Koi

The Koi is a rare fish found in rivers between 4pm to 9am all year round. It appears to be more common during winter and in rainy weather. In all games, the Koi is identical to the carp in all but coloration and abundance.

Donating to the Museum
As with all fish in the series, the koi can be donated to the Museum, followed by a small talk by Blathers about it.

In Animal Crossing
"Some fish bring a higher price at the market than koi, but koi are special in some indescribable way... For whatever the reason, catching a koi feels like... like catching a living fortune, somehow. Interesting, that. Well, aren't I incoherent! All rambling aside, rest easy knowing we will give this noble fish the utmost care."

In Wild World
Upon donating, Blathers's will comment with:

"Hoo my! This addition should improve attendance at the museum most dramatically! I suspect that with the addition of this marvelous koi to the collection, folks from all around < > will be flocking to see it, wot wot!"

In City Folk
"...Great hoo! One of these should liven up the museum nicely, that's for certain! I say, I've heard a koi's worth is determined by how flashy its coloring is... Hoo now... How many Bells might this one be worth? ...Hoo, compose yourself, Blathers. This is for the museum!"



The koi can be found in the middle-left tank, with other fresh water river fish.

Encyclopedia Information
Once the player has caught a particular fish or bug, they can find information about it in the bug or fish menus. Once the koi has been caught, the following information can be found in the fish menu:

Further Information
Koi (鯉), more often known as Nishikigoi (meaning brocaded carp), is an ornamental fish of the common carp variety that is not known to occur naturally in the environment, at least not in its more colourfully distributed colourations. The colours of Koi are from mutations in wild Carp, and fish are hybridized and interbred to form the appearances we know today.

Ornamental Koi are generally much different in shape from their ancestor, the Carp, and most colourations are very slender and average much smaller overall.

The well-known colouration of orange and black spots is known as Kohaku, and they are usually found in private and public aquariums and are mainly for viewing purposes. Much like the Goldfish, the Koi is also interbred from specially selected Carp. Unlike the Goldfish however, Koi descended from Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) whereas the former are bred from Crucian Carp. They are omnivores, feeding mainly on insects and algae, much like their wild alternative. The name 'Koi' comes from the Japanese, simply meaning 'carp.'

These fish are very long living and they can last over 200 years, 226 Years being the oldest Recoded age for a koi, about 100 years older than the longest living human at the oldest recorded age being 126 years.

Toy Set
The koi appeared in a toy set along with Purrl (a cat villager), an eel and a fish tank.