Finding & Purchasing Japanese Koi Fish for Your Pond
Koi are the most beautiful pets in the world. If you are a long time koi enthusiast, or a newcomer to these amazing underwater, pets you know that the variations, colors, and patterns of koi make the carp species exceptionally stunning.
And you are not alone. People all over the earth collect and showcase these prized pets. Koi are inspiring for their beauty and even gifted artists love capturing the designs, colors, and grace of koi. Preparing for koi means building your pond just right and getting the environment perfect for sustaining and enjoying your new pets.
Then comes the fun part! Finding the perfect koi pets to populate your pond. Unfortunately, the process of shopping for koi for sale can mean more stress than fun. With big prices, huge variations, and confusing ownership issues, many can wonder where to go to get the best value. You want healthy, beautiful koi you can enjoy for years! Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered in your search for the perfect koi. We can help make buying koi almost as enjoyable as keeping them as pets. We’ll show you how.
Need help finding the perfect place to buy koi? Wondering what to look for? We’ve put together a guide to help every step of the way. Now let’s have some fun buying koi together. Here we go:
Preparing to Buy
Buying koi can be so much fun it’s easy to overdo it. In that way, buying koi is a lot like buying anything else. If you’re like us you have gone to the mall looking for one specific thing. And then you’ve left with a carload of stuff. Koi can be the same. Preparation is the key to not overdoing it right away. Here are some items to consider:
- Initial Budget
- Ongoing Budget
- Investment Potential
- Varieties
Knowing how much you want to spend now and later will really help you get started. Plus, getting realistic about your goals with koi for sale can assist in your budget too.
Window shopping is your next task. Or pond shopping, we call it. Take in the different colors, sizes, patterns, and scales of different koi. It’s sure to start to inspire you. Not sure where to look first? There are many places to buy koi. But hold off on buying just yet. For now, we are just looking at the possibilities.
Seeing Beautiful Koi
When shopping for koi for sale one of the best parts is looking at the amazing variations. Where can you get inspiration?
- Koi Shows: There are regional shows and groups all over the United States.
- Koi Dealers
- Koi Breeders
- Auctions
- Online
We love looking through the National Geographic “Your Shot” tags for #koi. We’re already anxious to buy more koi!
Where Can You Find Koi for Sale
Just as there are a variety of colors, patterns, sizes of koi, there are a variety of places to purchase koi too. Each has their own distinct benefits and issues in terms of price, quality, and customer satisfaction. You can purchase koi:
- At Auction
- Through Breeders and Farms
- From a Specialty Retailer
- At Shows and Koi Events
- Online
Read the reviews and choose a trusted koi dealer. Don’t be fooled by photos alone. You want to choose someone with a history of caring for koi. Consider the quality and price of shipping too when buying koi.
Consider Shipping Too
When dealing with a specialty dealer you will want to account for shipping when purchasing koi for sale. The quality of packaging, shipping, and arrival will impact your price. It also can impact your enjoyment if your seller doesn’t use professional services and packaging. But once you know your sellers and shipping you can start thinking about the types of koi you’d like to buy.
Koi Species
Koi come in different species and types. Each has its own distinct qualities, colors, and patterns. Some classes include:
- Asagi/Shusui
- Bekko
- Ginrin
- Goshiki
- Hirenaga
- Hikarimoyo
- Hikari Muji
- Hikari Utsuri
- Kawarigoi
- Kokaku
- Koromo
- Kujaku
- Kumonru
- Sanke
- Sowa
- Tancho
- Utsuri Mono
In addition, we have put together a comprehensive koi library to discuss subtypes and variations. Once you get acquainted with the incredible varieties koi for sale offer, you’ll want to know what to look for too.
What To Look For
Koi are specifically bred for patterns, colors, and health. What should you look for in your koi? At shows and auctions, the koi experts look for:
- clear and distinct patterns
- uniform colors
- size
- symmetry
- overall health
You will also want to take age into account. 7 years is mature for a koi and 20 years is moving towards an older fish. Age and health will also determine which koi for sale is right for you.
Health
Koi have a typical lifespan of 25 years. But some can live up to 200 years. When purchasing your Koi size is a major consideration. Koi come in a variety of sizes and weights. Of primary importance in buying koi from a provider is trusting the health of the fish. You want koi that will last. And grow to be big and mature.
Buying The Big Fish
Size is a major consideration when purchasing a healthy koi for your pond. Depending on their age, health, and breeding, koi can get enormous. A koi can even be as large as a 12-year-old child and weigh close to 90 lbs. This is extremely large, considering the bigger koi for sale typically hover around 25 lbs.
Whether you are looking for larger or more average size koi, you won’t have to break the bank. But knowing how expensive champion koi can get will give you an idea of how valuable koi are considered for aficionados.
Breaking the Bank
You’ve heard stories of the high price of tuna? Fishermen report businessmen waiting for tuna ships to come back to dick to bid on the expensive delicacy. In 2013, a bluefin tuna weighing 222 kilograms was sold for 155.4 million yen, or 1.8 million dollars, at auction. News stories called the tuna “The World’s Most Expensive Fish.” That might be true for fish you eat. But some koi can command high prices on the market and are considered very valuable too.
Because of their beauty, long life and hours of enjoyment, a koi fish you keep as a pet can be almost as expensive as a record-breaking tuna. The record for a live fish leaves that record-breaking tuna in its wake. A champion ginrin showa koi sold for a staggering sum in 1982. The 30 inch long koi had won koi shows in Japan in 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1980.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists this koi as the most expensive live fish of all time. The Adjusted for inflation that is $387,775.59. Compared pound for pound, the koi is almost 10 times more expensive! Because of their possible price tags, koi for sale don’t just provide enjoyment. They also have major income potential.
Investment Potential
Koi are believed to increase your personal luck. They can also be lucky for your bank account. With record sales and huge auction prices, there is a major upside for choosing healthy koi, breeding them properly, and increasing their resale value. Many newly wealthy investors from around the world are looking to koi as a way to make additional revenues and enjoy these lovely pets.
For newcomers, it’s often better to master the basics of koi care and pond maintenance before moving toward making money from koi. And koi don’t have to be expensive to be of great health, quality, and beauty. Don’t let those staggering auction prices and sales records scare you off. Once you know the options, where to look, and what to look for, you will find koi that are perfect for your pond at an affordable price. You’re not just making an investment for your bank account. You are investing in your home and the enjoyment of your family, friends, loved ones, and visitors.
Finding the right koi for your budget and needs can be as easy as knowing where to look exactly.
Koi for Sale Can Be Both High Quality and Affordable
While koi can be intimidating to buy with record breaking sales, high investment potential, and sometimes steep price tags, the entire process can also be a joy. As long as you have a trusted dealer who provides quality pets you’ll find healthy, quality fish at a reasonable price. Finding koi for sale doesn’t have to be scary or stressful. We can help.
At National Pond Service, we help people who want to enjoy a koi pond every step of the way. With pond evaluation, monthly service, repair services, and continuing education programs we help koi enthusiasts keep their pets healthy and enjoyable. We even help our customers find the perfect koi to fill their beautiful ponds with. For a great selection of healthy, beautiful koi, we have everything you need. You can even keep an eye on our blog for sales and come visit our koi pond and see the beautiful fish we offer. But why wait?
Visit us now to start filling your pond with a great selection of koi to choose from.
