What Should I Look For When Purchasing a Koi or Goldfish?
The number one thing to look at is the fish’s health. Don’t purchase a sick fish. Do not purchase a fish that is lying on the bottom with his fins clutched to his sides, one that has sores, cuts or tears in his fins, one that is swimming “funny” or hanging out by the water return, one that is gulping at the top for air or alienating himself from the others. Do not purchase any fish from a tank where fish are showing obvious signs of health issues, even if the fish you want looks okay. With that said, choosing your koi or goldfish is a preference thing. Beauty truly is in the eyes of the beholder. I always say to buy the fish that “winks” at you. If you are a serious koi keeper you would be interested in knowing the quality marks of the different koi varieties. Read our article entitled Know your Koi!.
