Koi Breed Spotlight: Tancho

The beautiful thing about koi is that they come in so many varieties, which gives enthusiasts lots of options. One particular breed that will be of interest is the Tancho, which have a number of unique characteristics.

What Are Tancho?

The Tancho is named in honor of a Red Crowned Crane. It shares many similarities, such as a red spot near its head and white colored scales, which is a color combination that many liken to the Japanese flag. It is a sophisticated breed that is hard to find and sought after by experienced collectors, much like butterfly koi. Its distinctive markings also mean that it is easily seen near the pond’s surface. The Tancho are further subdivided into various classifications, with one of the most prized being the Tancho Kohaku. Tancho Showa is another variant, which features a white colored body with black markings and a reddish mark near its forehead.

A third variant is called Tancho Sanke, which also has a white colored body similar to the Tancho Kohaku and Tancho Showa,, but with a collection of red and black markings along with the red head marking which is shared among all the koi Tancho. The markings on Tancho come in multiple shapes, such as heart, blossom, oval, cross, diamond and even square. While these will be acknowledged at competitions and by other enthusiasts, they do not share the same prestige as the perfectly circular hi mark. This mark is referred to in Japanese as being “maruten,” which is similar to the crane of Manchuria as well as Japan’s national bird.

The perfect Tancho marking is that which is restricted the fish’s head, and which does not extend to or touch its eyes, cheeks, shoulder or lips. It must be positioned in such a way where it is perfectly balanced with the head; the marking should also be even, bright and thick with kiwa that is sharp. The white colored background should be pure and thick, and free of distracting blemishes which allows the fish to be etched sharply.

Recommendations For Tancho Care

The Tancho is a rare and possibly expensive breed. Should you be fortunate enough to come into ownership of one, it is important to care for it properly. The fish should be given an adequate amount of space. At minimum, a koi pond should be 1,000 gallons. This is enough to accommodate the fish and their growth. Tancho fish in particular can only be produced when two Tancho adults mate, or two Kohaku. Even when this occurs, there is still no guarantee their offspring will have the reddish mark on their forehead.

If the offspring does have the reddish mark, this is great news, but the bad news is that it might not be permanent. If the environmental conditions aren’t ideal, this spot can fade over time. It is important to remember that koi patterns have a high degree of randomness, and only a few patterns will emerge from one Kohaku spawn. Thus, finding the ideal Tancho is the equivalent of locating a needle within the hay stack, which is why they are so expensive when you do.