How are koi priced?

When you visit the Nisei Koi Farm you will see state of the art greenhouses, acres of mud ponds and a glimpse of the labor required run the farm. If you are lucky and visit on a day when culling is taking place, you will also see the thousands of koi that don't make the "grade" to be sold under the Quality Koi Company name. However, it actually comes down to the analyzing each individual koi, that helps understand how they are valued.

Similar to diamonds, the breeder has four main elements he is looking for in each koi.

In the search for a grand champion koi, the body shape of the koi is the most important. From a young age the breeder can determine if the body shape of the koi is going to give it the potential to grow to at least 30 inches.

The next element of the koi is its luster. We like to use the comparison of cotton and silk to describe the luster of the koi. Cotton is flat and dull compared to silk that is soft and sheer. We are looking for a koi that has a consistent, shiny luster over the entire body.

The depth of color on the koi is also very important. We like to refer to it as coats of paint. Imagine brushing one coat of paint on a wall, the color will be thin. Put four coats of red paint on the wall and you will have a thick deep color. With koi we are looking for four coats of paint on our highest grade of koi. When the koi has this thick red color, the red goes down to the skin of the koi and is usually stable and will stay on the koi as it matures. Don't be surprised with a koi with one coat of red to speckle or lose its red completely.

The black on the koi rarely become a stable pattern until 3+ years old. When the breeder is looking at the grade of black on the koi, he does not worry about the pattern, but is looking for one scale of deep, glossy, ink-like black. If the koi has this trait, you may not see more black emerge for a few years, but when the black comes it will be the same deep, glossy, black.

Finally, from the koi that have made it through the first three quality aspects, the breeder takes a look at the pattern. The pattern has to fit into the criteria of judging koi in competition.

All our koi start with four "stars" as the breeder evaluates each element the koi can be down graded. The price of the koi reflects both its perfections and imperfections. Don't be afraid to ask why the koi is being sold at the price it is. You may be willing to forgo the show pattern or perfect body conformation for a koi with longevity in terms of lasting color and lust.

Quality Koi Company offers hobbyists many opportunities to learn about how we grade koi through lectures at koi shows, koi club meetings, and events at our farm. Most customers don't leave the farm with out a mini koi lesson.