Amur Carp (koi fish)

The ornamental koi are not naturally occurring so why do Ornamental koi merfolk also exist? Understand this: Even menfolk have secrets.

Merfolk Generalisations

The differences in Koi merfolk and Amur Carp merfolk, you will find at first glance seem stark.

The Koi merfolk are often brought up in a sanctuary of their own, only to be left at one of the main sanctuaries for their adult registration. They are more educated and well read than most merfolk as they begin their journey as adults, often fluent in the human tongue.

The Amur Carp Merfolk, however, are much like many other wild merfolk, starting off with only the most basic of education, you'll find they are often shy of humans and better at concealment than their koi cousins. However, just like their koi cousins they have a good memory so do not offend them for they'll surely remember you.

The Amur and the koi merfolk have both an intuitive grasp of magic, and should they survive to a ripe age are capable of becoming skilled wielders with a deep understanding, especially in the nebulous realms of fortune and fate.

The koy will often bring wealth and prosperity to the individuals around them. Even before they properly know how to wield their magic. Though the Amur Carp merfolk seldom learn to wield their magic as skillfully nor is their magic as potent, do not look down on them for that.

The Amur Carp is like the koi's ugly sibling, While it's powers seldom affects any individual directly it's effects are much more far reaching on the lands and waters around it. Should you bid it welcome the land and waters will prosper, should you treat them ill, given enough time, the land will wither and the life in the waters shall wane.

As for Sex, You'll find that young merfolk of this variety are quite up for a shag should the water temperatures be warm enough. Many mermaids of this variety, are tolerant towards all kinds of courting, no matter how sloppy or rude. And won't bat an eye when sex get's physical.

Should you be so bold as to have sex in public, do not be surprised if the male mermen of this species come to join the fun. While they mind their own business most of the time or be attentive and pleasant guests at any party that has food involved, when it comes to sex these mermen have a tendency to act first with enthusiasm and ask questions later.

Koi merfolk will soon grow out of this phase however, becoming less easily moved by sex and often turn to peacefully feeding their appetite or cultivating their knowledge and spirituality.

The Amur Carp, though harder to win over, like the koi, make for solid friends. And Deeply rewarding, long lasting friendships.

A Kohaku koi mermaid with a human child friend

The Amur Carp, the true appearance should ornamental koi be allowed to live wild and free

Amur & Koi characteristics in detail

Contextual understanding: The Amur Carp a complex complex creature but also a very simple one.

Complex because of its prosperous, but cruel relationship with humans. Although unpalatable to the human tongue, it has been raised through selective breeding and meticulous culling to cultivate its outward appearance from the Amur Carp into the koi fish.

Simple because the koi, even after such harsh breeding and cross breeding, retains the heart of the Amur. A resilient, omnivorous, but generally, vegetarian bottom feeding fish.

Appearance & features

These fresh water fish have toothless mouths but possess pharyngeal teeth instead, enabling them to chew whatever they find in the pond or river bed, their barbels, tentacle like protrusions, which corners of their mouths acts as a tongue of sorts to feel and taste their environment and food.

These fish also have decent vision and exceptional hearing under water thanks to their webarian organ.

These fish tend to reach sexual maturity at around the age of 2-3 after which they are reproductive for the following 7 years. The wild Amur Carp is capable of reaching the age of 20, while the domesticated koi tend to have a lifespan beten 25 to 35 years. Exceptionaly well breed and well cared for koi have been known to live to become a century or to old, however.

koi, when fully grown will reach a length ranging from 60-90 cm (24 - 36 inches). But some koi varieties, given the right conditions will can grow to become well over 1 meter long.

Distinguishing genders of the koi may seem daunting, but after reaching sexual maturity the male will develop small barbs on it's operculum gill covers and girdle bone (aka. oyabone, the leading ray of the pectoral fin) not visible to the eye, they are rough to the touch, while the females remain smooth.

Female koi will also have a slot shaped vent, compared to the male's rounded one. Should the male koi be in it's sexually active years it may even produce sperm should their vent be squeezed.

Asside form theis distinguishing features male's tend to have a more slenderly built body finns long whith a quick development and darkening of it's patterns, while female koi tend to have a plumper body with more rounded fins and is slower to develop its colouration. This is merely a tendency, however, and not a distinkt characteristic.

A female koi's vent used both to release eggs and excretion

Behaviour

Koi and Amur carps are usually placid creatures, only caring for food and a tranquil existence, The will swim close to the bottom of a pond or river bed where they will sift through the silt and suck up or crunch anything edible they find. This stirs up the bottom of the pond or river bed leading to the waters they dwell in to often become mucky. A mechanism that benefits them for it obscures the view of any would be predators. Should a predator, such as a fox, heron or king fisher be close by the will hide under overhangs or rocks surfacing more infrequently to swallow air to regulate their buoyancy, or should they be kept by land dwellers, for food.

In great number they may cause trouble to the river ecology, their incessant appetite devouring the underwater vegetation and leading to low levels of oxygen in the water. However, they can also keep an important role of controlling the alert and stop them from **** a pond. And will not eat fully grown floating plants such as water Lillies.

Koi in particular are intelligent fish possessing a good long term memory and well enough adapted to humans to be able to recognize individual faces and respond to verbal cues. Should their environment suddenly change or they are introduced into a new environment, they will jump out of the water to investigate the surroundings. Once they trust is gained they will remain loyal seeking out social interactions with said beloved individual.

Their appetite will only wane when they are stressed, sick or when a female is baring eggs. When the waters warm up over 18°C (65°F) it signals the start of the mating season. The female will begin to fatten with eggs and will clean the rocks in the pond for its future spawn. When it is ready, an orgy commences, lasting from several hours to a couple of days.

During this period males will flock to incessantly harras a single female, trying to pin her against a hard surface and bash into her belly in an attempt to have her pop out some eggs while they release their semen. Female's in turn will seek out areas they believe their eggs will easily latch on to.

After this exhausting affair, the female may be quite brused and ruffed up, but she will, like the males, return to seeking out food, leaving the fate of the eggs up to destiny... A destiny which may well end up back in the mother's stomach as nourishment.

There are countless varieties among the koi, every one with their own characteristics and aesthetics