What changed
- A new variety. Matsuba is a solid red or yellow koi with a black net over its scales: Aka Matsuba (red) and Ki Matsuba (yellow). Metallic ones get the hobby's own names, Aka Matsuba Ogon and Kin Ki Matsuba. Gin Matsuba was already in the game as a metallic Mizu Asagi.
- The net. Black pigment on the rim of every scale, strongest down the back and fading over the flanks, so the sides stay the plain base colour. The head has no scales, so it stays clean. On a Doitsu Matsuba only the few big scales carry it.
- Taken from the Ogon draws. 35% of the koi that roll Ogon become Matsuba instead, through a roll added after every other gene. Every other seed keeps the koi it had, including the ones on the variety sheet the judge reviewed. About 5% of koi are now Matsuba and 9% Ogon (was 14%). Six in ten are red, three in ten metallic.
- Rarity and grade. Matsuba scores as a scarce line, like Asagi, so a plain one is Uncommon. It's judged like other solid koi (body, finish and skin evenness), which gives about 5% Champion.
Why
A r/Koi judge listed Matsuba first among the varieties we were missing, and it's mostly built from parts we already had: the Asagi scale net and the solid skin of an Ogon. Matsuba and Ogon are bred alongside each other, so taking the new variety out of the Ogon draws suits the hobby as well as keeping old seeds stable.
