Anything strike you as special
Anything strike you as special

about this fish here?
about this fish here?

Well, it's worth 1.8 million dollars.
Well, it's worth 1.8 million dollars.

It won grand champion at the All Japan Koi Show in 2017,
It won grand champion at the All Japan Koi Show in 2017,

and is the most expensive koi fish ever sold.
and is the most expensive koi fish ever sold.

Koi may just look like an oversized goldfish,
Koi may just look like an oversized goldfish,

but they're not even remotely related.
but they're not even remotely related.

Koi are actually a type of carp, and today they're some
Koi are actually a type of carp, and today they're some

of the most expensive pet fish in the world.
of the most expensive pet fish in the world.

But why?
But why?

Koi were originally raised in Japan in the 1700s
Koi were originally raised in Japan in the 1700s

when rice farmers first began breeding them
when rice farmers first began breeding them

for their distinct colors and patterns,
for their distinct colors and patterns,

similar to how we breed dogs for their specific traits.
similar to how we breed dogs for their specific traits.

And just like prized dog breeds,
And just like prized dog breeds,

Japanese people take koi breeding very seriously.
Japanese people take koi breeding very seriously.

There are regular competitions to name the top koi.
There are regular competitions to name the top koi.

Judges and buyers pay attention
Judges and buyers pay attention

to how healthy its skin looks, its size and body shape,
to how healthy its skin looks, its size and body shape,

and how gracefully the fish moves in the water.
and how gracefully the fish moves in the water.

But the most important trait of all is the koi's coloring.
But the most important trait of all is the koi's coloring.

The best koi have a good balance of colors and patterns
The best koi have a good balance of colors and patterns

according to their variety.
according to their variety.

For example, there are koi with light blue spots,
For example, there are koi with light blue spots,

ones with large red patches on their backs,
ones with large red patches on their backs,

or all-metallic gold.
or all-metallic gold.

But the most winning fish often just boil down
But the most winning fish often just boil down

to these three varieties.
to these three varieties.

They're often the most valuable.
They're often the most valuable.

They dominate the shows, winning nearly
They dominate the shows, winning nearly

every major category each year.
every major category each year.

And the better-looking the fish,
And the better-looking the fish,

the more a buyer is willing to pay.
the more a buyer is willing to pay.

Yvo: Yeah, it depends.
Yvo: Yeah, it depends.

You can buy some small and cheap koi fish
You can buy some small and cheap koi fish

for a couple of bucks, but also, yeah,
for a couple of bucks, but also, yeah,

it can get up really, really high to thousands,
it can get up really, really high to thousands,

ten thousands of dollars.
ten thousands of dollars.

Narrator: That's Yvo de Wal.
Narrator: That's Yvo de Wal.

He's a koi hobbyist and seller in the Netherlands,
He's a koi hobbyist and seller in the Netherlands,

and he heads up the YouTube channel Koi Partner.
and he heads up the YouTube channel Koi Partner.

Each year he visits Japan to shop for koi.
Each year he visits Japan to shop for koi.

Yvo: The breeders are located there, and
Yvo: The breeders are located there, and

they have experience with their bloodlines
they have experience with their bloodlines

for many, many generations.
for many, many generations.

Narrator: You see, bloodlines are just as prized
Narrator: You see, bloodlines are just as prized

in koi as they are in dogs because some
in koi as they are in dogs because some

of these koi are the result
of these koi are the result

of decades of selective breeding.
of decades of selective breeding.

I mean, just take a look
I mean, just take a look

at the koi's wild relative, the common carp.
at the koi's wild relative, the common carp.

Its dark colors would be considered unattractive
Its dark colors would be considered unattractive

for a koi, but it's perfect protection
for a koi, but it's perfect protection

against predators in the wild.
against predators in the wild.

So how do you get from this to this?
So how do you get from this to this?

Well, it's actually similar to how we got
Well, it's actually similar to how we got

from this to this, except koi breeders mainly select
from this to this, except koi breeders mainly select

for size and color and ignore...
for size and color and ignore...

Fluffiness.
Fluffiness.

Koi have six types of color cells in their skin.
Koi have six types of color cells in their skin.

Their cells can be red, yellow,
Their cells can be red, yellow,

black, white, blue, or metallic.
black, white, blue, or metallic.

Now in order to get a beautiful, reddish-orange pattern
Now in order to get a beautiful, reddish-orange pattern

like the one on this 1.8 million dollar fish,
like the one on this 1.8 million dollar fish,

you need to select for fish that have a white body
you need to select for fish that have a white body

and lots of red cells that concentrate in large patches.
and lots of red cells that concentrate in large patches.

Red and white are important colors in Japanese culture,
Red and white are important colors in Japanese culture,

representing joy and purity.
representing joy and purity.

But having the right colors is only part of it.
But having the right colors is only part of it.

A koi's color cells sit at different depths in the skin,
A koi's color cells sit at different depths in the skin,

some right near the surface and some deeper in,
some right near the surface and some deeper in,

which ultimately determines how bright the fish appears.
which ultimately determines how bright the fish appears.

The brighter the fish, the bigger the price tag.
The brighter the fish, the bigger the price tag.

Today there are about 120 varieties.
Today there are about 120 varieties.

To compare, there are about 200 breeds of dogs.
To compare, there are about 200 breeds of dogs.

But when it comes down to it, breeding koi is a lot harder.
But when it comes down to it, breeding koi is a lot harder.

A single koi can give birth to hundreds of thousands
A single koi can give birth to hundreds of thousands

of baby fish at a time.
of baby fish at a time.

Yvo: I think we are talking
Yvo: I think we are talking

about millions and millions of fish
about millions and millions of fish

per breeder.
per breeder.

Narrator: So breeders must choose wisely.
Narrator: So breeders must choose wisely.

One breeder, for example, reports that he starts
One breeder, for example, reports that he starts

with 3 million fish and selects 15,000
with 3 million fish and selects 15,000

to raise over the first year.
to raise over the first year.

From that he chooses 1,000 to continue
From that he chooses 1,000 to continue

to raise the second year.
to raise the second year.

Yvo: Yeah, it's a really hard job for the breeders.
Yvo: Yeah, it's a really hard job for the breeders.

Narrator: But in the end, all that hard work is worth it.
Narrator: But in the end, all that hard work is worth it.

The breeder of this grand champion waited
The breeder of this grand champion waited

until she was nine years old to sell her at auction.
until she was nine years old to sell her at auction.

And by bringing in a world record of 1.8 million,
And by bringing in a world record of 1.8 million,

the breeder got not only a huge return on investment
the breeder got not only a huge return on investment

but a priceless reputation boost in the koi community.
but a priceless reputation boost in the koi community.