How to Buy Koi Fish

Buy koi fish for your backyard pond.

Whether you are a koi enthusiast or simply a garden pond owner who wants to raise fish, there are several important tips to follow when buying these beautiful creatures. Read on to learn how to buy koi fish.

Things You'll Need

• Pond store or koi farm
• Existing pond

Instructions

1. Prepare your pond or water garden to receive the koi fish. Koi can grow quite large, so a larger pond is ideal. The depth should be anywhere from 18 inches to several feet. Movement of water, such as a waterfall or fountain, is ideal for oxygenating the water. However, koi fish enjoy calm, still areas to rest in as well.

2. Visit a reputable koi fish farm or breeder or a pond store where koi fish are available for sale. Choose a pond store or koi farm by recommendation from a friend, or by visiting several and picking the one you like the best. The pond where the koi are kept should have clear, odor-free water. The shop itself should have quality supplies, and knowledgeable employees.

3. Purchase young koi fish to save money and reduce the risk of losing money if any fish die in the move from the shop to your own pond. Young koi in attractive colors can be purchased for $5 to $10 dollars. Show-quality adult koi fish can fetch thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars.

4. Choose koi fish for their color, patterns, and health. If you do not intend to show or breed the koi fish, choose colors that you like and that will show up well in your pond or water garden. Colors should be bright and well-defined on the fish. Check the health of the fish by examining scales for breaks or gaps, any sign of parasites such as growths or red areas, bulging eyes, and any odd behavior or difficulty swimming.

5. Purchase several koi fish for your pond or water garden. The actual number will depend on the size of your pond, but there should never be less than four or five koi fish in a pond. It is best to buy the koi fish from the same supplier at the same time.

6. Introduce the koi fish to your pond slowly and carefully. Begin by floating the bag of water and air the koi fish come in on top of your pond for up to an hour. This will help regulate the water temperatures. Then, create a gradual exchange of water until the koi are ready to be released.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn about water parameters and feeding of koi fish before purchasing them.

• Never buy sick koi fish in the hopes of nursing them back to health.