they are happiest

Kohaku Koi are best kept in outdoor ponds with a minimum volume of 1000 gallons (approx. 3785 litres). Water temperature should be 25-28°C (77-82.4°F), pH 7.5-8.5, dissolved oxygen above 7 ppm, and salinity very low (0.05-0.15 ppt). The pond must have strong filtration, clean oxygenated water and plenty of shade. They are not suitable for small indoor aquariums.274

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivorous. Feed a high-quality commercial koi pellet as a staple, supplemented with frozen or freeze-dried foods such as mysis or bloodworms 2-3 times a week. They also enjoy greens like lettuce and spinach. Colour-enhancing foods can help maintain the red markings. Overfeeding is the most common cause of water quality problems.246

Company who they like around

Kohaku Koi are social, schooling fish that do best in groups. They are docile and can be kept with other peaceful pond fish. They are not aggressive and enjoy the company of their own kind. In Japan, koi are culturally significant and represent love and friendship.46

The story where it all began

The Kohaku is one of the oldest ornamental koi varieties, first developed in 1888 by Kunizo Hiroi in the mountain villages of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He bred a red-headed female koi with a male that had cherry-blossom-like markings, creating the now-extinct Gosuke bloodline from which all modern Kohaku lines descend. Today, the two main bloodlines are Tomoin and Yagozen. The Kohaku is distinguished from other koi by its pure white body with crisp red markings (called 'hi'). It is considered one of the 'Big Three' koi varieties and remains one of the most popular and iconic koi in Japan and worldwide.13

Recognised by the official bits

Koi hobbyist community

Considered one of the 'Big Three' koi varieties alongside Sanke and Showa1