How Did You Choose Your First Koi? Color? Type? Size?

[Pondtopia]

Hi everyone!

I’m a newbie in the koi keeping world and I’m starting to think seriously about adding my first koi to my pond. I’ve done some reading, watched some videos, and asked around a bit, but I’d love to hear from the seasoned pond keepers here!

Here are my questions:
What factors did you consider when choosing your first koi? Was it the color, type, or size that caught your attention?

Did you start with a specific breed or variety? I’ve heard that different types of koi have different needs—how did you decide which variety was right for your pond?

Any recommendations on buying your first koi? Should I get a smaller one to start, or is it better to go for a medium-sized koi that’s already a bit more mature?

I’m still learning about the different types (like Showa, Sanke, and Kohaku) and would love to hear about your experiences! Looking forward to hearing your advice and tips.

Thanks so much in advance—excited to be part of this community and learn from all of you!

 

[GBBUDD]

I went with many small CHEAP koi as I suspected not many would survive the cycling of the pond.
Never spend big money on fish not untill you get the hang of things..
I do have a couple of the originals. And most of my fish get new homes when they get too aggresive in spawning.

My favorite is a dark goshiki or a white matsuba, or a brown and gold long fin butterfly

 

[j.w]

@Pondtopia
Tell us about your pond, size, photo's, filters etc. Helps us to help you to know as much about it as possible.

 

[Tula]

My favorite is a chagoi. I purchased three koi from our local fish hatchery and a few years later bought a chagoi from a breeder.

 

[Lisak1]

What factors did you consider when choosing your first koi?

The first question is - how big is your pond?

Too many people think they have a koi pond but what they really have is a goldfish pond.

 

[Mmathis]

I only have goldfish, so can’t speak to koi choices. Personally…..I just like pretty fish. The “type” of fish wouldn’t matter at all (well, except that if I did have koi, I would like butterfly koi — because they are so pretty).

 

[WaterGardener]

Realize that whatever colors you choose today may not be what they are in the future. They can and often do change with time and environmental factors.

 

[Laaf]

I very scientifically (lol) picked koi I thought were cute at a local pond store.

Only one was over $20 and it was bigger when I got it. I mostly pay $8-14 for the smallest size the store has.

I do look at online koi sites and have even loaded shopping carts on several occasions then not completed the purchase. With several local stores available I prefer the lower prices and seeing them in person. I would order online if there were not local options available.

Once you have them, you appreciate them. As I look more closely now, I can see some have better conformation than others. But I don't care. I picked them for colors and fin shapes I liked. I try to pick ones that are different from each other so I can tell them apart.

I do still obsess on wanting certain colors, and have added more every year. I pick the tiniest ones (2-5 inches) since I think they are so cute. They grow pretty fast. I prefer butterfly. My biggest are coming up on 3 years with me and are over a foot long.

I find that I can set out with a goal of wanting certain colors, then I make impulsive decisions when the koi are in front of me.

They can and do change color over time.

There is one I picked for cool orange spots and only realized later that one flipper is very small compared to the other one. So now I look more carefully at flipper size in any fish before I take it home.

There are plenty of times I look and none jump out at me as "the one" so I come home empty handed.

I am trying not to buy any more this year. But I may need to join fish or koiaholics anonymous to not buy anymore.

 

[Pondtopia]

I went with many small CHEAP koi as I suspected not many would survive the cycling of the pond.
Never spend big money on fish not untill you get the hang of things..
I do have a couple of the originals. And most of my fish get new homes when they get too aggresive in spawning.

My favorite is a dark goshiki or a white matsuba, or a brown and gold long fin butterfly

That makes a lot of sense—starting with small, inexpensive koi sounds like a smart and practical approach, especially during the pond's early cycling stages. I hadn’t thought much about the risk during that time, so I really appreciate you pointing that out.

It’s also really cool that you still have a couple of your originals! And I can imagine how things change once spawning behavior kicks in… I’ll definitely keep that in mind.

I had to Google “dark goshiki” and “white matsuba”—wow, those are stunning. I can see why they’re your favorites. I hadn’t even heard of a brown and gold butterfly koi before, but now I’m obsessed. Do you find the butterfly fins change the way they swim or interact with other koi?

 

[Pondtopia]

View attachment 168870 @Pondtopia
Tell us about your pond, size, photo's, filters etc. Helps us to help you to know as much about it as possible.

Thanks so much for the quick reply—great point! I can definitely share more details to help paint a clearer picture.

Pond Size: My pond is approximately 8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and about 2.5 feet deep, which puts it at around 750 gallons.

Filtration System: I’m currently using a pressurized bio-filter with a built-in 13W UV clarifier, powered by a 660 GPH submersible pump. I also have a small waterfall feature for added oxygen and circulation. Planning to upgrade if I notice any signs of strain once koi are introduced.

Would love to hear your thoughts—do you think this setup sounds koi-ready? And what adjustments would you recommend before adding my first koi?

Excited to learn from this awesome community!

 

[Pondtopia]

My favorite is a chagoi. I purchased three koi from our local fish hatchery and a few years later bought a chagoi from a breeder.

I’ve actually heard a lot of good things about chagoi—they’re supposed to be super friendly and grow pretty big, right?

How did your chagoi adjust to your pond compared to the others from the hatchery? And do you find it interacts more with you or stands out in any way?

I'm still exploring which variety might suit my pond best, so it's really helpful to hear about real experiences like yours!

 

[Pondtopia]

The first question is - how big is your pond?

Too many people think they have a koi pond but what they really have is a goldfish pond.

My pond is about 8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 2.5 feet deep, which gives me around 750 gallons of water. I know that’s on the smaller side for koi, so I’m being cautious and realistic about stocking levels.

I’d love to hear what you think—does this setup sound koi-capable to you, or should I stick to just a couple of small ones to start?

 

[Pondtopia]

I only have goldfish, so can’t speak to koi choices. Personally…..I just like pretty fish. The “type” of fish wouldn’t matter at all (well, except that if I did have koi, I would like butterfly koi — because they are so pretty).

Goldfish are awesome too—I actually have a few in my pond right now, and they’ve been so fun to watch. I totally get what you mean about just liking pretty fish! Butterfly koi are gorgeous—I’ve seen a few videos of them gliding through the water with those flowing fins, and they look so graceful.

I might end up mixing a few butterfly koi with some traditional varieties. Still figuring things out, but I really appreciate your input!

Have your goldfish been easy to care for? Any tips you’d share for a fellow pond newbie?

 

[Pondtopia]

Realize that whatever colors you choose today may not be what they are in the future. They can and often do change with time and environmental factors.

I hadn’t fully considered how much koi colors can change over time. It must be both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking to see how they evolve!

 

[Pondtopia]

I very scientifically (lol) picked koi I thought were cute at a local pond store.

Only one was over $20 and it was bigger when I got it. I mostly pay $8-14 for the smallest size the store has.

I do look at online koi sites and have even loaded shopping carts on several occasions then not completed the purchase. With several local stores available I prefer the lower prices and seeing them in person. I would order online if there were not local options available.

Once you have them, you appreciate them. As I look more closely now, I can see some have better conformation than others. But I don't care. I picked them for colors and fin shapes I liked. I try to pick ones that are different from each other so I can tell them apart.

I do still obsess on wanting certain colors, and have added more every year. I pick the tiniest ones (2-5 inches) since I think they are so cute. They grow pretty fast. I prefer butterfly. My biggest are coming up on 3 years with me and are over a foot long.

I find that I can set out with a goal of wanting certain colors, then I make impulsive decisions when the koi are in front of me.

They can and do change color over time.

There is one I picked for cool orange spots and only realized later that one flipper is very small compared to the other one. So now I look more carefully at flipper size in any fish before I take it home.

There are plenty of times I look and none jump out at me as "the one" so I come home empty handed.

I am trying not to buy any more this year. But I may need to join fish or koiaholics anonymous to not buy anymore.

Thank you so much for sharing your koi journey—it honestly made me smile!

I love how you “very scientifically” picked the ones that were cute—I feel like that’s probably going to be me too. And wow, $8–14 for tiny koi sounds like a great deal compared to some of the prices I’ve seen online!

Also, butterfly koi are gorgeous! I’ve been seeing more photos of them lately and now I’m starting to get a bit obsessed too... It’s comforting to know I’m not the only one who might end up making a few “impulse additions” to the pond.

Out of curiosity, have you ever had one that completely changed colors in a way you didn’t expect? I’ve heard they can be full of surprises!