Buying Koi based on Photos

[gspotmc]

Did that years back? It's a $20K mistake and embarassment. And will not do it again. No matter how nice the picture you're looking at always consider that she may have some defects or something.

[ppp]

Quote: Originally Posted by gspotmc Did that years back? It's a $20K mistake and embarassment. And will not do it again. No matter how nice the picture you're looking at always consider that she may have some defects or something.

What was the problem there? A defect on the fish? I'm surprised if a reputable breeder will collect USD20k on a koi with an abnormality without first declaring it to the buyer. Breeders survive on their reputation. I remember Koiczar buying a great koi for next to nothing because it had an abnormality, a crooked body, I think. Of course he was there in person and the crooked body was immediately noticeable. But the point is that few breeders will collect high price for koi that they know have abnormalities or defects.

[JasPR]

This is a not-so-funny, funny story that happened to a koi kichi friend of mine.
There is a well known Japanese dealer who sells a lot of fish in America. He sent this friend of mine several pictures of fish. Some were nice. Really nice. He sent his $3500 for a killer ai goromo. It arrived. Very nice, except it had no dorsal fin bone?! Snapped off clean. This happens in the netting and mudpond experience sometimes and renders the fish completely worthless. Obviously this dealer picked it up for a song and sold it 'out of the country' for $3500 to my friend. But here is the punch line-- when my friend called to complain he was told that the dorsal fin bone had been cut off because these fins punctured plastic bags in shipment and that was a normal Japanese practice to insure 'safe delivery'! And that , it would 'grow back' in a few months.
That's koi------- JR

[gspotmc]

Picture was e-mailed to me. Unfortunately dealer didn't see the fish in person. I just relied on trust.

[ppp]

JR,

Everyone here knows that intentionally breaking dorsal fin bones is not part of standard shipping process. That was very short sighted of the Japanese dealer and I'm surprised he would put his reputation on the line to do this. The Japanese are by and large very honourable people but I guess there are rotten apples in every culture. Is this dealer still doing brisk business in America?

Gspotmc,

It's the breeder, not the dealer I'm surprised at. Another rotten apple, perhaps. Naming names is probably not appropriate here, but was it a lesser known breeder? Can't imagine a leading breeder would do that.

[Brutuscz]

Well, for 20k...I'm booking my flight to look with my own two eyes!!! For a few hundred, I'll take my chances. I'm sure I've spent more and gotten less

[Brutuscz]

JR...I had a similar thing, also with a goromo. I was at a dealer buying a few koi 2 years ago. Well, I was interested in this Goromo from Sakai Hiroshima. The dealer let me have it ridiculously cheap...$25?!?! Who sells anything from Sakai Hiroshima for 25 bucks? I had no idea why...Figured he was being nice since I dropped some cash his way. Well, Go to photograph it later...torn dorsal fin. An old injury that had separated the fin into 2 parts. It is 2 years later and they have never come together. I like the fish, so I still have him...but learned that if it seems to good to be true, it usually is!!

[koiczar]

Quote: Originally Posted by ppp What was the problem there? A defect on the fish? I'm surprised if a reputable breeder will collect USD20k on a koi with an abnormality without first declaring it to the buyer. Breeders survive on their reputation. I remember Koiczar buying a great koi for next to nothing because it had an abnormality, a crooked body, I think. Of course he was there in person and the crooked body was immediately noticeable. But the point is that few breeders will collect high price for koi that they know have abnormalities or defects.

PPP

I am aware of gspotmc's situation he's talking about. It was seen at the breeder's facility by a very well known dealer who knew it had a defect at THAT time. A different dealer, the one that gspotmc dealt with, is the one who sold it for 20K US. The fish is from a VERY WELL KNOWN breeder. I don't think the breeder represented this fish as being in perfect condition at the point of sale. I think this one goes to a greedy dealer!!!!!

Yes, you're correct, I did still buy the kohaku in my avatar, even after Maruyama pointed out the inherent problem in the shoulder. I was so enamoured by this fish, I still bought it in the hopes of maybe getting the shoulders to balance as it grew. I knew the risk involved, but at the price she was offered to me for, I just took a gamble. Whenever I think of her, it breaks my heart. She has a face, that when she looks at you, haunts you, because you know there's nothing you can do to make her right.

Mike

[aquitori]

I bought from pics before, I have to say it was a waste of time and money...

[moikoi]

b/c i couldn't even pick a nice "LIVE" fish.