Help please with identifying a change in my Koi's colouring

[yorkshirelass]

I have a mixed pond - 5 fish (2 butterfly, 1 goldfish, 1 subunkin, 1 comet)
The bronze colour koi has developed dark spots, this seems to have happened almost overnight. Im now also worried that the shubunkin has more dark patches than before.
All the fish were new to me april last year and were all around 6/7cm at that time.
they are now at least twice the size, both koi are around 16cm
The fish are all quite happy, no flashing, etc.
i have had quite a lot of leaves get into the pond over the last week and a lot of rainfall.
I feed allseasons and have done the entire time I have had them, i just adjust how much they have depending on how hungry they are. They also get occasional treats of shrimp.
My water parameters are:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0
PH 8
GH -5
KH - 3
PPM - 75
My pond is 1200 litres
No new fish or additions, quite heavy rainfall (its Yorkshire!!)
Any advice please?

 

[mrsclem]

Looks like normal coloration. Koi and goldfish changes colors as they get older.

 

[Mmathis]

Tend to agree with @mrsclem. As long as they are showing normal behavior, just keep an eye on them.

 

[brokensword]

agree with the above; I have seen my fish, both koi and shubbies, gain and lose spots of black. I find the colder water tends to bring them out and sometimes, the warm makes them fade but esp as the fish have aged (the koi, mainly), small spotting has occurred. This is probably due to genetics, so don't worry.

 

[WaterGardener]

Some fish develop black spots called shimmies. They are harmless, just coloration.

I have a goldfish that gets a few of these spots when the water cools down in late fall. Once the water warms in spring, the spots disappear.

The fish in your first photo has an abundance of them. Never seen that many on one fish before.

Some people feel the spots are related to high TDS, total dissolved solids, in the water. They say that water changes solved the problem for them.

 

[addy1]

Normal to me also, they are good looking fish!

 

[secuono]

First fish has a lump on its rear left side.
Goldfish change colors and the shubunkin/speckled ones like to gain specks.

 

[GBBUDD]

I have had fish completely change one had a red head and red body with silver belly and his head turned peach or skin toned and the rest all turned silver with black spots you would never know it was the same fish not a drop of red on him .

 

[brokensword]

I've had a couple koi change, and not for the better, imo; pics of before and after. Both changed over a year's span.

 

[addy1]

The white with the orange with gray? wow

 

[brokensword]

The white with the orange with gray? wow

yeppa, totally surprised me. I mean, I KNOW koi can change, I'm not that deluded, but still...and it's kept me from getting more of that color pattern/variety as I can't depend on it NOT doing similar again. I'm not getting high end koi, so no doubt this will happen more often with the mutts I buy and I just have to live with some will disappoint while others (most of the rest of my koi herd) have remained true or at least, haven't altered so much I don't recognize them anymore.

All that said, there's one in particular that is known for changing; the kumonryu, and I just got one at season's end but I did so fully knowing it'll probably never stay the same (until a later state of life) and that's okay--I got it JUST to see the change! Should be a bunch of before-after-after that-still more after-etc pics in the future!

 

[addy1]

lol one of my previous yorkies was born pure black, she ended up being pure white. A beautiful little girl, darn coyote took her out of our yard under late hubbies watch.

 

[brokensword]

lol one of my previous yorkies was born pure black, she ended up being pure white. A beautiful little girl, darn coyote took her out of our yard under late hubbies watch.

wow; didn't know dogs could change like that! Is this sort of normal for the breed?

 

[addy1]

wow; didn't know dogs could change like that! Is this sort of normal for the breed?

View attachment 143766

Yorkies are known to change colors, a lot of times at a year then 3-4 years later. Our missy has changed about 3 times. She was pure white, except the two dark spots, then had real dark spots all over, like a leopard. Then the spots blended and became more of a back ground color with a bit of gray in her white.

Baby

about a year later

2020

Baby his color is darker

So far just getting lighter, still the same pattern.

 

[brokensword]

Yorkies are known to change colors, a lot of times at a year then 3-4 years later. Our missy has changed about 3 times. She was pure white, except the two dark spots, then had real dark spots all over, like a leopard. Then the spots blended and became more of a back ground color with a bit of gray in her white.

Baby

View attachment 143948

about a year later
View attachment 143949

2020
View attachment 143950

Baby his color is darker
View attachment 143951

So far just getting lighter, still the same pattern.
View attachment 143952

wow; seems you don't even NEED koi--ya gots some color-changers of your own already! Never knew this!