Most Expensive fish you or someone you know has paid

[Roadrunner]

£175.00 16" Koi

 

[addy1]

$.05 for feeder gold fish.............guess I don't win this one

 

[DoDad]

$25,000

 

[Pondmaster]

DoDad!

 

[koikeepr]

LOL! DoDad is correct. I've seen people pay even more than that for prized Japanese specimens. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (and the wallet). Just as someone is willing to throw $100k on the ultimate Mercedes Benz, someone else is willing to toss many thousands of dollars on a fish.

 

[Pondmaster]

A Youtube video shot in Japan by a group of what must been American businessmen showed them paying $50-100 thousand per fish. At least this is what I gathered from the video.

 

[digginponds]

$.05 for feeder gold fish.............guess I don't win this one

 

[Pondmaster]

I don't win either I paid less than $10 per Koi. They are at least triple in size in less than two months and in my opinion georgous. I'll try to post some pictures this weekend.

 

[DrDave]

I have heard of Japanese buyers, flying their private jets to the US to buy a Koi.

 

[Pondmaster]

DrDave I don't doubt you at all but find that very interesting. I was of the opinion that Japan had the best Koi and one would go there rather than them come here. Please expound a little on this.

 

[DrDave]

As a rule they do, keep in mind that a lot of very nice Koi are bred here from fish that were originally imported from there. If they see or hear of a special Koi, they want it. There are a lot of very rich Japanese people. Look up what they pay to be a member of of a Country Club there, and a waiting list of years before they are even in the top ten.

 

[koikeepr]

DrD is right, there are many amazing American breeders that possess equally coveted fish. If someone with money is looking for the ultimate 3-step kohaku or the most ideal utsuri or whatever--they will search for it until the find and pay whatever it is worth.

Koi are like bottles of wine. Someone out there will pay for an Opus One even though us mere mortals think it's incredulously priced. It may taste no different than a $25 bottle to you and I, but to these people it's part of the hunt, the rarity, the exclusivity and something they want.

My dad has a french friend who was m'aitre d and sommelier at NYC's Le Cirque restaurant for over 20 years. He would always marvel at how wealthy customers would pop $1,000+ bottles of vino to celebrate closing some big business deal or celebrating a special occssion of some sort. He told me that he often tasted these luxury wines and advised that he could recommend an $30 bottle that would taste just as lovely. And this guy truly knew his wines.

So, koi are like this. In your eyes, your $10 koi is just as much as marvel to you as these $25,000 fish are to these koi hunters. Of course, when someone points out great conformation, perfect color and pattern, incredible size and girth, and you begin to understand that some koi are truly excellent in comparison to our "pond grade" and truly adored pets we have. Of course, for these people there is also vasts amounts of money in breeding these fish as well.

If you ever get the opportunity to go to a local koi show, I highly suggest you go. You would not believe your eyes and can instantly see the difference between our pets and these creatures.

I don't own an Rolls Royce, but boy I don't hesitate to admire and look at one when I see it driving down the road while sitting in my Toyota. Though we're both getting from point A to point B on wheels--I can appreciate the luxury that that chap is heading there in. LOL!

 

[Pondmaster]

Excellent statement!

 

[addy1]

That is why my old pond has feeder goldfish they are now over 18 inches long, mixed colors. And they are doing great. But koi are pretty.

 

[BennyLava]

My dad has a french friend who was m'aitre d and sommelier at NYC's Le Cirque restaurant for over 20 years. He would always marvel at how wealthy customers would pop $1,000+ bottles of vino to celebrate closing some big business deal or celebrating a special occssion of some sort. He told me that he often tasted these luxury wines and advised that he could recommend an $30 bottle that would taste just as lovely. And this guy truly knew his wines.

Man, I used to want to taste one of those very expensive wines. Now I don't lol. Thanks, you probly saved me a lot of money!

If you ever get the opportunity to go to a local koi show, I highly suggest you go. You would not believe your eyes and can instantly see the difference between our pets and these creatures.

What would you say is the difference? I always wondered, cause they pretty much have to start out with the same thing we do. Some fingerling or some fry, which they hope will grow up and be pretty and have a nicer pattern than the others. Well, the people showing might not have had to do that, but someone did. Before that person bought it. I always wondered if I could get lucky enough to have purchased a koi that would eventually grow up to be show quality.