An ornamental koi (nishikigoi) swims in Suizenji Jojuen Garden, established in 1636 in Kumamoto City, Kyushu island, Japan.

An ornamental koi (nishikigoi) swims in Suizenji Jojuen Garden, established in 1636 in Kumamoto City, Kyushu island, Japan. Ornamental koi (or nishikigoi, "brocaded carp") were selectively bred from domesticated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Japan starting in the 1820s. If allowed to breed freely, the koi subspecies will revert to original carp coloration within a few generations. Native to Central Europe and Asia, carp were first bred for color mutations in China more than a thousand years ago, where selective breeding of the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) eventually developed goldfish (Carassius auratus), which is a species distinct from common carp and koi.

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Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 3373x2249 / 2.8MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; Animalia animal fish funny humor water
Contained in galleries: 2024 Oct: JAPAN all, Kyushu island

An ornamental koi (nishikigoi) swims in Suizenji Jojuen Garden, established in 1636 in Kumamoto City, Kyushu island, Japan. Ornamental koi (or nishikigoi, "brocaded carp") were selectively bred from domesticated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Japan starting in the 1820s. If allowed to breed freely, the koi subspecies will revert to original carp coloration within a few generations. Native to Central Europe and Asia, carp were first bred for color mutations in China more than a thousand years ago, where selective breeding of the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) eventually developed goldfish (Carassius auratus), which is a species distinct from common carp and koi.