Koi Keeping Guide: How to Choose and Buy Koi
What are the ways to choose koi? Fish keepers who don't know how to choose koi will surely wonder after buying whether they got ripped off, and this kind of thought often lingers in their minds. So learning how to choose koi becomes especially important. Here are some insights...
Choosing a fish farm
The fish farm should be honest and reliable, offer good service, and be relatively close by. That way, even if the koi run into trouble, you can still get effective service. The fish farm owner must have strong appreciation skills and possess brood koi with excellent bloodlines. You must choose an expert who is careful, responsible, and able to provide after-sales service as your guide, so you can get advice from them in normal times. Choose a fish farm with brisk business: first, you can see many fine koi; second, you won't end up buying stockpiled, spoiled feed.
Body shape and color
Types and quantity
The koi in the pond should be mainly Kohaku,Taisho Sanke, and Showa Sanke, paired with 1-2 Hikarimono (metallic koi) or varietal koi, which is relatively ideal, looking luxurious and beautiful when swimming in a group. If there are too many mixed fish, the beautiful sight of Kohaku and others swimming in a group is ruined. The quantity purchased should depend on the pond's capacity. The wisest keeping method is to keep as few as possible, which greatly benefits the fish's growth and development and the maintenance of water quality. Only when the koi are brightly colored and the water is clear can you enjoy the pleasure of appreciating koi. So keeping few is one of the secrets to keeping koi well. The best time to buy is from September to December each year.
Koi prices
Koi have no fixed price standard, so sometimes even the buyer and the dealer find it hard to decide. In short, a rough price is set based on the koi's quality and size, and of course personal preference also matters. If it is hard to decide, you can refer to the prices listed in foreign koi magazines such as Japan's "Rinko". Normally you should pay more attention to the approximate prices of koi in various places, so you can understand roughly how much a koi of a certain quality, size, and type is worth. Koi prices vary enormously: some are several hundred thousand yuan each, or even over ten million yuan, while others cost just over ten yuan each. Therefore, people of any class can afford them. When buying, it is enough that the price is reasonable and the quality matches your personal preference.