Yamato Nishiki

Yamato Nishiki is the name given to the metallic version of Sanke.  The muted, matte colors of the Sanke are replaced by the bright, vibrant metallic colors of Yamato Nishiki.

Yamato Nishiki are bred by crossing Sanke brood stock with Platinum Ogon brood stock.

What To Look For

Generally, the guidelines for Yamato Nishiki follow the same guidelines for Sanke.  A clean, solid white base is preferred, with no flaws or blemishes marring the base color.

The black (sumi) patterns should be spaced evenly about the body, and should not be confined to only one side or one end of the body.  The sumi patterns should be solid and consistent, with no "windows" of orange or white showing through in the middle. 

The matte red in Sanke is generally replaced by a bright orange color in Yamato Nishiki.  This orange color should be of the same tone and hue across the entire body, and should accent the sumi patterns.  Additionally, the orange should stop around the eyes, and should not extend all the way down the head to cover the nose.

Although these are the guidelines for a high quality Yamato Nishiki, it can be quite difficult to find one that meets these high standards, as Yamato Nishiki are quite rare.

Variations of Yamato Nishiki

Butterfly Yamato Nishiki have long and flowing fins, as opposed to the short and rounded fins seen on traditional Yamato Nishiki.

For more Yamato Nishiki images, check out the Yamato Nishiki Image Gallery and Butterfly Yamato Nishiki Image Gallery.