Are Koi & Goldfish related?
Not closely, Koi are fancy ornamental carp and Goldfish are actually part of the minnow family of fishes. Both are often kept in ornamental ponds and have been bred for their vibrant colors and patterns. How big do they get? This depends on genetics, size of pond, feeding, and quality of filtration. Koi are usually 6-8 at 1 year, 12-16 at 2 years, with a potential of 24-36+ and 30-40 lbs in 7-10 years. The largest koi was purchased by a British fan from a breeder in Japan. This monster koi at 17 years old was 4 ft long and weighed 90 lbs. Females usually get much larger and cost more than males. Males have brighter colors when young, females have brighter and longer lasting colors when they mature at 6-12 years of age. The biggest goldfish recorded was 23 and 9.9 lbs. Slim body breeds generally grow from 12-18 and fancy fat body breeds grow smaller at 6-12 in size. How long do they live? The oldest known koi of record is attributed to Professor Koshihara of Gifu Prefecture, Japan. He i
