Motoguro Experiment

There is much talk on the koi forums on the web on what to look for in regards to motoguro when shopping for shiro utsuri or showa. In this experiment I will be using 6 Omosako tosai with differing styles of motoguro and photographing the changes over the next few years. There is nothing scientific about this. It is more of a here is what we start with and here is what we end with kind of deal. Below you will find an example of why I am doing this. The koi in the first set of photos was bought with all black pecs. After a year of growing the sumi (black) has tightened up into very nice motoguro. So we will see from the new batch of tosai what happens to the different types of motoguro as we go along. Pics of the study subjects are below as they arrived from Mystic Koi on Jan 25 2007. Please note I chose these koi based on their pecs. Always remember when choosing any koi that conformation is king. Motoguro is just one of the many aspects to consider when buying shiros or showas. I believe that it is a necessary component if you are going to take a shiro or showa to a show. Without motoguro I believe a shiro or showa looks incomplete but that is my own opinion and you should feel free to form your own.

1/25/07- Experiment koi arrive from Mystic Koi. Pics are not great as I took them fast to reduce stress. Note: When I receive koi I float them for about 45-60 minutes in the bag and then remove them from the bag directly into a bowl filled with pond water. I then check for injuries, snap a few photos and release. If all is well health wise they are in the bowl no longer then 5 minutes. Pics are below the example photos.

2/10/2007- I should have mentioned this earlier but.....Here is a link to a discussion on the the overall quality looks etc on these koi.
http://www.koi-bito.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5618

Here is a link to a discussion on the motoguro experiment itself. So if you want to join in the discussion just sign up at Bito and ask away.
http://www.koi-bito.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5677

Example 1. Notice how the pecs are entirely black.