I always wondered if the "rules" for selecting a tosai calico goldfish (ranchu, demekin or oranda) are the same as that of choosing tosai showa?
In tosai showa (from my limited understanding):
1. Beni that is orangey will later turn brilliant red as fish matures
2. Don't choose a "finished" fish but rather, a fish for tomorrow. That includes sumi that is not too defined or too much.
Or, rules do not apply as goldfish have much shorter lives thus a 6 month old goldie is wayyyyy older than a tosai koi. I ask because I once bought an absolutely stunning calico demekin only to see it become very black and dirty-looking over the years. I got a fully red-head, red finned, white bodied ranchu only to see it change to totally bland orange over the years. Your thoughts?