Koi​—Flowers That Swim

IF ASKED to name a miracle of creation, would you choose the lowly carp? Probably not. Most people think of carp as ugly, greenish-brown fish that live in the mud and dirty up the water for other fish.

Yet there are also carp that are among the most beautiful and highly desired fish known to man. Raised primarily in Japan, these carp can be mixtures of red, yellow, blue, black, gold, silver or other colors. They are often found in small ponds near Japanese homes where they are admired by all, loved as pets and even exhibited in “beauty contests.”

These ornamental fish are called koi by the Japanese, who have been admiring them for hundreds of years. In a country with little arable land, a well-stocked koi pond becomes a kind of living garden, one that blooms the year around! So it is not surprising that the most valuable koi are those with bright colors on top, where they can be seen by people looking down at them. A fish that is colorful on the sides but dull on top may wind up being served for dinner!

Do not think that brilliant colors are the only thing that make koi valuable. Indeed, in koi exhibitions harmonious body proportions count for as much as color and pattern together. How much is a champion fish worth? The “prices run to unbelievable heights,” reports koi expert Herbert Axelrod. “I witnessed one sale of eleven koi which were sold for $100,000 [U.S.] . . . in cash.” A single prizewinning fish might be worth $40,000!

What goes on at a koi show? Usually a huge hall is rented and filled with shallow wading pools. Into each pool go ten fish, identical to the untrained eye, since they are all of the same size and variety. The judges, however, know exactly what they are looking for and usually select no more than one of each group of ten fish as a candidate for a prize.

Like all carp, koi are hardy fish. If well taken care of, they frequently outlive their owners, and koi have been handed down as family heirlooms for generations. Hanako, a red carp belonging to a Japanese koi expert, was said to be 215 years old in 1968! Hanako’s age was estimated from rings on her scales that correspond to growth rings in trees. Even if Hanako is not really a double-centenarian, there is little doubt that koi frequently live to be over a hundred years of age.

It is interesting to reflect on the fact that the genetic material of the carp “kind” of fish contains a dazzling potential of color and beauty. If you sometimes feel drab and unspectacular, remember that you were created with far more potential than any carp. Just as there may be a beautiful koi inside a carp, perhaps you too have something beautiful within you, waiting to be expressed.