Tattoos are often done by people in order to put a symbol of good luck on their bodies. While many people put good luck tattoos out of superstition, there are many who get them for the attractiveness and style value. Some people get tattoos from a symbolic point of view. Dolphins and many other fishes are popular tattoo ideas for people since they are considered good luck charms in many religions. Wrists, ankles, neck and other areas are prone to such fish tattoos and many people even prefer to get full size fish tattoos on their backs where even the marine habitat or waves of water is inked onto the flesh. The Japanese Koi fish is one of the most popular tattoo designs involving fishes.

The Koi fish which is popular because of its colourful appearance which looks amazing when depicted in body art is a Japanese fish which has been a symbol of tenacity and good luck in Japanese mythology for ages. Even the Chinese use the Koi to denote the same traits as the Japanese. In addition, the Koi can stand for a symbol of romantic love and affection which is also another reason for its popularity. The Koi is a fish which commands a certain personality of its own which when drawn on a person's body transfers the same trait to the holder of the tattoo. This is a reason for the Koi tattoo's need for enough space in order to depict the true meaning behind the artwork.

The fish Koi is a symbol of determination and struggle which has been the way that the Japanese have looked at the fish for years. The fish has a peculiar quality of trying to swim upstream which gives it the aura of determination and struggle as mentioned above. People often use the Koi fish to denote the struggles in their own lives which seem like an effort to swim up stream in a flowing river. The same traits are interpreted by the Buddhist communities as fearlessness and rigour which is another way to depict these qualities in a person through the art work on his or her body. The Koi fish has gained popularity because of these deep meanings.

A huge advantage of getting a Koi tattoo done is that it provides ample space for the use of different colours. A person going for a group of Koi fish on his or her body may choose to have each fish in a different colour which brings out the beauty and true essence of the fish and the tattoo itself. Valerie Althorpe