Koi Dealers
The person you purchase your Koi from must be a clean facility. A dealer can have a much higher stocking density than a hobbyist since the that he is holding the Koi won't be there for an extended period of time. You should keep the Koi in your tanks properly stocked. They are best kept at a distance of a few feet from each other , or at least have a barrier between them. If your dealer has a shipment that is under quarantine, you shouldn't be able to purchase a Koi from a tank that is potentially compromised. The water the fish are in should be clean with sufficient filtration capacity to handle the weight of the fish. Look at this to get additional hints on koi-fish.
You dealer should be able to perform virus tests and quarantine on all his shipments. Beware of dealers who fly Koi into the country , and then offer them up to sell.
Health
The Koi you are looking at is healthy. It should show normal behavior. If you notice that the Koi flashing (scratching itself on the side of the tank) beware, it might be due to a parasite. Inspect the Koi for parasites or ulcers. Examine the other Koi at the dealer If you see numerous health issues on their fish, then you may want to go to a different place.
Body conformation
The Koi fish's body needs to be perfectly balanced. Due to the body shape as they get older and become more mature, female Koi prefer male Koi. A mature female will have a large body that is shaped like a blimp. A mature male will have the shape of a cigar on his body.
Skin Luster
The condition of the skin can greatly impact the look of the color. If the Koi is sick, malnourished, or if it is in a stressful environment, the quality of skin suffers along with the color.
Quality of Color
The fish should have the same hue throughout. There shouldn't be any spots of red on a KerutoKoi. The scales don't diffuse the color so the head color might look different to your body. If you notice any loss of color, inspect the Koi. It will be a patch or part that will look aged. Colors must be bright, for instance, whites should be clear without yellowing.
Pattern Edge
It is important to define the edges of your color pattern. Blurry edges will look worse as the Koi increases.
Pattern of Colors
The color should be evenly distributed across the entire body of the fish. KerutoKoi with patterns of red at the back will be less striking than those that have steps along the back.
Price
The majority of small Koi are priced with a fixed price. Larger Koi are priced individually. Japanese Koi are the most expensive prices. Because they are show winners, their colors can be maintained by strict breeding protocols. The majority of domestic (US breeding) and imported (Malaysia, Indonesia, China, etc.) Koi fish are easily priced, but they tend to be tiny and lose color. Beware of dealers who offer you koi fish with inflated prices. Often times, they will declare the Koi as "imported" or sell domestically-bred Koi that have "Japanese parents" to "improve" the value of their Koi. Any dealer that is reputable will know the origin of their Koi.
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Oh_Man -- NimoStar
Moose -- Dem0n
Symmetry -- Roy