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S Legend, a red and white Koi Carp bred in Japan became the most
expensive live fish ever sold, after fetching a mind-blowing price of
203 million yen ($1.8 million), more than $1.3 million more than the
previous record.
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The 101cm-long Koi Carp from the highly-regarded Kohaku variety was
bought by a collector from Japan after a fierce bidding war at the Saki
Fish farm in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The female carp won first
prize at the prestigious All Japan Koi Show last year, and is expected
to bag her second title this year, which greatly increased collectors’
interest. Fans and collectors of Koi carp are now expected to travel
from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the most expensive fish
ever sold.
Koi carp come in over a dozen varieties, of which Kohaku is by far the
most popular and most valuable. It is said that koi breeders may
experiment with rearing other varieties but in the end everyone always
comes back to Kohaku. This variety is a white-skinned with large red
markings on the top. To be considered perfect, the white of a Kohaku Koi
must be free of any discolouration or yellowing.
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Japan remains the world’s largest producer of Koi carp, with 90% of
production aimed export. In 2016, Koi carp exports generated over $35
million in revenue.
Interestingly, Japan also holds the world record for most expensive dead
fish ever sold, a 222-kilogram bluefin tuna auctioned off for 155
million yen ($1.4 million). |