Koi fish are some of the world's most expensive pet fish breeds. The high-quality varieties originated in Japan but are now domesticated in various parts of the world. The most expensive koi fish have desirable characteristics that distinguish them from other breeds.
Koi is a common carp fish; its roots can be traced back to over 20 million years ago. Apart from their ornamental beauty, the fish symbolizes good fortune and luck, especially in Japanese culture. Domesticated koi fish are commonly bred in outdoor ponds.
What makes koi fish expensive?
The colouring, lineage, size, variety, and health of koi determine how pricy it is in the market. Bloodlines are crucial price-determining factors because high-quality and rare koi have gone through years of selective breeding.
A single female koi lays thousands of eggs, but the breeder will select ones that have desirable traits to domesticate longer.
What colour koi is most valuable?
There are several skin colour cells, including blue, red, metallic, white, yellow, and black. The price fetched by a particular koi variety depends on colour balance and patterns. The most valuable types can have an all-metallic gold colour, large red patches on the back, or light blue spots.
How much is a koi fish worth?
There are over 100 koi breeds, but some are more expensive than others. The price for a single fish ranges from a few dollars to thousands of dollars. The following are the most expensive koi fish ever sold.
10. Beni Kikokuryu: $2,000
Beni Kikokuryu fish have a lustrous metallic body and come in various colours, including white, blue, silver, and black. These koi varieties can change colour depending on environmental factors like water temperature. Prices vary with skin lustre and can cost a few hundred dollars to over $2,000.
9. Ogon: $2,000
Ogons usually have a metallic shade of gold or yellow, while some, like the Platinum Ogon, have a bright silvery-white colour. The most expensive varieties include the Ginrin hybrids, which have reflective gold with black lining around each shiny scale. Ogon koi varieties usually have solid body colours with no patterns, but some, like the Yamabuki Ogon, have patches of yellow at the base of their pectoral fins.
8. Utsuri: $3,000
Utsuri is a two-toned breed. They have shimmering black bodies with a blending of secondary non-metallic colours, including yellow (Ki Utsuri), orange (Hi Utsuri), or white (Shiro Utsuri). These breeds can grow up to 40 inches long and are some of the most expensive koi varieties.
7. Asagi: $3,000
Purebred varieties have luminous blue scales with splotches of orange, but you can also find some with white pigmentation (Taki Asagi) or red pigmentation (Hi Asagi). Older fish are generally more expensive because colour pigmentation develops in adulthood.
6. Doitsu: $3,000
Doitsu breeds are also called the German Koi. They are the least shiny varieties because they have few or no scales. Common Doitsu colours are orange, yellow, white, and black. Shiny Doitsu is among the most expensive breeds.
5. Tancho: $3,000
Tancho (which translates to the red sun) varieties have white bodies with a large orange-red mark, splotch, or circle at the top of their heads. Their colours resemble the Japanese flag, making it a priced possession among koi lovers in the country. Tancho's bodies are uniquely flawless and unblemished.
4. Sanke: $6,000
Sanke breeds have white, red, and black bodies with distinctive white and red colours on their heads. They are among the first tricolour breeds to be developed by breeders. Sanke species are distinguished from the Showa koi varieties by the number of colours on the head. Showa fish have three colours on their head compared to two, which is the case for Sanke heads.
3. Matsuba: $10,000
Matsuba has unique leaf-shaped or pinecone patterns. Despite their contrasting scale patterns, they are classified under the Hikari Muji class (made up of koi with one solid colour). Their scales have dark centres outlined by edges that display the fish's body colour.
2. Showa: $16,000
Showa are known for their three dominant colours: white, black, and orange-red. They are the aquatic equivalent of calico cats. Expensive varieties have a precise amount and placement of each colour. Small Showa breeds can be acquired for a few hundred dollars but the price increases with size and beauty.
1. Kohaku: $1.8 million
Which koi fish was sold for $1.8 million? A large female Kohaku called S Legend was sold for a record $1.8 million in Japan during the All Japan Show in 2017, making it the world's most expensive koi fish ever sold. The fish was nine years old and about three feet long with white and red-orange splotches. Kohaku varieties are some of the oldest breeds, and buyers usually spend from $100 to over $15,000 depending on several price-determining factors.
What does seven koi fish mean?
In Japan, the seven koi fish symbolizes ultimate luck, prosperity, and good fortune. The number is associated with the seven Harajuku Gods, representing ambition, courage, longevity, reliability, friendship, health, and happiness.
How long do koi fish live?
Koi fish have an average lifespan of between 25 to 50 years. The oldest koi ever recorded lived up to 226 years. To ensure long life, the breeder should consider preventative health care, nutrition, pond conditions, and water quality. Genetics also affect koi's lifespan.
The above world's most expensive Koi fish varieties all have exceptional qualities that make them ideal pets for fish lovers. To own one of those, you must be willing to part with a lot of money because good things do not come cheap.
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