In Japan, Koi is a living charm of long life because Koi live a very long time.
Nishikigoi can live over 200 years if you keep them in the right way. It is said that you can calculate their age by analyzing their scales. You probably know that you can estimate the age of tree by counting its cambium layers, and you can also use the same method for Koi. Koi’s scale has certain lines, and you can find out their age by analyzing those lines.
In Gifu prefecture, Japan, there is a river called “Kiso river 木曽川”. The water in Kiso river was suitable for Koi keeping. The first president of All Japan Koi Promotion Association Komei Etsuhara was also using water from Kiso River for his pond, and he had a Koi that was called Hanako. Hanako died when she was 30 inches long in 1977. After she died, her scales were analyzed, and to everyone’s surprise, her age was calculated as 226 years old.
As you can see, Koi fish are actually very robust, and Koi hardly die if there are no failures, and it’s totally depending on owners how they manage it!
Treat your koi very well and they will share a long life with you and your family.
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