If you are even remotely interested in pets or animals in general, you will probably have realized that live koi are extremely popular today.  While some people invest in koi fish because of the hype, other people who are genuine fish lovers look at them as prized possessions.  Regardless, this Japanese bred carp fish is a major attraction in the home because of how beautiful and colorful it is.  And what is even better is that the koi fish can live for 20 years or more and grow to over 3 feet in some cases.  For fish lovers, the koi fish is definitely a good investment.

Things like the class, quality, price bracket and source of the Japanese koi are important factors before you make your purchase.  Koi fish of different classes and quality will have varying prices because some of them are more in demand than others and hence will cost much more.  Depending on your budget, you may or may not be able to get the koi fish you truly want.  Also bear in mind that maintaining the koi fish and keeping them healthy is a key factor you need to make sure you have the kind of money need to do that.  These fish thrive best when they are fed properly and medicated when needed to prevent them from getting disease.

You should also consider and note that koi fish are probably the greediest fish you will ever come across.  Especially when the temperatures are warmer, they tend to eat a lot more so be prepared to have enough money to keep your koi fish fed.

When buying live koi fish, here are some other factors you need to consider before making your final purchase:

  • Koi fish are healthier when feed low protein foods.  Bear this in mind when you are stocking up on food supplies for your fish.
  • As koi fish grow older, their value increases as long as you keep them healthy.  If you are rearing koi fish for investment purposes, this should be a good point for you to note.
  • Koi fish tend to be very aggressive and will jump and perform tricks just to get a little bit of food.  Therefore, look out for extra active koi fish so you do not get your fingers nipped.
  • If properly cared for, koi fish can grow up to 40 inches long within 5 to 10 years.  At that size, you can expect to sell your high-class koi for about $3000.  Other species can even sell for more.

Once you offer your koi fish the best care possible, you can easily end up with a companion for up to 70 years, depending on the species.  Just consider all of the factors mentioned before so you know what you are getting into and can sustain the life of your koi fish.

Article tags: koi carp