Today there about 100 named koi varieties, with patterns ranging from solid colors to splotches and stripes in oranges, yellows, reds, black and white.

In koi shows, the fish are judged not only on their amazing color patterns, but their body confirmation, fin placement and many other long-established standards — just like a grand champion steer.

In fact, fish inhabiting coral reefs produce a broad range of color patterns—bars, stripes, and spots—and have the most diverse pigment cell types among all vertebrates.

The genetic underpinnings of pigmentation and colour patterning in fish encompass a complex interplay of gene regulation, cell fate determination and evolutionary innovation. Neural crest cells ...

People in other communities also can see Novy’s koi. In the last decade, he's painted the fish in places like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Toronto — even Hawaii.