[koiczar]

Quote: Originally Posted by Erns So how much do you guys pay for koi from Sakai? Lets say tosai to nissai, show grade. Our dealer was just there and his message was if you don't have $6000 to $10 000, don't bother? I find it very hard to believe. He had some good tosai going for 1.8mil Yen!! And a nice nissai showa for 6.5mil yen...that a nice house here in South Africa!!

Erns

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. Sakai has some absolutely stunning fish for less than the prices you mentioned. I guess the best way is to go with someone who is a dealer and buy your own. When someone tells you prices like that for tosai I just shake my head. Sometimes the breeder quotes these outrageous prices if he really doesn't want to sell the fish. They will usually price the fish at Sansai prices figuring that's what they'll be able to get at that age. If you still want it, then YOU take the risk, not the breeder. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, but the breeder will always win in that situation. I know Sakai-Hiroshima fish have been going for astronomical prices because the market in the Far East will pay whatever price to get fish to breed.

I was talking with Mike Harvey at the All Japan Show and he said the shipping to So. Africa was outrageous as well. Maybe that's where some of your cost is coming from too.

Mike