Shiro Bekko

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🎨 What do Shiro Bekko Koi look like
🔹 Color composition

Base color: White (Shiro) is dominant, clean and bright.

Sumi (black): Fine black spots that can occur in various places on the body. They are not too prominent, but create a subtle contrast.

White to black ratio: White should be present on most of the body, with black spots in places such as the tail fin, between the gills or on the head.

📍 Body shape

Body: Well balanced, symmetrical with a slightly elongated body, which is characteristic of koi.

Fins: Healthy, strong and moderately long, with good water flow around the body.

Size: They can grow to a length of 60-80 cm, which is an ideal size for garden ponds.

🌊 Requirements for keeping Shiro Bekko Koi
🏡 Pond

Volume: Shiro Bekko require ponds with a volume of at least 3000–5000 liters for one fish and 1000–1500 liters for another fish.

Depth: To maintain a stable temperature and quality water, a depth of 1.2–1.5 meters is ideal. The minimum depth should be 1 meter.

Filtration: Koi are large individuals that produce a large amount of waste. Therefore, high-quality filtration is essential. Combined mechanical and biological filtration systems are suitable.

💧 Water quality

Temperature: Ideal temperatures are between 15–25 °C. In colder conditions, their metabolism will slow down, but at higher temperatures it is necessary to ensure proper aeration of the water.

pH: The optimal pH for koi is between 6.8–8.2. It is important that the pH values ​​are stable.

KH/GH: Stability of water hardness (GH) and alkalinity (KH) is crucial for good health. Ideal values ​​for koi are between 6–10 GH and 3–5 KH.

Oxygenation: The water should be well oxygenated, which can be ensured by aeration or proper water flow.

🍽️ Diet

Koi are omnivores, so their diet should be balanced.

Koi food with a high quality protein content and other ingredients such as spirulina, beta-glucans and astaxanthin to support color are very important.

In summer, they are fed 2-3 times a day in small portions, which should be simplified to a specific koi food.

Wintering: When the water temperature drops below 10 °C, feeding should be completely limited, as koi do not have a high metabolism during the winter and do not require large amounts of food.

🐠 Shiro Bekko Koi Nature

Peaceful Nature: Shiro Bekko is a very calm and balanced fish. It is suitable for ponds where there are other types of koi, as it is not very aggressive towards other fish.

Social Behavior: They like to swim in groups, often moving in close proximity to other fish. They are interactive and often approach the edge of the pond if someone notices them.

Active Swimming: Shiro Bekko is also a very active fish, which likes to move on the surface, but also in the deeper parts of the pond.

🩺 Health Status and Common Problems in Shiro Bekko Koi
⚠️ Common Health Problems

Parasites

Koi are susceptible to various parasites such as Ichthyophthirius (white spot parasite), Trichodina and Costia. These parasites can cause inflammation on the skin or gills.

Bacterial Infections

Common bacterial infections can occur when water quality is poor. Koi are known to be susceptible to Aeromonas and Pseudomonas infections, which can cause fin rot, ulcers, and other skin problems.

Wounds and Injuries

Injuries can occur from sharp objects in the pond or during fights between fish. These wounds can become infected, leading to serious health problems.

Color Changes

Koi can lose their color intensity due to stress, poor diet, or poor water quality. If the color of white or black is not uniform, this may indicate water quality or health problems.

🧪 Prevention

Stable water quality: Regularly check water parameters (pH, hardness, ammonia, nitrite).

Isolate sick fish in quarantine tanks.

Regularly monitor the fish and their behavior.

Vaccinations and use of preventative medications if necessary.

🧱 Shiro Bekko Variants

Shiro Bekko is a basic variety of koi that can have different variants depending on the size, shape and location of the Sumi (black spots). The black spots can be:

Even and symmetrical, or

Scattered randomly over the body.

Some specimens have approximately equal amounts of white and black, while others are more prominently white.

⚖️ Advantages and Disadvantages of Shiro Bekko Koi
👍 Advantages

✅ Peaceful nature: Shiro Bekko are very friendly and peaceful, also suitable for community ponds.
✅ Easy care: With regular water cleaning and feeding, they can be kept healthy and in good condition.
✅ Aesthetic appearance: The different shades of white and black create an elegant and visually interesting appearance in the pond.

👎 Disadvantages

❌ Sensitive to water quality: With insufficient filtration and poor water quality, they can lose their color and be susceptible to infections.
❌ Larger space requirements: Due to their large size, a pond with sufficient water volume and proper filtration is required.