Medaka Color Variety Catalog: Youkihi, Miyuki & Tricolor

Thanks to recent selective breeding, medaka now come in an astonishing array of color variations. Here's a guide to popular ornamental medaka varieties organized by body color and body type.

Choosing by Body Color

Youkihi (Yang Guifei) - **Features**: Beautiful deep orange to vermilion body color. A staple ornamental medaka variety - **Difficulty**: Low (beginner-friendly) - **Price range**: Several hundred to several thousand yen (high-grade specimens cost more) - **Tips**: Color intensifies with sunlight exposure. Looks stunning in dark containers

Miyuki (Hikari) - **Features**: Blue-white luster (body glow) runs along the back. Graded by glow intensity - **Difficulty**: Medium - **Price range**: Several hundred to tens of thousands of yen (full-body glow commands premium prices) - **Tips**: Best appreciated from above where the body glow is most visible

Tricolor (Sanshoku) - **Features**: Mix of white, red-orange, and black. High individual variation means no two are alike - **Difficulty**: Medium to high (difficult to fix the pattern) - **Price range**: Several hundred to tens of thousands of yen - **Tips**: Strong black patterning (sumi) is considered higher quality

Lame (Glitter) Types - **Features**: Sparkling, glittering scales on the body. Often crossed with Miyuki and other varieties - **Difficulty**: Medium - **Price range**: Several hundred to tens of thousands of yen

Choosing by Body Type

Daruma (Short-Body) - **Features**: Shortened spine creates a rounded body. Swimming appearance is charming - **Difficulty**: High (fragile, often has difficulty spawning) - **Price range**: Higher - **Note**: Temperature management is especially important. More likely to occur at high summer temperatures

Semi-Daruma - **Features**: Slightly less extreme than full Daruma. Not as demanding to manage - **Difficulty**: Medium - **Tips**: Intermediate appearance between Daruma and normal body type

Long-Fin (Matsui Long-Fin) - **Features**: Fins extend longer than normal, spreading elegantly - **Difficulty**: Medium - **Tips**: Be careful with equipment that could damage fins

Selection Tips

• Clarify your purpose: Whether for breeding or viewing affects variety choice
• Check difficulty level: Beginners should start with basics like Youkihi or Miyuki
• View in dark containers: Most ornamental medaka look best in dark-colored containers

Benefits of Buying from Breeders

On Bri-Choku, you can purchase diverse varieties from medaka specialist breeders.

• High-grade specimens: Carefully selected beautiful individuals directly from breeders
• Variety accuracy: Correctly labeled breeds from bloodline-managed stock
• Rare varieties available: Access to the latest breeds that circulate only among breeders