Koi or Carp Are Some Colorful Fish

Psychedelic Things in a Pond

 

 

These fish were spotted swimming behind a restaurant we stopped at for some lunch.

Doc and I were driving around the northern end of the island, doing what we usually do.

It consists of things like taking photos and, getting lost on the back mountain roads.

 We asked for permission, to shoot the establishment and, were good to go.

 After placing our order, we started looking around and, spotted this.

Huge, brightly colored fish, swimming in a pond, right behind the place.

Then, the woman, who took our order saw me trying to shoot through the windows.

She asked if, we wanted to go outside and, take photos from inside the fenced-in garden.

Out back, a guy gave us a cup of pellets, to feed the fish.  Holy Carp .

We had so much fun, we almost forgot to back inside and eat !

My Only Regret

 

 

Just before leaving the office, I was wondering if, I should bring the polarizing filter along.

And, decided, "Nah, there wouldn't be anything, I'd need it for today."

That filter, would have made these images much sharper; eliminating the reflections.

On the positive side, it gives me an excuse, to go back up there again.

Those fish, were so large, three of them, would fill up my bathtub and, drive the wife crazy ! 

Camera:  Pentax K1

Lens:  Pentax 18-250 at 50MM

Exposure:  f/7.1   1/250   ISO 800

Location:  Hentona, Okinawa, Japan やまびこいや  国頭

Date and Time:  JUL 29  2016  12:51PM 

Bright Colored Koinobori (鯉のぼり) Flying in the Wind

Carp Streamers or Windsocks

 

 

Today was the first time I spotted them floating overhead in the breeze.

It's a reminder, that Golden Week isn't too far away.

One source, I discovered says these originated with the samurai.

Some of them carried banners with carp painted on them when they went to fight.

They sure do brighten up the sky on a cloudy day.

These streamers will be flying throughout the rest of April and the month of May.

Learn all about the history and customs of Koinobori in Japan.

The Critters of UNESCO World Heritage Shuri Castle Pond

This Part of the Castle is Free

 

Today, the mission was supposed to be take pictures of a building on the pond.

The wildlife lens got left behind because, no critters were going to be shot.

Walking to the site Doc Graff and I  spotted these animals.

And he knows what that means.  Castle buildings can wait.

Because, I can be like a little kid in a candy store when there are critters around.

This turtle looked like he was trying to hitch a ride. That's what I'd tell the kids, anyway.

Moving around the pond, we saw all kinds and colors of fish.

The big ones are carp.  The little guys and turtles seemed to get along fine with them.

Nobody would pose so, plenty of digital film was used to capture these shots.

Who cares about UNESCO stuff, when these beauties are putting on a show ?

Not me.

The golden one was my favorite.

When I realized, about an hour later, we had to get moving, we ran across these ducks.

Some gals were feeding them.

Look at those little rascals.  

Click, Click, Click.  There was no sense passing this opportunity up.

Waiting for one to separate from the herd was the hardest part.

Just in case the boss thinks I wasn't at the Shuri Castle Pond, I took this photo.

Now I know, it can be called Ryutan Pond or, Iyugumui and, they made it in 1427.

Another thing.  I took five or six photos of the building, I was supposed to shoot.

  Got over 300 pictures of critters, though.

If you visit Shuri Castle you shouldn't miss this pond.

Everything there was FREE !

Japanese Koi a Fish Formerly Known as Carp (Photo Essay)

This fish story isn't about wildlife. The Japanese Koi (Carp) is a domesticated creature. Not only that, it is a mutated critter, too.

Carp used to be a dark-colored fish, real dark brown or black. People way back in the 5th Century were raising them for food in China.


Sure enough, one day someone noticed every now and then a carp would show up with some different colors.  So, they start doing selective breeding, just fish among fish, I mean.  The guy probably watched.


Next thing you know, everybody wants to get in on the act and create designer fish.  This was way before TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES were even a twinkle in some person's eyes.

It was in the early 20th Century the rest of the world found out about these designer fish when some folks from Nigata, Japan showed their brightly-colored fish off at a Tokyo Exhibit.  Well, folks around the world shell out big bucks for fish formerly known as carp, only now, they're called Japanese Koi. People build ponds for them, mutated fish, and all they do is look at them.  They don't even eat them anymore and if you got caught with your fishing pole around somebody's Koi pond, you'd probably get arrested even if you had a fishing license. Dang !


Joke about it, as I may, raising Japanese Koi is serious business. When I researched this critter I found out the regular, old fashioned Carp is a Cyprinus carpio. 

And the carp from Prussia, called a Carassius gibelio got selective breeding giving the world goldfish.

But, if you try and figure out what the scientists call the different Japanese Koi for a Latin name, you're in for a full day's work. Then, you'd be getting into DNA and who done what so, I said the heck with that and decided I'd go check to see how much these critters are really worth.

Well, you can find pages and pages of reputable (I think) online dealers trying to get your credit card number. And that was enough to change my mind. 

It's not like I was trying to order some French perfume or anything.  So, I slammed the laptop shut and took a break.

Not to leave my readers hanging, I went back to see what else I could find that might interest you.  Look what I found.  There's a lot of free stuff, like articles to read but, if you really want to become an authority, you can enroll in a Ten Week Course at the KOI FISH SCHOOL .  Yup.

Now, they've got me wondering.  Like, if I was sure they'd put "Japanese Koi a fish formerly known as Carp" on my diploma, I could go for that !  Wouldn't you ?

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