What is this fish? A goldfish koi hybred perhaps?

[Sue64]

 

[Sue64]

About 8 were born in my pond containing 2koi and multiple goldfish. They are all dark but colors are pearly to gold to orange. They grew faster than my goldfish but haven't changed color the same way. They have almost 'racoon' eyes and distinct looking heads ,with a dark spot. Maybe these dark markings will disappear with age?

 

[poconojoe]

I cannot tell from those pictures. I know it's hard to take pictures of your fish, believe me I've tried.

I could be wrong, but I believe koi/goldfish hybrid are mostly black. Some of the ones I have are black with brownish bellies.

Check to see it it has barbells. That will determine if it's a full bred koi or not.

 

[Sue64]

The only good pictures I have are unfortunately videos that are too large to attach. The started out blackish , but now after a year, are showing color . But they are still dark.

I cannot tell from those pictures. I know it's hard to take pictures of your fish, believe me I've tried.

I could be wrong, but I believe koi/goldfish hybrid are mostly black. Some of the ones I have are black with brownish bellies.

Check to see it it has barbells. That will determine if it's a full bred koi or not.

I cannot tell from those pictures. I know it's hard to take pictures of your fish, believe me I've tried.

I could be wrong, but I believe koi/goldfish hybrid are mostly black. Some of the ones I have are black with brownish bellies.

Check to see it it has barbells. That will determine if it's a full bred koi or not.

It's hard to see, but it doesn't look like it. But their heads look bigger and look more like koi than goldfish. I'm still trying to get a better picture.

 

[poconojoe]

Koi have the distinctive barbells or whiskers, 4 of them to be exact. They also have a much flatter wider head, whereas goldfish heads are sleeker, thinner when viewing from the top. The barbells are the biggest giveaway. And yes, koi grow much faster than goldfish. A lot faster. I think you said the fish is over a year old. You should be able to tell by now.

 

[mrsclem]

Hybrids can have the barbels. Usually the size is the true indicater of hybrids, they will not get as large and are almost sterile

 

[j.w]

@Sue64
@mrsclem So can the hybrids from koi and goldfish mating not have barbels?

 

[AlyssaFish]

Is there some reason to suspect they're hybrids rather than full koi? What do the two koi look like?

 

[Sue64]

View attachment 132134@Sue64
@mrsclem So can the hybrids from koi and goldfish mating not have barbels?

Yes

 

[Tula]

My hybrid pond fish, were kind of a dark slice green with a yellowish underbelly. They had beautiful long flowing fins, but were hard to see in the pond. I know mis were koi goldfish, as that's what I had in the pond and there were different then the goldfish and koi fry.

 

[Sue64]

Is there some reason to suspect they're hybrids rather than full koi? What do the two koi look like?

The koi were only 1 1/2 years old, one dissapeared, fry appeared , stayed dark almost a year and now are showing metallic colors but haven't lost all darkness ,barbells not visible. I did go to my pond store ,and showed them video. They said definitely koi. Almost 25 gold fish and 2 koi to start, so I thought they might be hybrids because I didn't see barbels.

 

[Tula]

My hybrid pond fish, were kind of a dark slice green with a yellowish underbelly. They had beautiful long flowing fins, but were hard to see in the pond. I know mis were koi goldfish, as that's what I had in the pond and there were different then the goldfish and koi fry.

I meant to type olive green.....not sure where slice green came from - lol !

 

[Cathy Raphael]

The only good pictures I have are unfortunately videos that are too large to attach. The started out blackish , but now after a year, are showing color . But they are still dark.


It's hard to see, but it doesn't look like it. But their heads look bigger and look more like koi than goldfish. I'm still trying to get a better picture.

 

[Cathy Raphael]

I have mostly goldfish - with 2 fantails. I didn't realize that two of my "goldfish" may be koi - as I don't remember buying a koi (they are usually exhorbitantly priced) - but my white with a red head (aka "Lucy") I think IS either part koi or all koi. Then another one I bought which was white with a yellowish head - and turns out to be a male - I think is fertilizing Lucy's eggs and I am getting some BEAUTIFUL babies - which are larger than my other fish and at 6 months are as big as Lucy! Someone wrote on SOME blog that the progeny of koi and goldfish are sterile. I'm not sure that's true. But I have always wanted more fantails and I don't seem to be able to produce any from my prolific fish. (btw - my 850 gal pond does NOT have a filter. It is 21 yrs old and does well. Have 2 aerators, several nice plants above water & below - and use things like Microbe Lift and other stuff to keep well balanced. I think I have more babies (3 hatching last year) than most people because I DON'T have a filter & have potted plants where the babies can hide.)

 

[JamieB]

Do please post pictures. I’ve shared the info I had read about the hybrid being sterile, and was wanting to try crossing butterfly koi to Shubunkins in hopes of getting a colorful hybrid instead of the solid dark color ones I’ve read typically occur. This is a subject I’m very interested in. If they are indeed hybrids, you may want to see about enlarging the pond, as koi get big quick.