Buying Koi (Part 1)

One of the most enjoyable parts of the koi hobby is, of course, choosing a new resident for your pond. However, you can sometimes be disappointed if you've overlooked things that only become apparent upon closer inspection, or if the koi develops completely differently than you'd imagined. You're not the first to come home with a koi with only one eye. In a series of articles, I'll try to give you tips you can use when choosing a new addition to your pond.

Judging
When judging koi at a koi show, four aspects are important:

The body (referring to the body shape of the koi)
The skin quality (intensity of the colors)
The pattern
The "overall" appearance (the elegance of the koi)

While you might never plan to participate in a koi show, it's still worth delving into these four aspects that can make or break a koi. Especially when buying young koi, you're often seduced by a beautiful pattern and don't pay enough attention to body shape and skin quality, which can lead to the fish becoming unsatisfactory as they grow. What good is a nice pattern if the fish turns out to be lopsided or the colors fade? Exactly; nothing! Much suffering can be avoided by adhering to a few basic requirements for a potential koi. Of course, not everything can be predicted, but that's what makes following a koi's development so exciting.

Koi, aren't those absurdly expensive fish?
Good koi are expensive, but if you can select the best fish from a sale tank within your price range, you'll get the maximum return (read: enjoyment) from them. They don't always have to be Grand Champions, costing tens of thousands of euros each, but you do want value for your money. Obviously, you can generally expect less from a tosai (one-year-old fish) costing €15 than from one costing €500. As long as the price/quality ratio is good, you'll always get your money's worth, regardless of your budget. Of course, it should be noted that the value of koi can't always be expressed in monetary terms. I know many people who will never part with their first (ugly) koi, purely for its sentimental value, or because they don't want to part with that fat one because it's always the first to eat from your hand. Finally, I want to emphasize that this series of articles is not intended to influence your taste; ultimately, you should buy what you like. After all, you'll be looking at that fish for years to come. No, this series is only intended to protect you from mistakes that may later make you regret your purchase.

To be continued! ( click here for part 2 )