Raising Koi Fish for Profit

Raising the bright orange or red koi, an ornamental fish that’s both beautiful and valuable, requires careful consideration and unique resources in order to create a profitable business. The key is allowing high quality koi to get big so they command more money. For instance, to make the most profit, your goal is to raise a third-year koi, known as Sansai, since it will sell for more than a Nisai, a second-year koi.

What You Need

Getting started with raising koi fish requires a small pond that holds about four to six feet of water. You also need access to water as well as an aeration and filtration system to keep the water ideal for raising koi. Start with just two or three small, high quality koi that you can breed to build your fish stock. If you want to add more koi over time, you also need a quarantine system, such as a tank, to keep new fish separate from established koi until you know the new ones do not have any diseases they may spread to the others. Nets specifically made to handle the barbed spines in a koi’s dorsal and fins are necessary for removing them from the water in preparation for selling them. Bowls or plastic bags are required to move the fish to their new owners.

Feeding and Maintaining Your Koi

Once you establish your operation, feeding your koi is the most expensive part of your business. You can’t skimp on the food, because growing, healthy fish are the key to your profitability. Fish food with about 40 percent protein from zooplanktons works best for young koi. Your fish will require less protein as they get older. During colder months, as the water temperature of your pond drops, koi require less food, helping to keep expenses in check.

Finding Buyers

One option for selling your koi involves selling them at wholesale prices to dealers who mark up the price and sell them at retail prices to hobbyists and people who want a koi for their ornamental pool. Another option is to sell the fish at retail prices directly to people who want them for their ponds. Koi can be shipped, but you must provide enough oxygen in the water and ship them overnight, so selling them via an e-commerce website is another option.

Pricing Your Fish

Setting the prices for your fish starts with knowing what koi-show-judging standards dictate for pricing. Prices range from a $15 to $5,000 for the highest quality koi, says CNN Money. Prices are set by body shape and skin quality as well as the color and pattern of each fish. If you grow show-quality koi, you’ll be able to sell them for more money than younger or smaller koi.

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/raising-koi-fish-profit-76421.html