Ghost Koi ... Low Cost Beautiful Resilient Pond Fish

A new variety of koi appeared in the trade in the early 1980's under the intriguing name of ghost koi. Nearly two decades later, the range of fish available to the trade under this description is almost as diverse as the number of outlets that sell them.

Nearly two decades later, the range of fish available to the trade under this description is almost as diverse as the number of outlets that sell them.
The popularity of the ghost koi in the UK is so great that in a recent survey, pondkeepers voted ghost koi as the nation's favourite koi variety, surprisingly head and shoulders above any of the more conventional and more colourful koi varieties.
Indeed, the ghost koi is not recognised by koi enthusiasts as a koi variety and would certainly not be found in the pond of a koi purest.
No wonder therefore that the unprecedented rise of the ghost's popularity has not been widely or 'officially' acknowledged over the past few years and that its poor coverage in pond and koi publications does not correspond to its popularity in the UK.
Over the last decade, ghost carp (notice the subtle change in the name) or 'ghosties' have also shot to the top of the list of most carp anglers.
Recognising that koi are the same species as carp (Cyprinus carpio) and it is through man's selective breeding that koi occur in an infinite array of colours and patterns, it is not surprising that a cross between metallic koi and common carp produces viable offspring - ghost koi.
This range of crosses may explain to some extent the diverse range of ghosts on the market, from the duller 'charcoal' ghosts through to 'gun-metal' and the very conspicuous 'titanium' ghosts.

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