Why Koi Fish Are So Expensive | So Expensive

Business Insider December 15, 2018
Video Thumbnail

About

No channel description available.

Latest Posts

No results found. Try different keywords.

Video Description

Koi fish are colorful patterned common carp that are now celebrated in annual koi shows and kept in ponds all over the world. Some are worth millions. ------------------------------------------------------ #Koi #Fish #BusinessInsider Following is a transcript of the video: Anything strike you as special about this fish here? Well, it's worth 1.8 million dollars. It won grand champion at the All Japan Koi Show in 2017, and is the most expensive koi fish ever sold. Koi may just look like an oversized goldfish, but they're not even remotely related. Koi are actually a type of carp, and today they're some of the most expensive pet fish in the world. But why? Koi were originally raised in Japan in the 1700s when rice farmers first began breeding them for their distinct colors and patterns, similar to how we breed dogs for their specific traits. And just like prized dog breeds, Japanese people take koi breeding very seriously. There are regular competitions to name the top koi. Judges and buyers pay attention to how healthy its skin looks, its size and body shape, and how gracefully the fish moves in the water. But the most important trait of all is the koi's coloring. The best koi have a good balance of colors and patterns according to their variety. For example, there are koi with light blue spots, ones with large red patches on their backs, or all-metallic gold. But the most winning fish often just boil down to these three varieties. They're often the most valuable. They dominate the shows, winning nearly every major category each year. And the better-looking the fish, the more a buyer is willing to pay. Yvo: Yeah, it depends. You can buy some small and cheap koi fish for a couple of bucks, but also, yeah, it can get up really, really high to thousands, ten thousands of dollars. Narrator: That's Yvo de Wal. He's a koi hobbyist and seller in the Netherlands, and he heads up the YouTube channel Koi Partner. Each year he visits Japan to shop for koi. Yvo: The breeders are located there, and they have experience with their bloodlines for many, many generations. Narrator: You see, bloodlines are just as prized in koi as they are in dogs because some of these koi are the result of decades of selective breeding. I mean, just take a look at the koi's wild relative, the common carp. Its dark colors would be considered unattractive for a koi, but it's perfect protection against predators in the wild. So how do you get from this to this? Well, it's actually similar to how we got from this to this, except koi breeders mainly select for size and color and ignore... Fluffiness. Koi have six types of color cells in their skin. Their cells can be red, yellow, black, white, blue, or metallic. Now in order to get a beautiful, reddish-orange pattern like the one on this 1.8 million dollar fish, you need to select for fish that have a white body and lots of red cells that concentrate in large patches. Red and white are important colors in Japanese culture, representing joy and purity. But having the right colors is only part of it. A koi's color cells sit at different depths in the skin, some right near the surface and some deeper in, which ultimately determines how bright the fish appears. The brighter the fish, the bigger the price tag. Today there are about 120 varieties. To compare, there are about 200 breeds of dogs. But when it comes down to it, breeding koi is a lot harder. A single koi can give birth to hundreds of thousands of baby fish at a time. Yvo: I think we are talking about millions and millions of fish per breeder. Narrator: So breeders must choose wisely. One breeder, for example, reports that he starts with 3 million fish and selects 15,000 to raise over the first year. From that he chooses 1,000 to continue to raise the second year. Yvo: Yeah, it's a really hard job for the breeders. Narrator: But in the end, all that hard work is worth it. The breeder of this grand champion waited until she was nine years old to sell her at auction. And by bringing in a world record of 1.8 million, the breeder got not only a huge return on investment but a priceless reputation boost in the koi community. ------------------------------------------------------ Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Subscribe to our channel and visit us at: https://read.bi/7XqUHI BI on Facebook: https://read.bi/2xOcEcj BI on Instagram: https://read.bi/2Q2D29T BI on Twitter: https://read.bi/2xCnzGF ------------------------------------------------------ Why Koi Fish Are So Expensive | So Expensive

You May Also Like

Upgrade Your Everyday

AI-recommended products based on this video

Loading...
Kasa Smart Outdoor Smart Plug by TP-Link (KP400) - Smart WiFi Outlet with 2 Sockets, IP64 Waterproof, Works with Alexa and Google Home, 2.4GHz WiFi Required, No Hub Required, Sunset & Sunrise Offset

Kasa Smart Outdoor Smart Plug by TP-Link (KP400) - Smart WiFi Outlet with 2 Sockets, IP64 Waterproof, Works with Alexa and Google Home, 2.4GHz WiFi Required, No Hub Required, Sunset & Sunrise Offset

(28,846)
$21.99$17.99
FREE delivery Wed, Aug 20 on your first order
1K+ bought in past month
Loading...
Oraolo Open Ear Headphones, Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Earbuds with Stereo Sound, ENC Clear Call, 21H Playtime, Type-C Charging, Touch Control, IPX6 Waterproof Open Ear Clip-On Earbuds for outdoor workout

Oraolo Open Ear Headphones, Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Earbuds with Stereo Sound, ENC Clear Call, 21H Playtime, Type-C Charging, Touch Control, IPX6 Waterproof Open Ear Clip-On Earbuds for outdoor workout

(4)
$29.99
FREE delivery Sat, Apr 11 on your first order
50+ bought in past month
Loading...
Open Ear Wireless Earbuds, Sports Bluetooth Headphones with Real Time Translation, 80Hrs Playtime with LED Power Display, Noise Canceling Headset, IP55 Waterproof Earphones for Workout/Running (Black)

Open Ear Wireless Earbuds, Sports Bluetooth Headphones with Real Time Translation, 80Hrs Playtime with LED Power Display, Noise Canceling Headset, IP55 Waterproof Earphones for Workout/Running (Black)

(109)
$79.99
FREE delivery Sat, Apr 11
1K+ bought in past month
Loading...
Wireless Earbuds, Sports Bluetooth Headphones, 80Hrs Playtime Ear Buds with LED Power Display, Noise Canceling Headset, IPX7 Waterproof Earphones for Workout/Running Z(Black)

Wireless Earbuds, Sports Bluetooth Headphones, 80Hrs Playtime Ear Buds with LED Power Display, Noise Canceling Headset, IPX7 Waterproof Earphones for Workout/Running Z(Black)

(3)
$29.99
FREE delivery May 1 - 22
Loading...
Monster Wireless Earbuds Open Ear AC311, Bluetooth 5.4 Open Ear Headphones, Up to 30 Hours Playtimes Bluetooth Ear Earphones with Stereo Sound, Touch Control and IPX5 Waterproof Open Ear Buds

Monster Wireless Earbuds Open Ear AC311, Bluetooth 5.4 Open Ear Headphones, Up to 30 Hours Playtimes Bluetooth Ear Earphones with Stereo Sound, Touch Control and IPX5 Waterproof Open Ear Buds

(2)
$89.99
FREE delivery Fri, Apr 3
Loading...
Brita Stainless Steel Premium Filtering Water Bottle, BPA-Free, Reusable, Insulated, Replaces 300 Plastic Water Bottles, Filter Lasts 2 Months or 40 Gallons, Includes 1 Filter, Carbon - 20 oz.

Brita Stainless Steel Premium Filtering Water Bottle, BPA-Free, Reusable, Insulated, Replaces 300 Plastic Water Bottles, Filter Lasts 2 Months or 40 Gallons, Includes 1 Filter, Carbon - 20 oz.

(2,652)
$81.37$76.36
FREE delivery Sep 29 - Oct 2
Loading...
Simple Modern Filtered Water Bottle | Insulated Stainless-Steel Carbon Filter Travel Water Bottles | Reusable for Clean Drinking Water On The Go | 24oz, Sea Glass Sage

Simple Modern Filtered Water Bottle | Insulated Stainless-Steel Carbon Filter Travel Water Bottles | Reusable for Clean Drinking Water On The Go | 24oz, Sea Glass Sage

(26)
$30.13
FREE delivery Tue, Sep 23 on your first order
Loading...
FITVII Health & Fitness Tracker (Answer/Make Calls), Smart Watch with 24/7 Heart Rate and Blood Pressure, Sleep Tracking Monitor, 120+ Sport Mode Activity Tracker

FITVII Health & Fitness Tracker (Answer/Make Calls), Smart Watch with 24/7 Heart Rate and Blood Pressure, Sleep Tracking Monitor, 120+ Sport Mode Activity Tracker

(198)
$59.99
FREE delivery Sun, Aug 10
100+ bought in past month
Loading...
AYATAHA AYATAHA Smart Watch for Kids, Smartwatch Fitness Tracker for Boys Girls, Children's Activity Watch 37 Sports Modes SMS Notification, HD Full Touchscreen IP67 Waterproof, Blue

AYATAHA AYATAHA Smart Watch for Kids, Smartwatch Fitness Tracker for Boys Girls, Children's Activity Watch 37 Sports Modes SMS Notification, HD Full Touchscreen IP67 Waterproof, Blue

(55)
$41.99
PrimeFREE delivery Sat, Jun 14
Loading...
Iaret Iaret Smart Watch for Women, 1.83" HD Fitness Tracker with 4 Bands, Answer/Make Calls, Heart Rate/Sleep/SpO2/Step Tracking, 100+ Sport Modes, Android/iPhone Compatible Gift (Rose Gold)

Iaret Iaret Smart Watch for Women, 1.83" HD Fitness Tracker with 4 Bands, Answer/Make Calls, Heart Rate/Sleep/SpO2/Step Tracking, 100+ Sport Modes, Android/iPhone Compatible Gift (Rose Gold)

(42)
$59.99
FREE delivery Thu, Jun 19
100+ bought in past month
Loading...
Smart Watch for Men Women 1.8" Fitness Tracker, Bluetooth Call, DIY Dial, Heart Rate Sleep Blood Oxygen Monitor, 100+ Sports Modes, IP68 Waterproof Smartwatch for Android iPhone, Alexa Built-in

Smart Watch for Men Women 1.8" Fitness Tracker, Bluetooth Call, DIY Dial, Heart Rate Sleep Blood Oxygen Monitor, 100+ Sports Modes, IP68 Waterproof Smartwatch for Android iPhone, Alexa Built-in

(980)
$39.99
FREE delivery Sun, Sep 21
300+ bought in past month
Loading...
Hand Warmers 2 Pack, 14000mAh Rechargeable Hand Warmers, Electric Hand Warmer Reusable, Portable Power Bank USB Hand Warmers 4 Levels 8 Heating, Gifts for Raynauds Ski Golf Camping

Hand Warmers 2 Pack, 14000mAh Rechargeable Hand Warmers, Electric Hand Warmer Reusable, Portable Power Bank USB Hand Warmers 4 Levels 8 Heating, Gifts for Raynauds Ski Golf Camping

(683)
$74.08$59.47
FREE delivery Jun 13 - 18
Loading...
Hand Warmers Rechargeable, 10000mAh Electric Heated Gloves Power Bank Portable Graphene Handwarmers Pouch with 3 Levels & Double-Sided Heating for Hunting Camping Golf Xmas Gifts for Women Men Kids

Hand Warmers Rechargeable, 10000mAh Electric Heated Gloves Power Bank Portable Graphene Handwarmers Pouch with 3 Levels & Double-Sided Heating for Hunting Camping Golf Xmas Gifts for Women Men Kids

(651)
$44.99
PrimeFREE delivery Sun, Jun 15
Loading...
2Pack Rechargeable Hand Warmer, 8000mAh Electric Hand Warmer Power Bank, Portable USB-C Hand Warmer for Pocket, Reusable Hand Warmer Up to 8 hrs Each, Warm Gift for Men Women, for Hunting, Camping
Amazon's Choice

2Pack Rechargeable Hand Warmer, 8000mAh Electric Hand Warmer Power Bank, Portable USB-C Hand Warmer for Pocket, Reusable Hand Warmer Up to 8 hrs Each, Warm Gift for Men Women, for Hunting, Camping

(1,128)
$15.99
FREE delivery Sat, Jun 14 on your first order
Loading...
GTOCE Portable Charger,40000mAh Power Bank with 22.5W Fast Charging LED Digital Display Battery Pack with 6 Outputs 2 Inputs, Type C Powerbank Portable Charger for iPhone 16 pro Samsung AirPods,Black

GTOCE Portable Charger,40000mAh Power Bank with 22.5W Fast Charging LED Digital Display Battery Pack with 6 Outputs 2 Inputs, Type C Powerbank Portable Charger for iPhone 16 pro Samsung AirPods,Black

(334)
$42.99
FREE delivery Thu, Oct 16
1K+ bought in past month
Loading...
Monster Sleep Ear200, Wireless in-Ear Headphones, Bluetooth 6.0 Sleep Headphones, with ANC Active Noise Cancellation Designed for Side Sleepers, 30 Hours of bass Stereo Sound.

Monster Sleep Ear200, Wireless in-Ear Headphones, Bluetooth 6.0 Sleep Headphones, with ANC Active Noise Cancellation Designed for Side Sleepers, 30 Hours of bass Stereo Sound.

(10)
$39.99
FREE delivery Tue, Mar 24
Loading...
Monster Sleep Ear100 Ear Buds, Sleep Earbuds with Stereo Sound, Design for Side Sleeper, 32H Playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, ENC Noise Cancelling, IPX6 Waterproof Mini Headphones, White

Monster Sleep Ear100 Ear Buds, Sleep Earbuds with Stereo Sound, Design for Side Sleeper, 32H Playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, ENC Noise Cancelling, IPX6 Waterproof Mini Headphones, White

(4)
$39.99
FREE delivery Mon, Mar 2
Loading...
Monster Sleep Ear100 Ear Buds, Sleep Earbuds with Stereo Sound, Design for Side Sleeper, 32H Playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, ENC Noise Cancelling, IPX6 Waterproof Mini Headphones, Black

Monster Sleep Ear100 Ear Buds, Sleep Earbuds with Stereo Sound, Design for Side Sleeper, 32H Playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, ENC Noise Cancelling, IPX6 Waterproof Mini Headphones, Black

(15)
$39.99
FREE delivery Mon, Feb 23
Loading...
Monster Sleep Ear100 Ear Buds, Sleep Earbuds with Stereo Sound, Design for Side Sleeper, 32H Playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, ENC Noise Cancelling, IPX6 Waterproof Mini Headphones, Black

Monster Sleep Ear100 Ear Buds, Sleep Earbuds with Stereo Sound, Design for Side Sleeper, 32H Playtime, Bluetooth 6.0, ENC Noise Cancelling, IPX6 Waterproof Mini Headphones, Black

(6)
$39.99
FREE delivery Sat, Dec 27
Loading...
Hydroponics Growing System Indoor Garden - Herb Garden with Grow Light, 15 Pods Stainless Steel Indoor Garden Kit, Auto Timer, Gardening Gift for All Ages

Hydroponics Growing System Indoor Garden - Herb Garden with Grow Light, 15 Pods Stainless Steel Indoor Garden Kit, Auto Timer, Gardening Gift for All Ages

(24)
$206.57$200.61
FREE delivery Jun 13 - 17
Loading...
Umbra Triflora Hanging Planter for Window, Indoor Herb Garden, Set of 5, White/Black

Umbra Triflora Hanging Planter for Window, Indoor Herb Garden, Set of 5, White/Black

(7,808)
$71.52
PrimeFREE delivery Sat, Jun 14
Loading...
Large Hydroponics Growing System 14 Pods, Indoor Herb Garden with LED Grow Light, 5L Water Tank, Hydroponic Grow Kit with 3 Auto-Timers, Rotatable Light Panel and Child Lock for Home School Gardening

Large Hydroponics Growing System 14 Pods, Indoor Herb Garden with LED Grow Light, 5L Water Tank, Hydroponic Grow Kit with 3 Auto-Timers, Rotatable Light Panel and Child Lock for Home School Gardening

(119)
$167.81
FREE delivery Jun 16 - 20
Loading...
Hanging Planter Hanging Plant Holder, 6 Inch 4 Indoor Plant Pots, Wall/Window Plant Hanger Indoor Herb Garden

Hanging Planter Hanging Plant Holder, 6 Inch 4 Indoor Plant Pots, Wall/Window Plant Hanger Indoor Herb Garden

(269)
$35.99$28.90
PrimeFREE delivery Sat, Jun 14
Loading...
slopehill Multi Hair Stylers & Hair Straightener - 2 in 1 Wet to Dry Air Straightener and Hair Dryer Combo with High Speed Air + Rapid Heat-Up + Customizable Temperature(Pink)

slopehill Multi Hair Stylers & Hair Straightener - 2 in 1 Wet to Dry Air Straightener and Hair Dryer Combo with High Speed Air + Rapid Heat-Up + Customizable Temperature(Pink)

(177)
$139.99
Prime
Loading...
Hi.FANCY Portable Laptop Stand with Dual Cooling Fans for 14-17inch Laptops, Grey, 23.5 x 25.9 x 0.95cm

Hi.FANCY Portable Laptop Stand with Dual Cooling Fans for 14-17inch Laptops, Grey, 23.5 x 25.9 x 0.95cm

(0)
$36.99
FREE delivery Aug 18 - 28
Loading...
Laptop Stand for Desk, Adjustable Laptop Riser ABS+Silicone Foldable Portable Laptop Holder, Ventilated Cooling Notebook Stand for 10-15.6” Laptops,Tablet-Black

Laptop Stand for Desk, Adjustable Laptop Riser ABS+Silicone Foldable Portable Laptop Holder, Ventilated Cooling Notebook Stand for 10-15.6” Laptops,Tablet-Black

(11,679)
$14.99
FREE delivery Sat, Jun 14 on your first order
500+ bought in past month
Loading...
JETech 5 in 1 Case for Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G with 2-Pack Each Tempered Glass Screen Protector and Camera Lens Protector, Non-Yellowing Shockproof Bumper Phone Cover (Clear)

JETech 5 in 1 Case for Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 5G with 2-Pack Each Tempered Glass Screen Protector and Camera Lens Protector, Non-Yellowing Shockproof Bumper Phone Cover (Clear)

(197)
$15.99
FREE delivery Sat, Jun 14 on your first order
100+ bought in past month
Loading...
TAURI for iPhone 17 Pro Max Case 6.9" with 1-Pack Screen Protector, Camera Lens Full Protection, Military-Grade Protection, Shockproof Transparent Back Bumper Phone Cover - Clear Global Recycled Standard

TAURI for iPhone 17 Pro Max Case 6.9" with 1-Pack Screen Protector, Camera Lens Full Protection, Military-Grade Protection, Shockproof Transparent Back Bumper Phone Cover - Clear Global Recycled Standard

(0)
$10.76
FREE delivery Thu, Oct 16 on your first order
2K+ bought in past month
Loading...
TAURI for iPhone 17 Pro Case 6.3" with 1-Pack Screen Protector, Camera Lens Full Protection, Military-Grade Protection, Shockproof Transparent Back Bumper Phone Cover - Clear Global Recycled Standard
Best Seller

TAURI for iPhone 17 Pro Case 6.3" with 1-Pack Screen Protector, Camera Lens Full Protection, Military-Grade Protection, Shockproof Transparent Back Bumper Phone Cover - Clear Global Recycled Standard

(61,696)
$10.76
Prime
2K+ bought in past month
Loading...
JOINPAYA 1Set Rechargeable Hand Warmer Hand Heater for Winter Heating Levels Compact

JOINPAYA 1Set Rechargeable Hand Warmer Hand Heater for Winter Heating Levels Compact

(0)
$9.29
FREE delivery Jun 20 - Jul 4
Loading...
Shakven Rechargeable Hand Warmer | Cute Comfortable Portable Hand Warmers,Ergonomic Adjustable Energy-Efficient Small Heater for Travel, Outdoor, Winter

Shakven Rechargeable Hand Warmer | Cute Comfortable Portable Hand Warmers,Ergonomic Adjustable Energy-Efficient Small Heater for Travel, Outdoor, Winter

(0)
$26.93
FREE delivery Jun 19 - Jul 2
Loading...
OCOOPA IP45 Waterproof Hand Warmer Rechargeable, Up to 15hrs Heat,10000mAh Durable Quick Charge Electric Hand Heater, PD Compatible, 3 Levels for Outdoors, Heavy Duty, H01-PD PRO

OCOOPA IP45 Waterproof Hand Warmer Rechargeable, Up to 15hrs Heat,10000mAh Durable Quick Charge Electric Hand Heater, PD Compatible, 3 Levels for Outdoors, Heavy Duty, H01-PD PRO

(50)
$39.99
PrimeFREE delivery Sat, Jun 14
Loading...
OCOOPA IP45 Waterproof Hand Warmer Rechargeable, Up to 15hrs Heat,10000mAh Durable Quick Charge Electric Hand Heater, PD Compatible, 3 Levels for Outdoors, Heavy Duty, H01-PD PRO

OCOOPA IP45 Waterproof Hand Warmer Rechargeable, Up to 15hrs Heat,10000mAh Durable Quick Charge Electric Hand Heater, PD Compatible, 3 Levels for Outdoors, Heavy Duty, H01-PD PRO

(649)
$39.99
PrimeFREE delivery Sat, Jun 14