Koi & Gardening Books » Koi Reference Books

This guide forms an excellent introduction to Koi management and display.

An early obsession with the natural world led Barry James to pursue botanical and zoological studies at London University. Using his wide experience of the commercial aquatic world, he opened his own aquatic nurseries in the early 1970s. His main interests include oriental water gardening.

He contributes regularly to the aquatic press, both as an author and photographer, and acts as a consultant worldwide to planning authorities, corporate bodies and private individuals on aquatic matters, including conservation projects.

Koi Volume 1

351 pages dedicated entirely to the study of Gosanke varieties -origins, skin quality, growth development and characteristics of certain bloodlines.

• Koi - sexing, judging, size and age, methods of rearing, colour, and skin quality.
• Gosanke Varieties - The book goes into great detail discussing and providing photographic examples of sahi and kiwa, skin quality, growth and development, origins, bloodlines, and body forms for all the gosanke varieties.
• Breeder sections include a detail history and description of production values for breeders in Nagaoaka, Ojiya, Uonuma, Isawa, Fukui, Hiroshima, and Fukuoaka regions. Just a partial lists includes Maruboshi, Hasegawa, Isa, Torazo, Shinoda, Izumiya, Hoshikin, Oomo, Maudo, Jinbei, Tanaka, Shintaro, Murata, Matsunosuke, Kachi, Sakai, Ueno, and Ogata.

Koi Volume 2

Also 351 pages, dedicated entirely to the study of Kawari varieties - origins, skin quality, growth development and characteristics of certain bloodlines. only £49.95

Shiro Utsuri, Ki Utsuri, Bekko, Asagi, Gin Rin varieties, Doitsu varieties, Shusui, Goshiki, Hajiro, Kumonryu, Chagoi, Soragoi, Ochiba, Midorigoi, Koromo, Yamabuki, Ogon, Matsuba, Hariwake, Kikusui, Kujaku, Kikokuryu, and many more! This section also discusses the development of varieties from Kobayashi Showa, Tatsu Magoi, and Asagi Magoi.

Similar to Volume 1, the book provides for an extensive discussion of various breeders of Kawari including Aoki, Ikarashi, Kase, Yotaro, Otsuka, Kataoka, Sakazume, Masaki, Kuniyasu, Ohya, Hirasawa, Chogorou, Miya, Yagenji, Hosokai, Kaneko, Ohfuchi, Yamasaki, Yamada, and Omosako.

Here is detailed information on setting up and maintaining an outdoor pond, on selecting koi specimens, and on maintaining the perfect environment for this hardy breed of carp.

A brand-new title in the growing Mini Encyclopedia Series, this book helps aquarium owners plan, create, and maintain a colorful and interesting environment for fish and aquatic life. Each volume provides in-depth information and instruction on a specific subdivision of fish keeping.

Complementing the text are sets of illustration panels filled with full-color photos, each with its own detailed and instructive caption. The team of authors, all recognized aquarium experts, show readers how to set up an aquarium, select species, and maintain an optimal environment for the tank’s aquatic and plant life.

NICK FLETCHER is a lifelong fishkeeper and angler with a specialist knowledge of Koi.

A former editor of Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, he is now a freelance writer and consultant, and is a trainee judge with the British Koi Keepers Society. At home, Nick has a 3,500 gallon Koi pond.