A WAY TO RAISE RANCHU ● GROOMING KUROKO AND TOSAI

Defining Body Parts

The main body parts are identified as follows: head is from mouth to the edge of the gill cover, body is from gill cover to the vent below tail. The environment and grooming techniques will have a big impact on developing ranchu head, body and tail.

For body part names please refer to this article.

Building Ranchu Foundation

There is an old Japanese saying “Good ranchu head is created before the color change”. For the head-growth to develop properly, it needs a good scull structure, as a foundation. A good foundation must be selected and formed in kuroko before the change of color. During this time it is important to achieve balanced Dragon or Lion Head (more about ranchu standards here). 

If any combination of head-growth below occurs, the head will appear unbalanced:

• growth on the top of the head, no growth on the gill plates 
• growth evenly develops over the entire head  
• growth develops on cheeks and under eyes only 

Delays in water changes help to suppress active fish movement and aids in developing head-growth at an early stage.

To Promote Head-Growth Development

Food is very important in developing head-growth. Feeding protein reach diet is a must. Silkworms, earthworms, bloodworms (can be frozen) are all high in protein and effective. Genetic background is also important.

Suggestions on promoting head-growth development:

• feed plankton, bloodworms, green water 
• reduce water changes to suppress movement 
• make sure the body develops properly 

Pond depth is not known to effect head-growth development. To develop a good ranchu, balancing of the whole body and head must be achieved, and not just the head-growth.

To Promote Funtan (cheeks)

Feeding bloodworm and green algae will help in developing funtan. Suppress movement by extending intervals between the water changes and raising ranchu in green water.

To Promote Body & Head Development

It is important to develop a good skeleton in kuroko before the color change. Good balance between the head and body is very important. Preference should be given to longer bodies with wide back and peduncle, which will balance well with the size of the head.

To make back wider and increase the width between the eyes:

• feed enough 
• use green water 
• slightly increase the stocking density to suppress active movement 

Beware that with increased stocking density vertical body growth will be suppressed.

How to Make Good Back

Water depth is very important in formation of a good back shape in fry. There is an old Japanese saying “Shallow water gives gently curved back, deep water gives round back” makes a good point. 

Water depth at 4 in (10cm) during the fry development produces gently curved back, while water depth around 3.3 ft (1m) gives more rounded shape. Genetics are also important in developing the right back.

Tail Tension

Tail shape is very important and is greatly dependent on grooming technique. However, if you only pursue creating a good tail, you will loose on fish health and overall quality. It is a trade-off to make a good tail and to keep fish health. It is difficult to do and one has to find a balance.

Factors that loosen tail tension:

• weak tail shoulders 
• excessive exercise 
• large pond size
• pond with no shade or over shaded 
• strong aeration 
• often water changes 
• appropriate or slightly lower stocking density 

Factors that improve tail tension:

• strong tail shoulders 
• less exercise 
• small pond size
• pond with sun/shade balance 
• weak aeration 
• use of green water 
• high or low stocking density 

Making a Good Tail Before the Color Change

To create a good tail, you must select kuroko with tail shoulders that are open at 160-180° and have a strong tail core.

                                                          

To make a tail shoulder curve like in a bow (bow and arrow), the fish must swim moderately to finish formation before the color change. If the curve increases it may result in weak tension and possible collapse of the tail shoulders.

Making the Tail Core

Water depth will effect the tail core in fry. The depth at 4 in (10cm) during development is necessary. There is a tendency for the tail core either to fall lower if the water depth is too shallow or rise up if the depth is too deep.

After the tail is formed and the core is established in kuroko stage, it is not effected as much by the water depth. Still, as a general rule, it is a good idea to keep the water depth at 6-8 in (15-20cm) during ranchu development. Also, increased exercise may result in softening of the tail core, as well as loss of the tail tension.

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Links to published chapters:

● INTRODUCTION
● WATER
● NOTES ON GREEN WATER & WATER CHANGE
● WATER TEMPERATURE
● AERATION
● SUNLIGHT AND SHADE
● CONTAINERS FOR RAISING RANCHU
● FOOD
● FEEDING REGIMENT
● BREEDING & SPAWNING
● RAISING & GROOMING FRY
● GROOMING KUROKO AND TOSAI
● CULLING
● SELECTION METHODS
● CULLING ROUND - I
● CULLING ROUND - II
● CULLING ROUND - III
● CULLING ROUND - IV
● CULLING ROUND - V
● FORSEEING RANCHU CHANGES IN THE FUTURE

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100 DAYS OLD

The young tosai now are 100 days old and 3 in (7.5 cm) long. I kept only six from my April, 2014 spawn of nearly 700 fry. Some of the keepers could be my potential breeders, but time will tell. For now, I enjoy watching them grow and change. Overall, I am pleased with the results of this spring's spawn and can only hope that the next year I will be lucky to get another step closer to creating my own line of top view ranchu. Years of work ahead!

Komado and Sarasa-aka (Little Window and Red Mottled with White) pattern

Tonchou (Japanese Crane) pattern

Ka-gashira and Azuki (Yellow head and Adzuki Red Beans) pattern

Ka-gashira and Shiro (Yellow Head and White Body) pattern

Ichimonji-aka and Azuki (Straight Red Line and Adzuki Red Beans) pattern

Hara-shiro (White Belly) pattern

AZUKI RED BEANS

A beautiful pattern is called azuki or adzuki beans and points to isolated red scales scattered on a white body. Being a part of sarasa group, azuki pattern can make ranchu look very special. As the color "matures" and maintained with a proper grooming, the contrast between red specks on white can produce most amazing patterns in ranchu.

Azuki CBR bred by High Ranchu

Azuki CBR bred by High Ranchu

KOMADO HEAD

Komado or "small window" name points to a small whitish rectangle on the top of the red ranchu head. Interestingly enough, if this pattern is reversed, presenting white head with a red rectangle, it would be called tanchou pattern, named after Japanese crane.

Komado CBR bred by High Ranchu

SARASA RANCHU

Besides solid red or solid white ranchu, there is a large group called sarasa or mottled. Various red and white color combinations are found among this group. Depending on the amounts of either color, sarasa ranchu are called red sarasa, where predominantly red is mottled with white and white sarasa, where predominantly white is mottled with red.

Unpredictability of color patterns gives each sarasa ranchu its uniqueness and character. This is where our individual likes take over and make the selection more difficult. There is no rule or requirement on what the pattern should be, as long as it complements the fish.

White Sarasa  CBR bred by High Ranchu

White Sarasa CBR bred by High Ranchu

Red Sarasa CBR bred by High Ranchu

Red Sarasa CBR bred by High Ranchu

RED IS THE COLOR

Solid red or red-orange is the "official" ranchu color. The brighter and deeper the color, the more beautiful the ranchu gets. Solid red is one of my favorite. In my opinion, deep red color makes ranchu's shape and form better appreciated, without any obstruction by the color pattern. Japanese character used to describe red ranchu is 猩々 and means orangutan, solid color.

Pictured below CBR have just completed transitioning from black to red. Melanophore, a black pigment, was replaced with carotinoid pigment, producing red and orange color. At first baby ranchu appears yellow, further developing deeper orange and red. With a proper grooming these baby ranchu will reach that desired red fairly soon.

CBR bred by High Ranchu

CBR bred by High Ranchu

Development of deep red color in ranchu can be affected in a few ways. One is the sun. The ranchu that receives several hours of sunlight will develop a desirable color depth. If sunlight is unavailable, artificial lighting with a daylight spectrum will be a good substitute. Also, the darker the walls and the bottom of the tank the better the color will show. Goldfish can lighten or darken its color depending on the surrounding. This ability to camouflage comes from their wild ancestors, although have lost its survival function in goldfish, it effects decorative quality.

Food is another important component for producing rich color. Literally - "ranchu is what ranchu eat". Foods reach in carotenoids, a group of organic pigments, where astaxanthin (red) and lutein (yellow) are major contributors to ranchu color. There are a number of pellet foods with these pigments added. One is Saki Hikari brand (purple and red packaging) with its color enhancing diets. Also, introducing spinach, pumpkin, duckweeds and algae in the ranchu diet will assure their bright color.  

ON THE WHITE SIDE

As my BBR have transitioned into CBR, their color patterns are becoming important in overall appreciation. The color itself is slowly developing from yellows and pale orange to brighter tones and reds. I am lucky to have the pond in a location where it receives a good amount of morning and late afternoon sun. That, combined with feeding them Wolffia and Saki Hikari Red promotes deeper reds and oranges.

As ranchu colors become more pronounced, I will be posting a series of articles illustrating their patters. After all, selecting ranchu based on a set of very strict standards until now was done in "black and white" (BBR). Our individual preferences of colors and patterns are now added to an already complicated selection process. It makes that "perfect" ranchu, we all are looking for, even more elusive. It is the time to start compromising between some physical imperfections (only few left however after several culls) and likable color patterns, already noticeable personalities and swimming tendencies of the young ranchu. 

In the spawn, I got quite a few sarasaaka (red motled with white) and sarasashiro (white mottled with red) patterns, but only one individual with a completely white body and yellow head ( kiatama), a nice contrast to the rest dominating red colored ranchu. As a reassurance of this prized color combination, two white bodied ranchu with yellow heads won first and second prizes in oya category at the 53rd All Japan Ranchu Show in 2013.

I hope with little time, the orange-red markings on the pectoral fins and tail of the below pictured ranchu will intensify for a stunning contrast against its pearl-white body and yellow head, creating this unique pattern.

CBR bred by High Ranchu, 75 days old

Another ranchu from the spawn carries white body, or almost white, with only tiny orange mark right before its yellow head. The fins turned out the most beautiful, colored in orange with even markings on the tail.

CBR bred by High ranchu

SHOW YOUR COLORS

As more and more of my BBR are coloring up, I have researched the web and compiled a diagram of various color patterns found in Japanese TVR. This diagram may not cover every color combination and pattern, but I hope that it highlights the most common and identifiable patterns.

Diagram legend: red is red, white is white, yellow is yellow, gray is red or white, or a combination of red and white.

Pattern names in Japanese and English and their descriptions:

1.    Shoujou or Orangutan - all red
2.    Sarasa-aka or Red Mottled with White
3.    Hara-shiro or White Belly - red with white abdomen
4.    Moto-aka or Red Base Tail - base portion of a tail is red
5.    Koshi-shiro or White Lumbar - lower back and tail peduncle is white
6.    Tsutsu-shiro or White Tail Peduncle
7.    Men-shiro or White Mask - white head
8.    Diamond - sizable white rectangle on top of red head
9.    Komado or Small Window - small rectangle on top of red head
10.  Tsura-shiro or White Cheeks - red head with funtan and sides of the head white
11.  Kabuki - white head with funtan and sides of the head red
12.  Ichimonji-shiro or Straight White Line, red head
13.  Ichimonji-aka or Red Straight Line, white head
14.  Kougai or Hairpin - one funtan is red
15.  Kuchibeni or Lipstick - red outlined mouth on the white head
16.  Sarasa-shiro or White Mottled with Red
17.  Azuki or Adzuki Red Beans - isolated red scales on white body
18.  Men-kaburi or Headdress - red head with white body
19.  Tonchou or Japanese Crane - red spot in the middle of the white head
20.  Hinomaru or Japanese Flag - red spot on the white back
21.  Rocuuroko or Six Fins - red pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins with white body
22.  Shiro or White
23.  Ki-gashira or Yellow Head
24.  Kiniro or Golden - golden color body, parts of the head and fins