Uniform grading of koi for sale?

[Bossman]

I often see that the koi for sale are graded "A", "AA", "premium". The price differential between A and AA is usually not too great but the price differential between AA and Premium is always great. So I guess the question in what is the difference between A and AA.

Thanks
Bossman

 

[MIKES KOI]

posted in july but no answer, my guess you are on ebay? let me define the terms A/AA/AAA premium are terms used in America . these are domestic koi...born here. they use the terms to sell more pond grade fish.the Japanese cull all but the very best. there really is a difference .color, skin quality, formation, size.. the top dog koi in japan sold for$ 1.7000000 best in the world!!!

 

[GBBUDD]

Yes the Japanese koi can have better sharper colors and patterns hands down from what i have seen so far. But to insist that long fins are trash that they are not Koi is a mistake. I have had some japanese koi in my pond and do now and the observation i have made thus far is the Japanses koi are far less agressive .

 

[MIKES KOI]

very true, but there is a few breeder now there in japan that do sell long fin...you can look on tube , find Sacramento koi watch him at a long fin dealer. its very interesting. all of the other breeders he hits have a crowd. or at least a large group there. but when he gets at the long fin breeder there is no one . and it seems that he was a little high on the prices. but quality fish. he did buy some for his customers after some haggling.

 

[MIKES KOI]

almost forgot you can go right now to KODA and see long fins on sale direct from japan..high quality, pure strain , Long fin. you can also go to Champion koi right now and view some of the best Japanese long fin. some very high quality long fins . they have realized the Americans have fallen in love with these and they are coming ...please let me know what you think about those.

 

[MIKES KOI]

and for those gold fish lovers; KODA does carry some, and every year they are at the Koi show in japan..super high quality gold fish. for those who like fancy beautiful gold fish, pure strains..

 

[MIKES KOI]

this will save you some time/ champion koi... go to SET A look for SUDA as a breeder ...those are some of the best long fin pure breed i have seen....he dont have many . KODA has them starting on page 2. and has few here and there on the site even on auction with more variety .i didnt see gold fish but i know they deal with them. i just got off the phone with Champion koi they do carry gold fish and betta i didnt know that...they are good people.

 

[GBBUDD]

I have a few from Kodama They have a place not to far from me. Well it's not far in my book some people would never drive 3 or 4 hours for a koi. I have gone both young and old in the spring i only look at the youngins and in the fall i look at the bigger boys that had not sold you can get an expensive fish for half price or more at the end of the season. This store had no wintering abilities they would have to ship them out.

Thanks for the tips Mike

 

[MIKES KOI]

VERY COOL; you got any pics? im guessing its the store in Jersey? i have never been there. i have seen pics from Koda in Florida but not jersey1/2 price = no shipping charges= one lucky guy..awesome

 

[GBBUDD]

Going for it! phase one 12,000 gallon pond.

Sadly one of the ducklings was adventurous and took off . While the sibling seemed very happy munching duckweed , koi pellets and bugs . he went walk about yesterday and we couldn't find him. but the sibling as always seems happy hanging at the pond.

www.gardenpondforum.com

 

[GBBUDD]

The other is a brown asagi if im not mistaken in this video he was the one i got in the fall https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/going-for-it-phase-one-12-000-gallon-pond.22563/page-31

 

[MIKES KOI]

@ GRUBBUDD....dude thats awesome... i love it ...im guessing the shed is for keeping fish.. this is the best set up ive seen in quite some time..the showa the gin- rin i like him ***** stars AWESOME.....set up dude.. this shows that you can have a water garden and nice koi all in one. a couple of question; the plants on the bottom.. it dont seen to be to getting torn apart by the koi..you got them trained? the floaters seem the same way, it dont look like they are having dinner with them.you have some big fish also. mine would tear that apart in 2 days...dont know how you do it. but its the best i have seen here.once again AWESOME...

 

[GBBUDD]

@ GRUBBUDD....dude thats awesome... i love it ..

One video has creeping jenny and that i had to put the root ball into coconut matting to protect and stuff it between the rocks . That worked for a while until i all but stopped feeding the fish. I travel and the fish have not seemed to suffer one bit they keep growing but the crepping jenny took a hit. The one plant that i have now is foxglove i believe and they do not touch that . The floaters are the typical hyacinth and water lettuce. The roots do get nibbled at but they reproduce so fast the fish just can't out pace the growth.

 

[MIKES KOI]

i was referring to the plants on the bottom of the pond maybe horn wart. i know jenny well and the floaters . but i was surprised to see the plants at the bottom.

 

[GBBUDD]

The horn wart they haven't touched i forget what it was. It works and grows quickly not to crazy fast like lettuce and for now is easy to remove. The vacuum can suck it right up. The building next to the pond with barn board siding is a two car garage where i have the pump. There is no other areas for filters other then the two bogs toward the back of the project.

Thanks for the praise it was a labor of love i truly enjoyed building it. And look forward to building my next. And coming from a 40 year koi keeper that means a lot. Particularly where i know your partial to the major filter koi keeping. Its all in the eye of the beholder and what works for them right.