the.com/koi
living watercolor that outlives the artist, swimming circles around your concept of pets
means A koi is an ornamental carp bred for its vivid colors and patterns, kept in ponds and gardens and prized as a decorative fish.
from From Japanese 鯉 (koi), simply meaning 'carp.' The decorative fish are more precisely nishikigoi, 'brocaded carp' — bred from common food carp by Japanese farmers who began selecting for striking color mutations in the early 19th century. There's a charming twist: in Japanese, koi (鯉, carp) sounds the same as koi (恋, romantic love), so the fish became a quiet pun and a popular gift.
- lifespan
- some live 200 years, outliving their owners
- value
- prize koi sold for over $1.8 million
- origin
- bred from drab carp by rice farmers
- memory
- recognize faces and learn feeding routines
- growth
- size depends on the pond they're given
kohaku koi — red and white variety that won the all japan koi show in 2023, the most prestigious koi competition
koi in versailles gardens — ornamental koi ponds at the palace of versailles in france, symbol of luxury garden design