A Kujaku is three traits stacked on one fish: metallic shine, a dark pinecone net inside the scales, and red over the top. Take one away and it is a different variety.
This guide covers what a kujaku koi fish is, how to separate it from the metallic koi it gets confused with, the stacked forms in listings, what ours cost, and how big they get.
Kujaku koi at a glance
| The name | Japanese for peacock |
| What it is | Metallic koi with matsuba (pinecone) netting and hi over a platinum base |
| Judging class | Hikarimoyo, the metallic patterned class |
| The quick test | Net, hi and shine together. Two of three is a different fish |
| Stacked forms | Tancho Kujaku, Doitsu Kujaku, ginrin Kujaku, longfin kujaku butterfly koi |
| Size | Commonly cited at 24 to 28 inches; a backyard pond produces less |
| Buying in | Packages from $185, no singles in stock. Quarantine every arrival and stock to the adult size your pond can carry |
What is a Kujaku koi?
Kujaku is Japanese for peacock. A kujaku koi fish is a metallic koi carrying matsuba reticulation — a dark pinecone mark in the center of each scale — with hi, the red to orange pigment, over a platinum ground. It benches in Hikarimoyo.
How to identify a Kujaku koi
Look from above in daylight; metallic koi flatter themselves under artificial light. You want three traits at once: a defined dark net in each back scale rather than a smudge, hi over it with visible edges, and shine carrying through to the fins. No net, no Kujaku.
Where the Kujaku came from
Ojiya, Niigata, around 1960, credited in the trade to Toshio Hirasawa, from crosses involving Shusui, matsuba-scaled metallics and Hariwake. Accounts disagree, and none of it sits in a register — the standard version rather than fact.
How Kujaku differ from other metallic koi
One trait settles most misidentification: the net. A Hariwake is metallic with yellow or orange over platinum but no matsuba netting. A Kin or Gin Matsuba has net and shine but no hi. A Yamabuki Ogon is a single metallic color with no pattern, which benches it in a different class — our complete guide to Yamabuki Ogon covers that one. Kujaku carries all three.
Common colors and patterns
A metallic platinum ground, hi from orange through to deep red across the back and shoulders, netting showing through it, fins usually metallic white. How much red a fish carries varies enormously, and like hi on any young koi it spreads and consolidates for years, so a tosai is a forecast.
Tancho, Doitsu, ginrin and butterfly Kujaku
Kujaku stacks traits the way every koi name does. A tancho kujaku confines the red to one crown on the head with none on the body, and benches with Kujaku rather than in the Tancho class. A doitsu kujaku is German-scaled — mirror scales in limited rows along the dorsal line, often the lateral line too, against otherwise smooth skin — so the net has less scale to sit in and the hi reads bolder. Ginrin Kujaku adds sparkle. A kujaku butterfly koi is the longfin form, Hirenaga in Japan; our guide to butterfly koi covers the trait.
What a Kujaku koi costs
Package prices, since that is what we carry: Kujaku-tagged packs run from $185 for five 3 to 5 inch koi to $495 for three 8 to 10 inch fish, cheapest at $32.50 a fish in the ten-koi Ikarashi box. There is no kujaku koi for sale as a single as we write this.
Are Kujaku good pond fish?
Yes, and they ask nothing special — the same depth, volume and filtration as any koi. A metallic fish shows dulled luster before anything else looks wrong, which makes a Kujaku a useful early gauge on your water. A bright fish is no proof the water is fine, so test it.
Water conditions
The same as any koi, and stability beats an ideal number: ammonia and nitrite at zero, filtration sized above your bioload, depth enough that winter temperature moves slowly. Sustained poor water dulls the sheen first, so read a dull kujaku koi fish as a prompt to test.
How large Kujaku grow
Trade sources commonly cite 24 to 28 inches for a mature fish, with exceptional individuals larger. Volume, temperature and feeding move the number far more than variety does, and a backyard pond produces less — potential, not a schedule.
How long Kujaku live
Commonly cited figures for well-kept koi run from roughly 25 to 35 years, with documented cases far longer. What shortens koi lives is the pond rather than the fish: shallow winters, low summer oxygen, crowding as fish reach adult size, and an unquarantined arrival.
Where to buy Kujaku koi from us
Four breeder packages carry the Kujaku tag right now. There is no single kujaku koi for sale on the site as we write this — that listing is out of stock.
- Ikarashi Ozumi Koi Farm Kawarimono Designer Tosai Packages, from $185 for five 3 to 5 inch koi, or $32.50 a fish in the ten-koi box.
- Hosokai Koi Farm Kawarimono & Gosanke Tosai Packages, from $210 for five 5 to 7 inch koi, or $37.50 a fish in the ten-koi box.
- Miyatora Koi Farm Mixed Tosai Select Packages, from $225 for five 5 to 6 inch koi, or $39.50 a fish in the ten-koi box.
- Marusei Koi Farm Premium Mixed Variety Packages, from $495 for three 8 to 10 inch koi — size on arrival rather than a grow-out project.
Each is a unique assortment drawn from several varieties rather than a Kujaku-only box, so treat Kujaku content as likely rather than promised. None is tagged for the longfin form, so a kujaku butterfly koi is not a route we can offer today. For one particular fish, browse the Japanese koi selection or ask us what has landed.
Before you order any multi-fish package, two conditions, and neither is optional. Quarantine every new koi in a separate, filtered, aerated holding system for two to four weeks before it goes near your main pond. And stock to the adult size your volume and filtration can carry, then buy under that number.
Frequently asked questions
What is a kujaku koi?
Three traits stacked on one fish: metallic shine, matsuba netting — a dark pinecone mark inside each scale — and hi, the red-orange pigment, laid over a platinum base. Kujaku is Japanese for peacock, which is exactly what the combination looks like when the sun catches it. It benches in Hikarimoyo, the metallic patterned class. Take any one of the three away and you are looking at a different variety.
How can you identify a kujaku koi?
Look from above, in daylight. Metallic koi flatter themselves under artificial light, so you want honest conditions before you judge one. Then check for three things at once: a defined dark net in the back scales rather than a vague smudge, hi sitting over it with edges you can actually see, and shine that carries all the way into the fins. Miss the net and it is not a Kujaku, however bright the fish.
What is the origin of the kujaku koi variety?
Ojiya in Niigata, around 1960, credited in the trade to Toshio Hirasawa, from crosses involving Shusui, matsuba-scaled metallics and Hariwake. Worth knowing that accounts disagree on the detail and none of it sits in a formal register, so treat that as the standard story rather than documented fact. It is the version you will hear from most breeders, which is not the same thing as proof.
How do kujaku koi differ from other metallic koi?
The netting, and it settles nearly every mix-up you will run into. A Hariwake is metallic with hi but carries no net. A Kin or Gin Matsuba has the net and the shine but no hi over it. A Yamabuki Ogon is a single metallic color with no pattern at all. Kujaku is the one that carries all three together, which is why the net is the first thing to look for.
What are the common colors and patterns of kujaku koi?
A metallic platinum ground, hi running from orange through to deep red across the back and shoulders, dark netting showing through it, and fins usually metallic white. How much red an individual carries varies enormously, and like hi on any young koi it spreads and settles for years — so a young fish is a forecast rather than a finished picture. Named forms you will meet in listings include tancho kujaku, doitsu kujaku and ginrin Kujaku.
How much does a kujaku koi typically cost?
Kujaku-tagged breeder packs run from $185 to $495, and the cheapest way in is the ten-koi Ikarashi box at $32.50 a fish. There is no single kujaku koi for sale on the site as we write this. Two conditions before any multi-fish package, and neither is optional: quarantine every new koi in a separate, filtered, aerated holding system for two to four weeks, and stock to the adult size your volume and filtration can carry rather than the size they arrive at.
Are kujaku koi good for outdoor ponds?
Yes, and they ask nothing special of you — the same depth, volume and filtration any koi wants. There is a small bonus: a metallic fish shows dulled luster before anything else in the pond looks wrong, so a Kujaku doubles as an early gauge on your water. That only works one way, though. A bright fish is no proof the water is fine, so keep testing it.
What water conditions do kujaku koi prefer?
The same as any koi, and stability matters more than hitting an ideal number: ammonia and nitrite at zero, filtration sized above your bioload, and enough depth that winter temperature moves slowly instead of swinging. Sustained poor water takes the sheen off a kujaku koi fish before it shows anywhere else, so read a dull fish as a prompt to test rather than a cosmetic complaint.
How large do kujaku koi grow?
Trade sources commonly cite 24 to 28 inches for a mature fish, with exceptional individuals going larger. Treat that as potential rather than a schedule, because volume, temperature and feeding move the number far more than variety ever does. A backyard pond usually produces less than the figure on the page, and that is normal rather than a sign anything is wrong.
What is the lifespan of a kujaku koi?
Commonly cited figures for well-kept koi run from roughly 25 to 35 years, with documented cases going far longer. What decides it is your pond rather than the variety: shallow winters, low oxygen through summer heat, crowding as the fish reach adult size, and an arrival that skipped quarantine. Get those right and your Kujaku should outlast the pond you built for it.