new to forum and have question about koi age

[Fishy Mama]

I recently discovered this forum and have spent many hours lurking and reading the info that the members generously share with others. My oldest fish is a 19 year old female sanke from Hong Kong. She is about 28 inches and is in good health. But she seems to be slowing down. Realistically (sp), what is her estimated life span.

[JosephandGabby]

I have read that it is technically possible for a Koi to reach 100 years in captivity, with the oldest known Koi to have lived over 200 years. I'm not sure whether or not this is true. I do know one nearby koi keeper who has several koi in his pond that he's had for 30 - 40 years. They're all over 28" and still doing well...

[PapaBear]

Koi are Carp and have the potential for a long lifespan as a result. They are also heavily line-bred, which tends to compromise that somewhat, so generally speaking they don't live as long as their wild forebears. At 19 yours would be considered a "young adult" by wild Carp standards and probably "middle age" by Koi standards.
One thing is certain though. You must be doing something right

[Fishy Mama]

Two years ago, I lost a 12 year old and never did figure out why he died. It makes me watch my pets closely. When the male shusui died, I missed him for a long time. I have his sibling and she is doing well.

Here is Hirohito. The pix was taken a couple of years ago. The rising sun on her shoulder has come and gone many times during the years. Currently it is almost gone again, with just a smidge of hi showing.

[Fishy Mama]

Thanks for the compliment papabear. I love your bekko. Do you have any more pix of him?

[Steve Nguyen]

I always wonder about this life span thing. I know books mentioned some live up 100 yrs and beyond but with the way we feed our koi, do you think its life span will be long? I meant we fed them with high protein to force them to grow at much faster rate then in natural habitat. the pellets food bulk out the fish body, thus build up a lot of fat tissues that can lead to diseases or shorten the fish life. can someone enlighten me on this? any 30, 40, 50 yrs koi keeper around and still have his/her original pet?

Steve

[aquitori]

Welcome to the board!! I got a fish in my pond that is 12 years old, she is still chunging away...but fish can live for many years, maybe even out lasting the owner.

[PapaBear]

I don't have any recent close-ups, but here are a few shots in the pond with her boyfriends

[Fishy Mama]

Sorry to insult her by calling her a he. I love bekkos, they have a quiet elegance. I had one this spring that was very similar to yours. I sold him, and of course regretted it soon after. I called the person and tried to bribe her with a koromo. She hasn't recontacted me so she probably can't be easily bribed....

[bekko]

It makes for a good story, but there are no documented examples of 100- or 200-year-old koi. I do not recall the name of the fish or the name of the Japanese doctor who decided it was 200 years old based on scale rings. However, fishery people have since demonstrated that counting scale rings grossly over-estimates the age of fish.

We hear of koi which are known to be 20, but does anyone know of a 40-year-old koi? I would be surprised.

-steve