A few years ago, the world of koi was shaken by a phenomenal record sale. A perfect Kohaku koi sold for $1.8 million! It was a large, 9-year-old specimen with bright, red-orange splotches over a flawless white bodice. This female fish was so enchanting that Japanese artists decided to immortalize her in a beautiful illustration, which was displayed during the historical auction.
If you have been dreaming of acquiring your own koi, fret not, for not every koi costs a million dollars. In fact, that wrinkled old 20-dollar bill that has been sitting in your wallet might just get you a decent fish from a reputable pet store. Though not every koi is valued the same, you can be certain that each one has sprung from a rich cultural history and can bring far greater aesthetic value to your pond.
Symbolic of prosperity and longevity, koi are relatively expensive compared to other pond fish. There are many factors that affect their value. These include, but are not limited to, color, genetics, body shape, age, and sex. The more attractive and larger the fish, the more expensive the price. Breeding plays a large role in defining the value of koi. While most domesticated varieties in the US and Europe are accessibly priced, those bred by experts in Japan can easily be worth more than a car!
| Shop | Source | Price | Koi Features/Type |
| Petco | US fish farms | $10 – $17 | Domestic grade-A type |
| Liveaquaria | Standard-quality East Asian farms | $8 – $20 | 2 – 5 inches, imported grade-A type |
| Next Day Koi | Israel | $35 – $650 | Large butterfly koi |
| Kloubec Koi | Advanced koi quarantine facilities (US) | $350 – $2500 | Large to extra-large koi with rare patterns |
| Kodama Koi Farm | Japan-based facilities | Bids up to $16000 | Grade-AAA koi, large to jumbo-sized koi with breeding certification |
| Sakai Fish Farm (auction-based) | Japan | Bids up to $200,000 | Grade-AAA koi, large to jumbo-sized; Grand Champion contenders |
Local pet store chains with online sale platforms, such as Petco and Liveaquaria, usually carry locally-bred or imported grade-A koi with regular fin types. These are the cheapest options for koi, but selected individuals can grow to be quite attractive. Unlike the large to jumbo varieties bred by top-quality farms, these grade-A types rarely exceed a maximum length of 15 inches (38 cm).
The most expensive koi are those of rare genetic lineages. These are exclusively bred in top-quality facilities in Japan and are sold via online or live auctions. The highest-priced individuals tend to be large or jumbo-sized upon sale, which means they have been cared for by the source facilities for many years. Some of these facilities produce fish that become contenders in a prestigious annual event, the All Japan Koi Show, that showcases some of the most highly-valued nishikigoi (Japanese for “living jewels”) in the world.
Factors That Affect the Value of Koi
1) Color & pattern
Centuries of koi breeding have generated fish with stunning colors and patterns. Some koi can appear to have been painted by oriental artists wielding vivid pigments and supremely soft brushes. Neon red-orange, stark black, and a glowing white base is a highly sought-after combination of colors. A solid metallic yellow, shiny grey, or pure white fish are also valued.
Koi that resemble the Japanese flag (‘Tancho Kohaku’) are regarded as highly auspicious and are sought after in Japan. These fish have pure white bodies and a single large bright red spot on their heads. Koi breeders tend to select for sexually mature koi that are more likely to produce offspring with their desired colors. This artificial form of selection is partly what has isolated highly valuable traits in just a handful of expensive koi breeds.
2) Genetics
The most expensive koi fish, and those that become champion fish in international shows, have genetic lineages that can be traced back over several generations. Gosanke is the most valued koi breed, and it includes the following main varieties: Sanke (Taisho Sanshoku), Showa (Showa Sanshoku), and Kohaku. Many of the most advanced and traditional Japanese farms exclusively breed these highly popular varieties in the race to produce koi that are no less than perfect.
Koi competitions and auctions observe strict rules when it comes to placing a value on these breeds. For example, a perfect Sanke koi must have a solid white base completely devoid of any hints of yellow. A Kohaku, on the other hand, must have red markings that are not just vibrant but are well-defined along the edges. These varieties themselves are classified further based on tiny details of patterns and where they occur along the fish’s body. Usually, the rarer the features, the more expensive the fish.
The cheaper domestic varieties that can easily be acquired through your local pet store or through non-specialized online fish shops can be more difficult to classify under a specific breed. These koi generally have mixed parentage and have been reared for private pond or tank use rather than for show. However, some domestic koi are nonetheless beautiful and can grow to be stunning individuals.
3) Body shape & fin type
There’s some controversy behind this factor for pricing in the world of koi enthusiasts. Some traditionalists, especially those in Japan, value the regular fin types as longer fins are considered mutations. If you have a look at Kodama Koi Farm’s roster of koi, you may be hard-pressed to find fish that don’t display the neat, short fins that are characteristic of the most prized breeds.
In the US, however, some breeders favor long-finned koi. They refer to these fish as butterfly koi as their lengthy fins can resemble delicate wings. These fish look dragon-like as even their barbels tend to grow quite long. Those that have attractive colors and patterns are highly valued, but might just be scoffed at by koi purists in Japan. This factor has truly caused some divisiveness, with some purists even doubting the legitimacy of the butterfly-finned varieties as true koi!
4) Size & age
The size of koi, which can be a function of age, considerably affects the price. The Kohaku koi that sold for almost $2M was a behemoth that measured 101 cm (39.8 inches). Unlike pet stores that carry domestic koi, top-quality breeders wait a few years before selling their most prized individuals.
Large and jumbo varieties can be sold at prices that are high enough to outweigh the cost of upkeep for the first few years. They raise the koi for at least 2 – 4 years or until they have reached at least 15 inches (38 cm) long. This is a good way of ensuring customers that the koi are bred from bloodlines that grow quite large, as cheaper varieties rarely reach this length. Moreover, highly valued breeds live considerably long lives (up to 50 years under proper care) as fish, so even a 10-year-old does not become diminished in value.
5) Sex
Sexually mature females of highly-valued koi breeds are usually more expensive than males (as demonstrated by Kodama Koi Farm’s fixed-price catalog). They tend to grow larger in size and have rounded fins. Moreover, robust females can produce thousands of viable eggs to ensure their bloodline’s succession. Breeders are extremely picky in their search for the most beautiful and healthy females. It’s no wonder why the most expensive koi ever sold was a jumbo-sized Kohaku female.
The males of top koi breeds are also very expensive, but are generally easier to acquire. When it comes to domestic koi, however, the price of either sex is relatively close. Oftentimes, pet stores will even sell unsexed koi as they can be tricky to sex before they reach maturity.
How Expensive Are Koi Compared to Other Pond Fish?
Top-quality koi are extremely expensive compared to other pond fish. In fact, they are some of the most expensive aquatic animals in the world. The mere fact that collectors are willing to spend thousands of dollars on a single fish goes to show that they are highly valuable. Another reason why koi are so expensive is their supply is very limited relative to the existing demand.
In shops like Petco and Liveaquaria, grade-A koi are offered at a more balanced price compared to other freshwater fish. If what you’re after are the large beauties that are capable of impressing anyone, you will definitely have to look to specialized breeders and dig deeper into your pockets!
