Raising baby koi fish is a very rewarding and fun way to go about stocking up your pond.
There is something so fun and memorable about watching the tiny little baby fry grow into gorgeous adult fish.
Often sold in bulk, buying koi fry, also known as peanuts, is usually more affordable than getting individual fish and can save you a lot of money if you want a lot of fish in your pond and are not particular about what colorations you get.
Let’s take a look at where you can find koi fish fry for sale!
1. Pet Stores
Physical brick and mortar pet stores often gave koi fry for very affordable rates.
While many people purchase their fry online, getting them in-store cuts down on shipping time and can decrease the risk of your koi being harmed or killed during the shipping process. If you do not want to wait or are concerned about the safety of your koi fish, this is definitely a route worth checking out.
Stores like PetSmart, PetCo, and even Wal-Mart often have koi fry in stock in massive amounts. You can also find them at local pet stores, as well, which will generally have a healthy aquatic stock if they are a reputable shop.
2. Local Breeders
Local breeders are perhaps the very best place to find koi fry.
They often breed large volumes of koi fish and are happy to sell a batch of fry here and there since they are typically culled anyways.
Keep an eye out for breeders announcing the start of their breeding season and call them up to request a batch of fry.
Most are happy to sell them at very reasonable prices!
As a reputable koi breeding facility that has produced many amazing variations, Blackwater Creek Koi Farms Inc is a great option for buying batches of koi fry.
Depending on what time during the breeding season it is, you can either get batches of actual koi fry or batches of larger young koi, both of which are great for stocking your pond and are fun since they offer the ability to watch the growth process.
Blackwater Creek also has a wide variety of adult koi fish, including some stunning, vibrant colorations, and are very reasonably priced, so be sure to check out their full inventory, as well.
As the creators of the incredibly popular and high-quality Blue Ridge Koi Food empire of products, Blue Ridge Koi and Goldfish is regarded as one of the biggest names in the modern koi industry.
Due to this, it makes sense that their actual koi fish would be some of the best that you can easily purchase.
This includes their koi fry.
Straight from America’s largest and longest-running koi farm, these gorgeous fish are very healthy and can be purchased for most of the year in bundles.
For the price and quality, this is a great way to bulk up your pond.
If you want a very large volume order, Carolina Fish Hatchery offers 750-100 koi bulk packages for 2 to 3-inch peanuts.
This company offers traditional Japanese style koi in a wide range of colorations.
For those with large ponds or looking to start out for the first time, this is a great way to go about stocking your aquatic area and getting a good level of the base fish population needed to support a thriving pond going.
It is also great if you are wanting to raise fish to potentially use in a breeding situation, as they have tons of different color options and types of koi available at a given time, making it easy to stock up on both fry and larger fish if you have specific colorations that you want.
Another traditional style breeder, Kodama Koi Farm offers a large selection of koi sub-varieties.
You can find a lot of stunning, healthy fish within this breeder, including some less common varieties.
Their fry are fairly priced and are unculled most of the time, meaning you may end up with some truly special and interesting colorations.
To get their fry, you can either wait until they post a batch or you can message them to request the culled koi fry that they have leftover.
The pricing is incredibly fair given the quality of the fish, making this an option definitely worth checking out.
Plus you can even buy their recommended supplies and koi food on their site, making care easier than ever, too!
While originally listed as a goldfish retailer, Pure Goldfish offers a wide range of koi, butterfly koi, and goldfish varieties, including koi fry.
If you want specific varieties instead of randomized fry, you have the option to purchase smaller bulk sizes of popular sub-varieties, too.
As a whole, Pure Goldfish is an underrated and high-quality koi breeder that deserves a lot more recognition for the quality fish they put out.
If you are in the market and want to look at new breeders, this is a great one to check out, for sure. Plus, you can pick up butterfly koi and goldfish, too, making a mixed-species pond incredibly easy to set up and get started!
Raising Koi Fry
Raising koi fry is a fantastic way to stock your pond and really experience the growth and lifecycle of your koi fish.
From tiny babies to their final giant size, watching your fish become stunning, mature koi is a wonderful thing.
With the help of a breeder, you can get your hands on some baby fry and get to work raising them up. Who knows, you just might end up with some incredible color variations!
The possibilities are endless when you pick up a batch of koi fry, especially if you opt for an unculled option.
You just might get the pick of a lifetime! Good luck!
