Otsuka Aka Matsuba | Female | 55 cm
SKU: OGT-AMA-OTS-F-55-2601-045
Look at the scales along the back. Every one carries a distinct dark centre, giving that pinecone effect the variety is named for.
What makes this fish stand out is consistency. The pattern runs evenly from shoulder to tail without blurring, patching out or losing definition down the flanks.
That uniformity is the hard part in Matsuba. Plenty of fish show it in one area and lose it in another.
Clean solid head
The head is deep unbroken red with no reticulation creeping onto the face.
That contrast — plain head against a heavily netted body — is exactly what an Aka Matsuba should show. It’s the first thing anyone judging one checks.
Deep warm red
The base colour is a rich, warm red that runs right through the body rather than sitting thin over the scales.
Colour carries into the fins too, which finishes the fish properly. A Matsuba with pale fins always looks unfinished against one like this.
Female at 55cm
She is a confirmed female at 55cm — a substantial fish with real presence.
Size works in a Matsuba’s favour more than in most varieties. Each scale is physically larger, so the reticulation reads clearly from across a pond rather than needing a close look. Females also continue building body volume, and this pattern only gains from that.
Why Matsuba works in a pond
Single-colour koi are underrated by newer buyers and prized by experienced ones.
There’s no pattern to fault and nothing to fade unevenly. What you get is depth of colour and scale definition, and both improve with age rather than breaking down.
Body and finish
Well-proportioned body with good width through the shoulders. Fins well-formed and undamaged.
About Otsuka
Otsuka is a respected Niigata breeder, and their work in solid-colour and Matsuba varieties is consistently strong.
Scale definition of this quality is a breeding trait, not luck.
Collection only
Held in clean quarantine and viewable by appointment. No live shipping — collection in person only.
WhatsApp or call 079 185 4092 to book a viewing or request video.
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