Best Places to Buy Koi Online: Real Reviews of 6 Fish Sellers to Find the Top Koi Shop

When it comes to buying Koi fish online, the first thing people want to know is if it’s even possible to do safely. After all, buying living creatures for sale online and having them shipped through the mail isn’t something most people do every day. 

Thankfully, Koi fish are quite a bit different than a dog or a cat, so shipping them safely and humanely through the mail is totally possible. But this assumes you’re buying from an established and reputable online Koi dealer, which isn’t always easy to figure out just by visiting a website.

To help you out with this, I took the plunge and bought a single Koi fish from 6 different online Koi sellers then recorded my experience with their customer service and products.

Best Place to Buy Koi Fish Online: Next Day Koi is the Top Shop

Over the past several months, I’ve purchased different kinds of Koi from some of the more well-known online Koi shops to see which one is the best place to buy Koi online. I’m basing these reviews on my personal buying experience with these sellers, including the condition of the Koi I received, the guarantees made on the websites, and the customer support experience with each.

Based on this criteria, six online koi shops stand out: Kloubec Koi Farm, Next Day Koi, Blackwater Creek Koi Farms, Kodama Koi Farm, LiveAquaria, and AquariumFishSale.com. 

Online Koi Store	Pricing	Guarantee
#1 Pick NextDayKoi	I paid $75 for a single 5.5” Kikusui and $62 for shipping with “Nature Safe” liner.	14-day guarantee. If Koi dies for any reason within this period, you get a full refund.
Kloubec Koi Farm	I paid $99 for one 7” Kikikuryu Koi and $49 for shipping via UPS.	If Koi is DOA, get in touch within 3 hours of receipt for replacement.
Blackwater Creek Koi Farms	I paid $69 for one Shusui Koi and $68 for shipping.	Call within 24 hours of DOA to arrange for a refund, replacement, or store credit.
Kodama Koi Farm	I paid $89 for one 6” Goshiki Koi and paid $100 for UPS shipping from Hawaii.	24 hour Koi health guarantee. If Koi is DOA, get in touch ASAP.
LiveAquaria	I paid $89 for one 4” Matsuba Koi and paid $39 for shipping.	7 day “arrive alive, stay alive” guarantee.
Aquarium Fish Sale	I paid $33 for a single 6-7” Koi and paid $30 for shipping via FedEx.	Live Arrival Guarantee. If fish is DOA, you get a store credit.

Just to save you some time if you don’t feel like reading the whole review, I’ll let you know that Next Day Koi comes out at the top of my list of the best places to buy Koi fish online. Based on my experience with them, the customer service was amazing and the fish arrived happy and healthy.

But that doesn’t mean the other sellers aren’t great places to buy as well. Let’s get into the reviews so you can make up your own mind.

1. Next Day Koi – My #1 Choice For Buying Koi Fish Online

First up, is Next Day Koi, one of the most well known and most popular online Koi breeder and sellers. Unlike some of the larger websites that sell all kinds of freshwater and saltwater fish/products, Next Day Koi specializes in Koi, Butterfly Koi, and Goldfish, which is a huge benefit in my opinion.

Next Day Koi has an impressive dedicated live Koi packing and shipping operation, so the Koi they send to you has the best opportunity of arriving safely and in good health. They also ship your Koi the following day after you make an order (hence the name) which will get to you within 24 hours.

Next Day Koi offers a 14 day guarantee, so if any of your Koi die within 14 days, they’ll refund or replace it.

My Experience Buying from Next Day Koi

After checking out the Next Day Koi youtube channel, I was immediately impressed by how well thought out their operation appears. Next Day Koi not only specializes in Koi, but also in selling them online, which is how they manage to get them out so quickly—by far the fastest shipper of anyone on this list.

I ordered a single 5.5” Kikusui on a Monday evening, and my Koi arrived well packaged and in excellent condition late Wednesday afternoon. 

The packaging was secure, and the Koi was exactly what I saw in the photos. Beyond the fish itself, I was especially impressed by the customer service. Next Day Koi reached out to me after I placed the order to confirm some of the delivery details and to ensure that the fish weren’t going into a frozen pond (because of the time of year and my location). 

I found this level of care and attention to detail a little surprising to be honest, but also very reassuring because these Koi are living creatures that deserve care and respect. This is probably the primary reason why I’ve listed Next Day Koi as my preferred online Koi seller.

That’s not to say that the other sellers don’t have the same compassion for their Koi—I’m sure they do. But Next Day Koi went above and beyond to make that clear, and the results were fantastic. I’ve had this Koi for several months now, and he’s growing beautifully in my pond. 

I definitely recommend Next Day Koi to anyone looking to buy koi online.

2. Kloubec Koi Farm

Kloubec Koi Farm is a family-owned business in Amana, Iowa that specializes in breeding and selling Koi fish. They offer a wide variety of Koi and Goldfish, including standard fin and butterfly koi. 

Kloubec Koi Farm offers a DOA guarantee, so as long as you let them know immediately of any dead Koi they’ll give you a refund.

My Experience Buying from Kloubec Koi Farm

I tried Kloubec Koi Farm after finding them on Google and reading some positive online reviews. I ordered a single 7” Kikikuryu, and it arrived healthy and well-packaged. 

The Koi I received was exactly what I was expecting based on the pictures. Similar to Next Day Koi, I appreciated Kloubec Koi Farm’s commitment to quality and their extensive knowledge about koi. 

I called up to ask a couple of questions about some of their Koi, and they were able to address all of my concerns. The person who answered the phone even (politely) corrected me on some Koi terminology (lol). 

My Kloubec Koi is still doing great a few months later, showing excellent color and liveliness. Despite not ranking them #1, I would definitely consider buying from Kloubec again.

3. Blackwater Creek Koi Farms

Blackwater Creek Koi Farms is another well-known and reputable Koi seller based on Eustis, Florida that ships all over the US. They breed their own Koi, Butterfly Koi, and Goldfish and have gained a reputation for quality and customer service. 

Blackwater Creek does not offer a 14 day guarantee like Next Day Koi, but if any of their fish for sale arrive DOA, you have 24 hours to get in contact with customer support for a refund or replacement. 

My Experience Buying from Blackwater Creek Koi Farms

I ordered a single 6” Shusui Koi from Blackwater Creek Koi Farms, and had no problem with the purchasing or delivery experience. I paid $69 for the fish and shipping via UPS came to just over $68. I’m not sure if there is a free shipping offer over a certain amount because it isn’t listed on the website.

That’s actually one of my only complaints about Blackwater Creek—the website doesn’t make it super obvious what they’re shipping terms and conditions are in advance. I had to get to the point where my order was almost completed before I knew how much I’d be paying for shipping, or when it would arrive. Not a deal breaker, but still worth noting.  

That said, the fish arrived in good condition within 24 hours of my order being shipped, and they were very active and healthy. The colors were vibrant and matched the descriptions and photos on the website.

Overall, I was very satisfied with my purchase from Blackwater Creek Koi Farms.

4. Kodama Koi Farm

Kodama Koi Farm has a huge operation in Hawaii and is known for Koi breeding, selling, and auctioning, as well as their commitment to the quality and health of their Koi. They have a reputation for healthy, vibrant fish and offer a 14-day guarantee. 

My Experience Buying from Kodama Koi Farm

With such a respected name in the Koi business, I knew I had to give Kodama Koi Farm a try. 

I ordered a single 6” Goshiki Koi for $89, and paid $100 for shipping. The shipping fee is quite a bit higher than the other sellers I tried, so it initially threw me for a loop. Then I realized that all of the Koi are shipped directly from Hawaii, so the extra fees actually make sense.

The Koi I ordered arrived looking happy as well as quite beautiful and vibrant—Kodama Koi Farm really does know how to raise a good Koi, that’s for sure! The Koi also matched the photos and descriptions on the website perfectly. My order was shipped after 5 days and I received the order within 24 hours after that. 

My only complaint with Kodama is the shipping fee, even though it’s completely reasonable since it all comes from Hawaii. But if you’re on a tight budget, this might not be the best option for you.

5. LiveAquaria

LiveAquaria offers a wide variety of products, including Koi and lots of other types of freshwater and saltwater fish. They have a user-friendly website that makes it easy to find all the information you’re looking for, and they also offer a generous 14-day guarantee.

My Experience Buying from LiveAquaria

LiveAuaria is a little different from the other sellers on this list because they don’t specialize in just Koi (or Koi and Goldfish), they’re actually more of a generalized online fish products store.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does result in a different experience. You also don’t get to pick the exact Koi you want, instead you just select the type of Koi you want (if it’s listed) and quantity. Instead of an exact size, they just give you an estimation. I picked a small Matsuba that was estimated to be between 2 and 5” long.

I ordered on a Thursday, so the order took a few days to process, but once the order was shipped it arrived within 24 hours. My Koi arrived very well packaged and healthy looking. It ended up being almost exactly 4.5” long.

In the end, I got a great Koi at a great price (2nd cheapest on this list), but I’ll probably pass on them in favor of the more specialized Koi farms like Next Day Koi or Kodama Koi Farm. 

But if you don’t mind getting a random Koi, you can save money ordering from LiveAquaria, and the service is perfectly fine too.

6. AquariumFishSale.com

AquariumFishSale.com offers several varieties of saltwater and freshwater products and fish, including koi, with free shipping on orders over $149. They have an extensive website that sells everything from live fish to pond supplies.

If you’ve ever purchased anything from a large online retailer, you’ll be familiar with the experience of shopping at AquariumFishSale.com. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it is what it is.

My Experience Buying from AquariumFishSale.com

AuquariumFishSale.com is one of those retailers (due to how big they are) that will inevitably pop up on any search for live online fish sales. That’s a good enough reason as any to include them in this review—that and the fact that they sell live Koi, of course.

I paid $33 for a single 6” Koi and paid $30 for shipping, which is incredibly inexpensive—even less expensive than LiveAquaria, thanks to the super low shipping rate and the fact that I can’t pick the exact Koi I want. 

Like all of the other Koi sellers on this list, my Koi arrived happy and healthy. The only downside was that I could only describe what colors I was looking for in the shipping notes when completing the order. That said, I asked for a white and orange Koi and that’s exactly what they sent me—but what you get will be subject to whatever they have in stock at the time of the order.

Choosing a Reputable Seller: The First Step to Buy Koi Online

When buying koi online, it’s crucial to select a reputable seller. A reputable seller (or breeder) specializes in koi (and often Goldfish as well), has a good industry reputation, and provides detailed information about different koi varieties. Reputable sellers also offer guarantees on their fish, which shows their confidence in the quality and health of their koi. 

When you shop online for koi, look for these characteristics to make sure you’re buying from a trustworthy source. Of course, websites can and do lie all the time, so it’s always a good idea to look for reviews from other customers before purchasing so you can see how truthful the claims are.

Not All Ponds Are Equal: The Key to Buying the Right Koi

Before buying koi, you need to think about the size and depth of your pond or indoor aquarium. Keep in mind that (as a general rule of thumb), you need at least 10 gallons of water for each inch of Koi.

That means, if you have five 3 inch Koi, you’ll need a pond or tank with at least 150 gallons of water. As you can see, the numbers add up fast, so don’t be tempted to load your pond with Koi just because you like to see hundreds of them swimming around. The problems only get worse as the Koi grow in size as well.

If you need help with this step, check out this handy reference table below:

Pond Capacity (Gallons)	Total Length of Koi (Inches)	Number of Koi (Assuming 6 inch length)
500	50	8
1000	100	16
1500	150	25
2000	200	33
2500	250	41
3000	300	50
3500	350	58
4000	400	66
4500	450	75
5000	500	83

Koi Get Stressed Out During Shipping

A reputable Koi seller will ship in the most humane way possible, but it’s still a relatively stressful experience for the Koi. 

For this reason, it’s normal for them to seem a little off in terms of color and behavior, but this is mostly due to stress and should resolve within a few days. But if your Koi shows continuing signs of lethargy and discoloration, you should get in contact with the seller (if it’s still within their guarantee window) and keep it in quarantine away from your other healthy fish.

That said, if you’re buying from a reputable dealer, it’s very unlikely that any Koi they send you will be sick with a contagious disease. When Koi from these dealers do end up dying, it’s usually due to stress or mishandling during shipping.

Exploring Koi Varieties: Adding Aesthetic Value to Your Pond

There are many varieties of koi, each with its own unique color pattern. Some popular varieties include Kohaku, Sanke, and Showa. Kohaku koi are white with red markings, Sanke koi are white with red and black markings, and Showa koi are black with red and white markings. Rare varieties of Koi are usually the most expensive.

Of course, all Koi are unique and special, but choosing the right Koi with the right colors can really add aesthetic value to your pond, as well as highlight the uniqueness of the other fish already in there.

Koi Variety	Colors	Markings
Kohaku	White body with red markings	The red can vary from orange-red to dark red. The pattern of the red further distinguishes the Koi.
Sanke	White base with red and black markings	Similar to Kohaku but includes black patterning.
Showa	Black base with red and white markings	Black on both its head and below the lateral line.
Utsuri	Black base with one other color (red, white, or yellow)	Black Koi accompanied by one other color.
Bekko	Colored base with black pattern	Black pattern on a colored base.
Goshiki	Red, white, black, gray, and blue	Two subtypes: Kindai Goshiki (lighter base color) and Kuro Goshiki (traditional dark base color).
Asagi	Blue-grey color on the top of their bodies with red below the lateral lines	Net-like pattern formed from a dark-blue edge to each of their scales.
Shusui	Pale blue body with red on the bottom half and white head	Unique characteristic of being Doitsu (no scales, or with a few rows of enlarged scales).
Kujaku	Metallic with a pattern	Platinum base color with an interesting pattern of Hi, Ki, or Beni (red-orange).
Hariwake	Two-colored metallic koi with a pattern	Platinum base color with an interesting pattern of Hi, Ki, or Beni (red-orange). When its pattern is yellow, it is known as a Lemon Hariwake.

The Necessity of Quarantine: Ensuring the Health of Your Koi and Pond

When you bring home a new Koi, it’s essential to quarantine them before introducing them to your existing pond or aquarium. This isn’t because your new Koi is necessarily sick or carrying any diseases, but it’s a precautionary measure to protect your existing fish population. 

Also, the quarantine period allows your new Koi to adjust to the water conditions and diet in your care, making the eventual transition to the main pond or aquarium smoother and less stressful for them. 

So, while it might seem like an unnecessary step, quarantining is really all about ensuring the health and happiness of your new Koi as well as all other aquatic life under your care.

Best Place to Buy Koi Online: Making an Informed Decision

Having never bought a Koi online before (nor any other living creature, for that matter), I’m glad I took the plunge because it was well worth the time and effort.

After it’s all said and done, the most important thing I took from the whole process was to pick a seller that really cares about their Koi. For me, that means going with one of the dedicated Koi farms (including Butterfly Koi & Goldfish), like Next Day Koi, Kloubec Koi Farm, Blackwater Creek Koi, and Kodama Koi Farm. 

In general, I found that these dedicated farms that specialize in Koi (and sometimes Goldfish as well) are just better suited to getting the best Koi possible. That said, they’re also more expensive as well, but if you buy during a sale, you can often offset the higher price. I recommend signing up for their newsletter via email to keep up on which products are on sale.

That’s not to say that the larger online fish stores don’t do a good job as well, they absolutely do. But I think if you’re passionate about Koi and want to ensure you get the highest quality Koi possible, you need to go with a specialized seller. In my opinion, the slightly higher price you pay with these sellers is worth it.

In the end, I’ll be purchasing again from Next Day Koi because I appreciate their dedication to the health and happiness of their Koi. I also love their next day shipping, which is perhaps what they’ve become known for.

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