Most expensive Koi fish sold for a worth of $1.8 million; here's what makes the fish so special
Most expensive Koi fish sold for a worth of $1.8 million; here's what makes the fish so special
Nishkigoi, commonly known as Koi fish, are a popular and striking species recognized for their vivid red and white coloring. Admired for their elegance and beauty so much so that even predators are captivated by their appearance.
High value Koi are typically bred by prestigious Japanese breeders with decades of experience.
Koi fish are not only elegant but possess other notable characteristics; they are strong, intelligent and resilient creatures that can live longer,with a life span ranging from 25 to 40 years. This fish is loved by many pet owners because of their friendly nature.
Spending millions on Koi fish may sound surprising, but the factors such as- bloodline, pattern, size and gender, significantly determine their value.
Female Koi are more valuable than males, as females grow bigger and have better body shape and color retention.
S Legend Koi fish sold for a worth millions
According to A-Z-Animals reports, in October 2018, S Legend, a Kohaku variety, brought in a whopping $1.8 million. The 39-inch colorful female carp was bought by Ms. Ying Ying Chung, a Koi enthusiast and collector, from the renowned breeder Kentaro Sakai.
While a standard Kohaku koi that costs just $50, the price paid $1.8 million for S Legend was shocking.
The reason for the high price was pretty clear, the particular fish species could lay up to 1000,000 eggs during one breeding season. Even if only 1/% matches the high-quality standards, it would yield a significant number of premium Kohaku koi- making a profitable investment. Additionally, Kohaku Koi can grow up to 50 inches, and their value increases as their size increases.
But, the million dollar S Legend died in 2019
Types of Kohaku koi fishes
There are a variety of Kohaku koi in the market, including:
Asagi
These are characterized by a blue or indigo body, and red at the base of the pectoral fins. They are one of the oldest koi varieties and are recognized by their 'net-like' pattern of scales. The red at the base of the pectoral fins is called Motoaka.
Bekko
Bekko koi are a simple, beautiful koi variety characterized by a solid colored body (white, red, yellow) with black sumi markings. Bekkoi koi have a simple stepping stone pattern. They are essentially Taisho Sanke Koi without the red (Hi) markings.
Doitsu
Doitsu are German carp that are scale-less. Depending on the type of Doitsu, there may be scales along the lateral and dorsal lines of the koi or no scales at all.
Ginrin
Ginrin indicates the group of koi varieties that have diamond scales on their entire bodies. These scales are different from metallic and Platinum koi due to their scales being reflective and shining in the light.
Hiirenga / Butterfly
Hirenaga Koi are the butterflies of the water, and are known for their graceful, flowing fins. The long fins and tail of the Hirenaga should be solid without tears and ideally should be symmetrical.
Platinum
Platinum Koi can grow to be jumbo and are most treasured when they have a beautiful solid metallic shine with no blemishes or scars. They shine beautifully in a dark pond, with their almost reflective bodies.
Showa
Showa are beautiful koi, with colors of white, red, and black painted across their bodies. Showa are one of the 'Big 3'koi fish along with Taisho Sanke and Kohaku Koi.
All these fishes have different price tags, depending on their physical characteristics.
The most valuable ones have a bright white on their tails, pectoral and dorsal fins. The value of Koi fish decreases due to the soft edging of a koi colour's pattern. Some less valuable species are Komoyo, Makibara, Kuchibeni, and Shiromuji.
Colours of Kohaku koi fishes
The colors of Kohaku Koi, depend on their age and sex. Female koi fish take more time to attain their red coloration, and they continue to retain as they grow older. Whereas, male koi fish develop their coloring early, but the color tends to fade as they age.
Diet of Kohaku koi fishes
Additionally, the diet of the Koi fish plays a major role in developing and retaining health and coloration. The diets of the fish should contain plenty of protein, spirulina, and krill to achieve the best results.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Inside Tokyo's Renkō-ji Temple: The final resting place of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose?
Credit: Instagram/@shige_japaniguruji Tucked away in a quiet corner of Tokyo's Suginami Ward stands Renkō-ji Temple—a modest, centuries-old Buddhist shrine that has quietly drawn visitors, questions, and emotions for nearly eight decades. Far from a tourist hotspot, this unassuming temple holds an object of immense historical significance and emotional gravity: an urn said to contain the ashes of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, one of India's most enigmatic freedom fighters. And with it, Renkō-ji cradles a mystery that continues to haunt Indian memory: did Bose really die in that 1945 plane crash? From revolution to reverence: Bose's Japan connection Subhas Chandra Bose remains a towering figure in India's independence movement, celebrated for his uncompromising stance against British rule and his leadership of the Indian National Army (INA). Unlike Mahatma Gandhi's path of non-violence, Bose believed liberation required force. During World War II, he forged alliances with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan in hopes of toppling British colonial power. Credit: iStock In 1943, Bose arrived in East Asia, rallying the INA under Japanese sponsorship and setting his eyes on India through Burma. But after Japan's surrender in August 1945, the tide turned. Official accounts claim Bose died on August 18, 1945, after his Japanese military aircraft crashed in Taipei. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Badly burned, he was said to have died two days later, and his remains were cremated and brought to Japan. On September 14, 1945, his ashes were entrusted to the Tokyo Indian Independence League and placed in Renkō-ji Temple following a memorial service. A shrine, a mystery, a memory Renkō-ji Temple was established in 1594 and belongs to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. Unlike the grand shrines of Kyoto or the iconic temples of Tokyo, Renkō-ji is serene and simple—its architecture quiet, its grounds humble. Yet it holds a significant legacy. At the center of its courtyard stands a bronze bust of Netaji, installed in 1975. Flanked by plaques marking visits from Indian dignitaries—Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957, Indira Gandhi in 1969, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001, and others—the site becomes a place of pilgrimage every August 18, when the temple opens for a memorial service marking Bose's reported death anniversary. Inside the main hall, a small golden pagoda holds the urn said to contain his ashes. For the rest of the year, Renkō-ji remains closed to the public, adding to the enigma that surrounds it. Contested remains and unanswered questions But here's where reverence meets controversy. The authenticity of the ashes has long been disputed. While Japanese records and commissions like the 1970 G.D. Khosla Commission affirm Bose's death in the crash, the 2005 Mukherjee Commission disagreed, concluding there was no conclusive evidence Bose died in Taiwan. The Indian government dismissed the Mukherjee findings without explanation, keeping the debate alive. Theories about Bose's fate abound—some claim he escaped to the Soviet Union, others suggest he lived in secrecy in India. Family members, including his daughter Anita Bose Pfaff and grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose, have repeatedly called for DNA testing of the remains. In a 2005 letter, Renkō-ji's then-chief priest confirmed the temple's willingness to permit testing. Yet no test has been conducted, and as of 2025, the ashes remain undisturbed. Credit: iStock Visiting Renkō-ji: A quiet pilgrimage Located about 500 meters from Higashi-Koenji Station, Renkō-ji isn't easy to stumble upon. Hidden in a residential neighborhood and absent of English signage, it's not on most Tokyo travel itineraries. Those who make the journey often describe it as a profoundly emotional experience. Through Sanshi-no-Mori Park and into the temple courtyard, visitors are greeted not with fanfare, but with solemnity. The priests' decades-long guardianship of the ashes—now upheld by Nichiko Mochizuki, the son of Reverend Kyoei Mochizuki—adds a layer of reverence not often seen in global shrines to foreign figures. A legacy awaits closure Despite public interest, political visits, and continued family appeals, no Indian government has made a formal request to repatriate the remains. The Japanese government and temple custodians have signaled their willingness, but the silence from New Delhi remains deafening. In the heart of Tokyo, far from Netaji's birthplace in Cuttack or the battlegrounds of Southeast Asia, Renkō-ji Temple keeps vigil. It holds not just an urn, but a story unfinished—a story of courage, of freedom, and of a nation's unanswered question.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Two Miyawaki forests launched
Mangaluru: World Environment Day saw the launch of two Miyawaki Forests—one by Nitte (Deemed to be University) and another by the Young Indians (Yi) Mangaluru chapter, on Thursday. Nitte (Deemed to be University) launched the Nitte Miyawaki Forest. Pratap Lingaiah, state NSS officer, youth empowerment and sports department, govt of Karnataka, inaugurated it by unveiling the plaque and planting a sapling. The Miyawaki method, developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, is a proven technique for creating dense, fast-growing native forests using only indigenous plant species. It involves high-density, multi-layered planting that mimics natural forest ecosystems, resulting in rapid growth and self-sustainability within 2-3 years. Native species such as neem, benga, kadamba, mango, golden shower, Ashoka tree, Indian blackberry, kokum, monkey jack, surahonne, jackfruit, red sandalwood, and cinnamon were planted in a 6,534 sqft dedicated to developing the Nitte Miyawaki Forest. These activities are part of the ongoing mission of Nitte to promote green initiatives. Yi Mangaluru chapter achieved a green milestone with the launch of a Miyawaki forest at NorthernSky Greenfield Meadows, Surathkal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Spearheaded by the chapter's climate change vertical, this initiative stands as an example of youth-driven environmental stewardship and community-led climate resilience. The land measuring 1,900sqm for the Miyawaki forest was provided by NorthernSky properties, while the saplings were procured from the Karnataka forest department, reinforcing public-private collaboration in environmental restoration. The event was graced by Anthony Mariappa, deputy conservator of forests, Mangaluru division. M Athmika Amin, immediate past chair of Yi Mangaluru and regional mentor for the climate change vertical SRTKKA, addressed the gathering and emphasised the importance of the Miyawaki method. She reaffirmed Yi's commitment to launching many more such urban forestry projects in the near future. Addressing the gathering, Mariappa highlighted the pressing need for civil society to support afforestation efforts. With growing urban development leading to tree loss, particularly from road widening and infrastructure projects, community-led plantation drives are crucial to restoring ecological balance. He also emphasised the role of urban forests in mitigating climate change impacts. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Mint
19 hours ago
- Mint
The stunning decline of the preference for having boys
Without fanfare, something remarkable has happened. The noxious practice of aborting girls simply for being girls has become dramatically less common. It first became widespread in the late 1980s, as cheap ultrasound machines made it easy to determine the sex of a fetus. Parents who were desperate for a boy but did not want a large family—or, in China, were not allowed one—started routinely terminating females. Globally, among babies born in 2000, a staggering 1.6m girls were missing from the number you would expect, given the natural sex ratio at birth. This year that number is likely to be 200,000—and it is still falling. The fading of boy preference in regions where it was strongest has been astonishingly rapid. The natural ratio is about 105 boy babies for every 100 girls; because boys are slightly more likely to die young, this leads to rough parity at reproductive age. The sex ratio at birth, once wildly skewed across Asia, has become more even. In China it fell from a peak of 117.8 boys per 100 girls in 2006 to 109.8 last year, and in India from 109.6 in 2010 to 106.8. In South Korea it is now completely back to normal, having been a shocking 115.7 in 1990. In 2010 an Economist cover called the mass abortion of girls 'gendercide". The global decline of this scourge is a blessing. First, it implies an ebbing of the traditions that underpinned it: the stark belief that men matter more and the expectation in some cultures that a daughter will grow up to serve her husband's family, so parents need a son to look after them in old age. Such sexist ideas have not vanished, but evidence that they are fading is welcome. Second, it heralds an easing of the harms caused by surplus men. Sex-selective abortion doomed millions of males to lifelong bachelorhood. Many of these 'bare branches", as they are known in China, resented it intensely. And their fury was socially destabilising, since young, frustrated bachelors are more prone to violence. One study of six Asian countries found that warped sex ratios led to an increase of rape in all of them. Others linked the imbalance to a rise in violent crime in China, along with authoritarian policing to quell it, and to a heightened risk of civil strife or even war in other countries. The fading of boy preference will make much of the world safer. In some regions, meanwhile, a new preference is emerging: for girls. It is far milder. Parents are not aborting boys for being boys. No big country yet has a noticeable surplus of girls. Rather, girl preference can be seen in other measures, such as polls and fertility patterns. Among Japanese couples who want only one child, girls are strongly preferred. Across the world, parents typically want a mix. But in America and Scandinavia couples are likelier to have more children if their early ones are male, suggesting that more keep trying for a girl than do so for a boy. When seeking to adopt, couples pay extra for a girl. When undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and other sex-selection methods in countries where it is legal to choose the sex of the embryo, women increasingly opt for daughters. People prefer girls for all sorts of reasons. Some think they will be easier to bring up, or cherish what they see as feminine traits. In some countries they may assume that looking after elderly parents is a daughter's job. However, the new girl preference also reflects increasing worries about boys' prospects. Boys have always been more likely to get into trouble: globally, 93% of jailbirds are male. In much of the world they have also fallen behind girls academically. In rich countries 54% of young women have a tertiary degree, compared with 41% of young men. Men are still over-represented at the top, in boardrooms, but also at the bottom, angrily shutting themselves in their bedrooms. Governments are rightly concerned about boys' problems. Because boys mature later than girls, there is a case for holding them back a year at school. More male teachers, especially at primary school, where there are hardly any, might give them role models. Better vocational training might nudge them into jobs that men have long avoided, such as nursing. Tailoring policies to help struggling boys need not mean disadvantaging girls, any more than prescribing glasses for someone with bad eyesight hurts those with 20/20 vision. In the future, technology will offer parents more options. Some will be relatively uncontroversial: when it is possible to tweak genes to avoid horrific hereditary diseases, those who can will not hesitate to do so. But what if new technologies for sex selection become widespread? Couples undergoing fertility treatment can already choose sperm with X chromosomes or determine an embryo's sex via genetic testing. Such techniques are expensive and rare, but will surely get cheaper. Also, and more important, more parents who conceive children the old-fashioned way are likely to use cheap, blood-based screening in the first weeks of pregnancy to find out about genetic traits. These tests can already reveal the sex of the embryo. Some people trying for a girl may then use pill-based abortifacients to avoid having a boy. As a liberal newspaper, The Economist would prefer not to tell people what kind of family they should have. Nonetheless, it is worth pondering what the consequences might be if a new imbalance were to arise: a future generation with substantially more women than men. The power of numbers It would not be as bad as too many men. A surplus of single women is unlikely to become physically abusive. Indeed, you might speculate that a mostly female world would be more peaceful and better run. But if women were ever to make up a large majority, some men might exploit their stronger bargaining position in the mating market by becoming more promiscuous or reluctant to commit themselves to a relationship. For many heterosexual women, this would make dating harder. Some wanting to couple up would be unable to do so. Celebrate the cooling of the war on baby girls, therefore, and urge on the day when it ends entirely. But do not assume that what comes next will be simple or trouble-free.
