Surfing the dealers/breeders other day.

[JohnBender]

I was surprised to see some of the fish for sale on some of the dealer's website. These three fish really caught me eye and the price asking.

The the kohakus are around $160 a piece and the Sanke is $350. The size range of these fish are around 11-13inches. Is this a fair price for this quality?

[dcny]

I think you can do better for those prices.

-Dan

[JasPR]

someone needs to go to 'koi jail' for fraud! LOls, JR

[Brutuscz]

uhhh....$5.00 each...To feed to the local heron.

[mstrseed]

Quote: Originally Posted by JohnBender Is this a fair price for this quality?

Maybe I can get it right this time, in a word............................ no!

Sorry, even to my untrained eye, Kohakus are very weak and hi is splotchy. Sanke has no Kohaku pattern or better yet no pattern at all.
Not to mention they look scrawny.

[koiczar]

I would even wager a guess that they're not even Japanese imports - right? No respected Japanese breeder would keep these alive past cull #2!!

[JasPR]

That's true Mike. The Japanese start with a better spawn and then apply a harder culling process than anyone else.
I remember when I tried my hand at breeding and how I kept almost every other fish! LOls. To me, at the time, everyone was hard to part with. I think this is the natural dilemma of a beginner breeder? These fish look like good home growns to me? At these prices ( or hope in getting these kinda prices) you can see how everyone with a pond and a natural body of water wants to become a domestic breeder.
Dr Kuroki once remarked to Bob Finnegan when Bob was trying his hand at breeding - " you leave the making of the fish to the professionals and you tend to take care of the hobby". It's interesting advise from THE man who made the amateur hobby of Japan an International hobby. And he was giving advice to the man who carried on the amateur part of the Hobby in America over the past 40 years. I think it was time better spent for these men, based on the results- the formation of ZNA and AKCA vs. a backyard pond full of 'home growns' ! No question! LOls. JR

[PapaBear]

Puleeeeze I've culled better than that in my own back yard after a flock spawn (if they really get those prices i'll have to start keeping the ugly ones to sell)

[JohnBender]

These fish are from a US Breeder who has a banner on one of the koi sites. Kind of a shame he labels the kohakus as "Nice Kohakus" when these fish ar below Grade A. He does have some nice Shiros thou, but for the price he is asking a hobbyist is better off taking a gamble on Japanese bred koi.

[KoiCop]

Koi are worth what someone will pay for them.

That said, buyer beware.