Bekko Koi (be-coh)
White, Red, or Yellow Koi with Black Markings
The Bekko is a solid colored non-metallic koi fish with black (sumi) spots on the body. Bekko koi are produced in three colors; white, red and yellow. The white variety is called a Shiro Bekko. It is a clean white koi fish with the addition of black spots. The Aka Bekko is a red or orange koi with black spots, and the Ki Bekko is a yellow koi fish with black spots. The Ki Bekko or yellow version is the rarest.
Sumi placement is important when evaluating a Bekko koi fish. The sumi patches on a Bekko should appear uniformly on the Koi's back. They should be only located above the lateral line, and never ahead of the shoulder region. The Bekko head should be free of any black pigment, spots or pattern. Its fins, however, are generally white and may have intermittent sumi stripes which often help to maintain balance of the sumi pattern.
The Bekko is generally one of the first varieties that a beginner koi hobbyist learns to recognize and is a very popular fish for Japanese koi ponds and water gardens. As a breeder of Japanese koi, the Bekko and Butterfly koi are produced at the Kloubec Koi Farm.
