Koi Identification Guide
How to identify koi and distinguish them from goldfish and wild carp.
Read the full Koi encyclopedia entry →
Koi are ornamental varieties of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), bred for color and kept in ponds worldwide.
Key identification features
- A long, robust, torpedo-shaped body larger than a goldfish.
- Two pairs of barbels at the corners of the mouth — the key feature that separates koi from goldfish.
- Bold color patterns: white, red, black, orange, yellow, blue, and metallic combinations.
- A single long dorsal fin.
Koi vs. goldfish vs. carp
- Goldfish: rounder body and no barbels.
- Wild Common Carp: same barbels but plain olive-brown, not brightly patterned.
Recognizing popular varieties
- Kohaku: white body with red markings.
- Sanke: white with red and black markings.
- Showa: black body with red and white.
Where you'll see one
Koi live in ornamental garden ponds. A large, colorful carp-shaped fish with barbels is a koi; the same shape without barbels is a goldfish.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell koi from goldfish?
Koi have two pairs of barbels at the mouth and a longer body; goldfish have no barbels and a rounder shape.
Are koi just big goldfish?
No — koi are colored varieties of common carp, a different species from goldfish, and they have barbels that goldfish lack.
Koi identified by the community
Recent Koi catches identified with Fish Identifier.
