Sasya × Hakuhime Medaka – 紗々×白姫メダカ

A refined evolution of the white-rimmed lineage, born from contrast and careful crossbreeding

Overview
The Sasya × Hakuhime Medaka is a beautifully engineered ornamental medaka variety created by crossing two renowned strains: Sasya Medaka (紗々メダカ) and Hakuhime Medaka (白姫メダカ). This hybrid was developed to enhance visual contrast—specifically, to emphasize a darkened head set against a bright white body, creating an elegant and modern refinement of the original Hakuhime line. In essence, this medaka is an “upgraded Hakuhime,” enriched with depth and structure.

Parent Strains

• Sasya Medaka (紗々メダカ)
  Developed in 2020 by Chacha Medaka, Sasya is a white-bodied medaka with transparent scales and distinct black rim edging. It is notable for maintaining its black pigmentation even in white containers due to its low dorsal light response. The head and fins remain bright, while the body features a soft black overlay, creating refined contrast.
• Hakuhime Medaka (白姫メダカ)
  Released in 2019 by breeder Kazuaki Senoo, Hakuhime is a white transparent-scaled Hikari-bodied medaka selected from the Beni Azami line. Its beauty lies in the clean white base and faint black patterning near the rims of its body. It represents a classic in the white medaka category.

Why Sasya × Hakuhime?
This cross was carefully selected to combine the best features of both lines:

• From Sasya, it inherits the ability to maintain strong head pigmentation and black rimmed scale expression.
• From Hakuhime, it inherits the white luminosity and graceful Hikari-type body.

The result is a medaka with a darkened head that anchors the appearance, and a bright, elegant body that shimmers under natural light. This pattern sharpens the silhouette, especially when viewed from above, offering a high level of aesthetic appeal.

Comparison Example: Wazumi vs. Wazumi A
A similar breeding concept can be seen in the Wazumi A Medaka, which is an enhanced version of the original Wazumi strain. Wazumi A was created by crossing Wazumi with Orochi, resulting in deeper and more consistent black coloration. Likewise, Sasya × Hakuhime aims to bring out the full contrast potential of the white body by anchoring it with darker head tones—serving as a more advanced evolution of the Hakuhime line.

Key Traits of Sasya × Hakuhime Medaka

• Head Coloration: Dark, vivid head inherited from Sasya
• Body Coloration: Clean white body with excellent contrast
• Scale Type: Transparent scales enhance both brightness and rim definition
• Body Shape: Hikari-type, elegant under top and side viewing
• Fixation Rate: Stabilizing with each generation, selectively bred for consistent expression

Breeding & Care Tips

• Best housed in neutral or dark-colored containers to bring out contrast
• Top-view bowls highlight the head/body tone separation best
• Select breeders with strong black head tone and pure white body for consistency
• Feed high-quality color-enhancing food to support visual clarity

Conclusion
The Sasya × Hakuhime Medaka exemplifies how thoughtful crossbreeding can create meaningful progress in ornamental medaka strains. By merging the classic elegance of Hakuhime with the bold definition of Sasya, breeders have created a modern white medaka with depth, contrast, and graceful brilliance. It is a premium choice for those seeking a refined version of a beloved lineage.

Sources / 出典:

• 改良メダカWEB図鑑 – 紗々（さしゃ）メダカ
• 改良メダカWEB図鑑 – 白姫（はくひめ）メダカ
• Photos provided by SNR Korea