Koi Fish

Koi fish, or Nishikigoi, are the product of several centuries of selective breeding of the common brown Asian carp and the German carp.  The first color mutations appeared about 1805.

Koi are available in all colors from the purest white, through yellow, orange, red, near-lavender, blues, greens and coal black, in limitless combinations.

Most popular in Japan are the Kohaku, a pure white fish with persimmon-red patches arranged in a stepping stone pattern.

In the USA, favorite types run the gamut from the legendary "Big Three" (Kohaku, Taisho Sanke, and Showa Sanke, the last two appreciated for varying proportions of white, black and red) to the eye catching Ogons, metallic fish that look like they have been hammered from gold or platinum.

New developments are the long fin or butterfly Koi and the Gin Rin Koi, where each scale sparkles like a diamond.



to produce a beautiful garden in japan. Fish is one of the important elements in the production of garden

In Western Washington, Koi can be purchased from several importers of Japanese Koi, from pet stores or from garden centers.  They are raised commercially in Japan, Singapore, Israel, and in most temperate American states, especially California.  They are usually offered in sizes ranging from three to twenty-four inches.  Japanese shows are filled with  "Jumbos" which exceed three feet in length.
Koi starter fish may be purchased for as little as several dollars with nice fish going from about $25 to many hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Koi are omnivorous and will eat a great variety of foods.  Special Koi food can be purchased.  Many keepers supplement them with trout chow, catfish chow, bread, Cheerios, peas, lettuce, spinach, fresh shrimp, earthworms and krill.  A real treat for Koi is watermelon.  On occasion Koi have eaten slugs!