This common carp is also called the Longfin Koi or Dragon carp. Noted for their elongated finnage, the Cyprinus carpio includes countless wild carp species and domesticated Koi ( Nishikigoi). Though not popular in Asia and Europe, they are hugely popular in the U.S., which makes them more readily available here.
A mature Koi with a spacious pond and good genetics can easily grow to 32 inches in length. The Butterfly Koi starts to develop it`s elongated fins and tails at around 6 months of age, but not until they are around a year old, do they start to get very ‘showy’ and ‘flowy’. One myth to dispel; Butterfly Koi are NOT a hybrid of Goldfish or Koi!
This is how the Butterfly Koi was actually created; In the mid-20th century, a few Japanese breeders tried crossing their highly regarded Nishikigoi or domesticated Koi, with a Wild Indonesian Long fin carp, in an effort to enhance and recapture the hardiness that was lost from centuries of inbreeding and refinement for color, thus the Butterfly Koi was born! as per http://mhargreaves.articlealley.com
Because this fish is more popular in the U.S., they are also referred to as the American Koi. It is known, that King Shoko of Ro had given a Koi to the first son of the great Chinese Philosopher, Confucius, at his birth, between 551 and 479 BC. Confucius named his son after the fish as it was thought to be a symbol of power and strength.
There are some that claim the Koi fish has reached a length of 6 feet, though 2 or 3 feet is average. The Butterfly Koi is not, however, show quality as most breeders in Japan and Europe consider the Butterfly Koi to be inferior to the Traditional Koi. They still make a superb addition to any pond, and are not generally as pricy! For more info, you can visit: www.squidoo.com
Image source en.w3ikipedia.org used with permission
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Article source: http://www.petanim.com/19027/msutton/elegant-butterfly-koi-origin/