Buyer question
How long do koi live?
Our Animal Library gives the Koi a lifespan of 25–35+ years.
Source: the Kohaku koi page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Koi in the Animal Library
The detail
Kohaku is the foundation variety of koi: a white fish with red markings, judged on skin quality and sharp pattern edges. Many keepers say koi keeping begins and ends with Kohaku, and it is the benchmark for judging.
- Hardiness
- 4 out of 5 (Hardy in a good pond)
- Origin
- Niigata, Japan (domestic carp)
- Best fit
- Pond keepers
What to weigh
Koi need a large, filtered pond and live for decades. Red pattern can change as the fish grows, so young fish are a gamble.