First encounter with the Koi fish

It began in 19th Dec 1999 when I moved into a new house. I have engaged a fish pond designer to put in a fish pond in order to break the monotonous look of the house. The designer built an 18 ton pond to beautify my garden.

At that moment, I did not have the slightest clue about keeping Koi fish. Not having any understanding and knowledge about Koi fish. As far as I am concern, a lot of people keep Koi fish in their garden pond and I could do that too. In the beginning, I was not prepared to buy good Koi fish, or rather I should say expensive fish. The main reason was that I have yet to appreciate Koi fish and was not capable of choosing Koi fish. I simply bought 40 over Koi fish of about 60cm from my friend at RM150 each. My friend advised me not to rush into it and buy so many at one time. However, it was as if I have found a treasure and bought everything from him, fearing that he might change his mind and not sell me the rest.

Due to conscience, my friend later admitted that the Koi fish I bought were just ordinary Koi fish which he did not want anymore. He felt sorry and gave me a pump motor. I happily accepted and told him that it did not matter as I was only interested in the feeding of Koi fish. I enjoyed that moment when all the Koi fish rushed forward for food.

Not long after that, a lot of problems arose. The pond water turned green after I put the fish in. I made a lot of enquiries and could not find the cause or any solution. There were different opinions given to me. I have tried a few measures including installing Japanese cotton, installing ceramic display items etc. These did not solved the problem. Later, it was discovered that the main problem was the filtration system of the fish pond. A friend advised me to install an Ultra Violet lighting system which later solved the problem.

After solving this problem, my interest increased and I frequented a few fish shops. I read a lot of books and magazines on Koi fish. I found that my fish were really ugly and let them go. I then bought 100 Koi fish, each cost RM100. My attitude was that I would be happy if there were 3 or 5 good Koi fish. However, these fish did not grow as big as expected and their colour gradually faded. I let them go and bought more new Koi fish which were getting more expensive.

Turning interest into business

During this period of time, one of my friends told me he knew a Taiwanese man who was good at breeding Koi fish. He introduced me to the Taiwanese man and hoped that I could buy some good and value for money Koi fish.

I made my first trip to Taiwan to look at some Koi fish on 30th May 2000. I was not good at choosing Koi fish then and felt that all the Koi fish were beautiful and intended to buy them all. However, as a hobbyist with limited space and also financial constraint, I could not satisfy this eagerness of mine. It then came to mind that I could turn my hobby into a business.

Back then, I was like a young cub, I was not able to distinguish the different basic types of Koi, I could not tell a Showa, Goshiki or Peacock so to speak but I started my business. My motto was for entertainment, for self satisfaction and not for making money. I bought 10 fibre-glass tanks, dugged 2 ponds of 30-tonne capacity in my back garden and started my business.

Come to think of it, the Taiwanese supplier did not put high hope on my having a successful venture. He still supplied Koi fish to another Koi business man in Malaysia. When this man complained to him that supplying Koi to me will affect his business, he consoled him that I did not know anything about Koi and it would take half a year for me to close down.

Well, as god’s will, I did not close down as expected but carried on persistently. I ordered Koi fish worth RM50,000 twice every month. My strategy was telling my customers that the Koi fish were Taiwanese breed and they were cheap. I became the first Malaysian who openly sold Taiwanese Koi fish. I did not lie to my customers and strictly believing that “do unto others what you would want to you” and earning money with my own capability.

I have to select all the Koi fish from Taiwan on my own. The Taiwanese Koi fish supplier was not willing to help me. He would not allow any other staff to help me too. He will personally come to pick me up from the airport. Otherwise he will send another friend, Mr Hsu Tseng Chung to fetch me directly to his Koi fish yard. They kept me company wherever I went and I felt like being held hostage. Their main motive was to keep me away from other Koi fish suppliers.

Occasionally I complained that his fish were expensive. He would bring me to another Koi fish yard called Ming Hong Koi Centre so I could have a look. If I found a good Koi fish there, he would persuaded me that the fish was not good furthermore very costly. Slowly, I realised his intention was that he wanted to let me know other people selling very expensive Koi fish and his were much cheaper. It became a selling point for his business. At that time, I did not know the basic skill of selecting Koi fish. I only knew how to compare prices. For almost two years I was lead in the wrong direction in gaining experience in Koi fish.

The good never last, eventually my customers became less. My business was going down. I did a market research and found that all those Koi fish that I sold did not grow well and the colour faded. Most of my customers had became my friends and told me that they have to throw away the Koi fish they bought from me. I realised that I was going the wrong way about business. I was selling Koi fish for money and not earning customers by trust. My business was bad as the regular customers never return and there were no new customers.

Turning Point

I have gone through two years of troubled path in my business. Until 2002, I arrived at an important turning point and entering a new journey of Koi business. I switched from Taiwanese Koi fish to Japanese Koi fish and turned my business into a specialty business.

I met my present teacher, Mr Chen Yin-Te by luck. He is the owner of Ming-Hong Koi Centre in Taiwan. He is one of the top high class Japanese Koi fish suppliers in the last 10 years. He taught me a lot of knowledge and technical skill on Koi fish and communication skills with customers. Until today, I still remember all the words he said to me. He said in order to excel in Koi fish business, one need to have sharp eye, good technical skills and ability to communicate with customers. I sincerely thank him as he is the saviour during my journey of discovery of Koi fish. It was my good fortune in meeting him. If he did not educate me, I would not be here today.

Mr Chen Yin-Te specially flew to Malaysia to meet me and understand the market situation here. He inspired me to aim for specialty Koi fish business. This was due to the fact that most local Koi fish suppliers were purely on doing business. What all the customers knew about are finished Koi fish and there were no understanding of future fish. What I mean here is a Koi fish may not look beautiful when young but have inherent potential to grow into a beautiful one. With good care, it will become more and more beautiful as it grows. We call it the future fish, or in Japan, they called it tategoi (Koi fish with potential to improve).

He told me that in order to excel on specialty Koi fish business I must have faith, persistency and be prepare to work hard for at least 3 – 5 years to build up my reputation. I understood the meaning and ready for the challenge. I sold off all my old Koi fish, only keeping their photos as a cautious reminder.

After switching from Taiwanese Koi fish, I went to Japan to meet the master teacher of Mr Chen Yin-Te, Mr Maeda. He is the founder and owner of Okayama Momotaro Koi Farm. After hearing his history, I look up to his method of doing business. It is like a Koi fish research centre. And in the short period of 12 years, his result is compatible to those who have been in operation for 3 generations of over 100 years. He has also broke world record with a 3 coloured Taisho Sanshoku of 101 cm. Mr Maeda also taught me a lot of skills on keeping Koi fish and ways of doing specialty business.

The initial batch of Koi fish imported from Okayama Momotaro Koi Farm were having colour fading problem. That was due to my inexperience in immunisation. I made a lost of about a few hundred thousand ringgit. I felt the hardship. In order to encourage and compensate me, Mr Maeda gave me 50 Koi fish of better quality. He then taught me how to take care of them. Finally, the hard work paid off, they were settling down successfully.

However, my business still did not do well and there were continuous problems. As what Mr Chen said, I need a lot of time and patience to introduce Tategoi. For 8 months, I did not sell any fish. I have to bear the overhead expenses of over hundred thousands ringgit. At the same time, the popular fish is Flower Horns with a lot of customers wanting to buy that. My friends told me to follow the trend and sell this type of fish. However, I am only interested in Koi fish and Flower Horn is in trend. I refused to sell any other types of fish.

Gradually, I understand that it was better to do more and talk less. I began to take photo for my Koi fish and made records of their growth in every 2 – 3 months. I made comparison with the previous records so that the customers could see for themselves the growth and changes. This is why I always say Koi fish can talk.

At the same time, I got to understand that for a Tategoi Koi, the process was very important if we wanted to bring out the inherent potential of its beauty. Despite the hardship, I built a few more ponds. They were the 150 ton big pond, 5 ponds of 30 ton and 3 ponds of 25 tons, 5 ponds of 5 tons and 3 of 3 tons water capacity. All in all

I have built 18 ponds. Beside that, I gave the Koi fish the best environment and food, using very expensive bacteria house, feeding with the expensive Mamataro feed, every kg cost about RM65. I also add on some good bacteria, vitamic c, vitamin E and toufu in the feeds.

Progress

As the saying goes, there is always room for improvement. I knew that one needs to be professional when doing Koi business, then you can stand out among the others. Due to my interest in Koi fish, I have study and understand it in depth. To learn Koi fish is a very hard subject. Be it Koi fish itself or the water quality management are all scientifically related. I normally advised my customers that it is quality and not quality that matters when keeping Koi fish. As a Koi fish supplier, I not only sell fish to customers, I also do counselling, coaching them and provide after sales services. I felt that I need to work harder so that I am able to provide more professional views and services.

During these few years of Koi keeping, I have been going around to learn including to a few fish centres in Taiwan and Japan. I have even voluntarily worked there for free at my own expense. But I have learned a lot on choosing the Koi fish. Sometimes, I helped out during Koi fish competition. Not only that, due to my attitude and my eagerness to learn I have even called my teacher in Taiwan when I encountered problems. My telephone bills could be as high as RM7,000 per month. The highest telephone bills were amounting to RM13,000.

I love books on Koi fish and they accompanied me anywhere. I read before I sleep or when in the wash room. I am very hard working and like to discuss Koi with friends. There was a time when I met up with Mr Hsu in Taiwan. We were staying in the same room and my discussion with him last up to 2 am. I was still eager to go on but by 4 am he was too tired to carry on.

Under the care and teaching of Mr Chen Yin-Te and Mr Maeda, I truly have the full knowledge of Koi fish. My feeling of satisfaction and success in specialty Koi business were like never before. Personally, I like to keep the future Koi fish. It is difficult to describe the satisfaction upon seeing them growing and becoming beautiful everyday. One cannot imagine the feeling of success when a Koi fish won in a competition. There is another advantage of keeping future fish, with the feeling and the hope grow with the fish.

These few years, I was happy to be invited to Taiwan to judge with other experienced Koi judges. The local Koi fish association also invited me to be their lecturer. What made me happier was that the customers have full trust in me, they have asked me to go to Japan to buy Koi fish for them. They would pay for the cost and expenses for the fish I selected. I take these as compliments and as recognition.

No matter what, I know that there is no limit to knowledge and learning. I will never let go of any opportunity to learn. I am ready to make new venture and not afraid to be the first to try out new idea and share the result with all.

Cover Story

Q: Mr. Wong, since when you started to be in touch with Koi?
A: I started since 1999, with the purpose to decorate my garden. So, a koi pond is built. Later Japanese Koi had attracted me which is undescribable.

Q: How was your Koi quality?
A: In that time the main purpose of raising Koi was to enjoy and I took it as a hobby. It did fulfilled my satisfaction especially viewing how they chase for food and swim together. The spectacular environment is really unspeakable. So I wasn't concern about the grade quality of Koi.

Q: Mr. Wong, why set foot on this business field and how you became a famous Koi specialist and proprietor in Malaysia? A: Well, it's really a long story to talk about. To put it simply I actually went thru several wrong paths. As I've stated before it's my habit as a Koi feeder. After sometime observing, I've noticed that it's worthable to admire on Koi, as the Koi come forward trying to impress their feeder. I started travel overseas to purchase koi with the purpose to share my gained with friends. Initially, I was unwilling to spent few thousands RM just to buy a good koi with expensive cost. Thus, I bought few hundred of small koi to rear. I was thinking that's enough as long as I'm able to pick a few good Koi from them . Nevertheless this is just a dream that never happen to be achieved.

Q: How to explain that?
A: Because the standard of those small koi is just ordinary. They were hardly to grow and colours will fade after sometime. Unfortunately, I'd wasted lot of money and efforts however they were all eliminated at last.

Q: How did you criticize the standard to purchase Koi since you'd eliminated those inconsistent Koi?
A: I was used with it in that time and yet I didn't know how to view or choose them. It needed expertise in this field to choose Koi though I didn't understanding the beginning. So I depended on the proprietor to guide me. It really wasted a lot of time going thru many wrong ways from the start. I did spent a lot of money to buy low graded Koi. It costed few thousands for 40CM Koi. I remember that time the proprietor was introducing and claimed those Koi as imported high-grade Koi. He was telling me that they are qualified to enter any Koi competition and possible to make a win. Therefore I bought these accomplished Koi again. Do you know why it is "accomplished Koi"? The meaning of "accomplished Koi" is saying that these Koi has reached the peak of its growth. It is invariable and can no longer to progress. To put in details, the texture, deteriorate and the shape gradually become ugly. So I allow me to called these koi as small koi. They are only suitable to raise in small fish pot which is far away to fulfill my needs and so they were all eliminated later on. After I experienced the hardship of life I got to know that actually there are many differences between the grade. Therefore the only way to satisfied my expectation is to learn how to differentiate and analyse the koi.

Q: Mr. Wong, how to differentiate the grade of Koi which you mentioned just now?
A: Oh ya! This is something to do with experience. Thru what I've seen and learnt for years here is the conclusion how to differentiate grade of Koi, where you could not learn from book. I would like to devide the Koi grade into 3 categories: (1 ) small koi, (2) medium koi, (3) large koi. For those koi that has accomplishment when their sizes are in between 20-30cm is so-called small koi. Their colours look crimson and snowy white as well as the cutting is also neater to attract the beginner vision. But once they reached around 40-50cm it is also their end of growing age. They wouldn't grow anymore. On the contrast they will only falter. If it is a female its abdomen will become obvious and at this time the shape is getting worst. For the koi which are 40-50cm they swim disgracefully. For so-called Medium Koi is very normal in the market. Once they reached 50-60cm they will be called as "accomplished koi". Until they are 70cm their colours fade and change in shape. They have difficulty to grow till 80cm. Even if they grow up to 80cm they are probably old and fractional remains. Large Koi is actually the best collection that amateur and proprietor ever dreaming of. It's uneasy to raise this kind of Koi because its price is expensive. In addition there are some particular requirements such as the feeding qualification and the environment. That is why lessor man willing to buy. This kind of koi doesn't look nice during their young stage. But it has a lot of changes follow by years. They grow stable and steady each year and will become more beautiful. I like to breed them from small and then bring it to council because this fulfill my satisfaction of achievement. You wouldn't get bored even after 10 y ears because they give you different feelings every year. Normally Large Koi should be able to grow over 80cm. Moreover it will also keep its luster. Koi shouldn't turn worst since the society keeps on developing and progressing. Thus we must also follow the foot step to improve ourselves. Last time, for a koi which is 75cm is already called as Large Koi. However thru the science and technology, in Japan Momotaro Koi Pond, 2 year-old koi can grow up to 70cm. And again 3 year-old Koi can even grow up to 80cm. In addition after reached 80cm their skin is still soft and young. This is what we so-called Large Koi. If you want to feed this kind of koi, you are required to have good vision and experience. Because normally you can't see the characteristics of these koi when they are small as is should be their price are very expensive. The best Sanke is valued as much as thirty thousands and even hundred thousand RM. Mr. Momotaro was once told me this: "For those who knows how to view accomplished koi doesn't mean they know how to jedge koi, a person who really has the vision to view koi should be the person who knew to see how its growth in future".

Q: Mr. Wong, since you are experienced in Koi business field, do you have anything to share with us?
A: Yeah! That's for sure. I have a friend who introduced a proprietor that he knew to me, and the nightmare begun at the same time. LoL! Do you know that I was like captured by someone when I arrived overseas. They then brought me to their koi pond and give me a psychological tutorial by saying that they are quite a famous one. They won a lot of prizes as he said(it was actually some unfamous competitions). He claimed himself as he got more than 30 years experience in this field. Therefore I was admired him nairely. I then started the business even I know nothing about Sanke and Showa. Never thought of earning big money cause I was just enjoying feeding the koi. Although there a lot of costumers bought koi from me in the beginning, but I didn't earn any since I'm selling "accomplished koi". Why? It is because I brain washed by him, never went to any other koi proprietor but I only bought all the koi from him, the only one. He again told me to hard sell on those koi which look nicer, then clear the stock by selling at price of the cost. And again his koi got sick easily, seems like I'm his overseas' rubbish transfering centre. My business drop and slowly the koi was unable to be sold. I finally found out the reason by doing the marketing research. I noticed that the koi that my customers bought are either unhealthy or colour fades. I felt shameful after visiting them. Everybody deny me. After a couple of time I decided to make some changes just to restart everything. So I tried to sell off all the koi with big loss.

Q: Mr. Wong, I remember that you always saying that Koi like to speak? Can you please explain in details?
A: As long as you feed with a true heart, you will know it. Let me proove it with my experience. Since the year of 2002, I started to run my business by importing best koi collection from Momotaro, Japan. That was a turn for better, I became the first person in Malaysia who imports Momotaro Koi from Japan. It was also actually a hard time for me. The first three batch of Momotaro Koi have problem of colour fading due to the lack of the feeding skill, which made me loss another big amount of money. Luckily my teacher Mr. Chen Ying De kept on encouraging me and giving me supports. I would like to express my gratitude to my teacher right here. I wouldn't succeed without him. I realized that it needs some time for feeding high level Koi. Thus, I just have to be patient to wait until the Koi grow up to proove to the customers themselves. Beside that I will shot pictures every 3 months to record down the history how the Koi grows. I was then present it to my costumers in order to let my customers understand how a best Koi improve. This is why I said Koi speaks itself, not with mouth but the changes follow by times.

Q: Mr. Wong, is there any difference between the Koi you feed compare with the normal one?
A: Yes there is. The expenses is a must as I'm feeding high level Koi. I provide the best food and best pond system to feed my Koi. Since these are the best collection Koi, it would be much more effective providing the best. This is the way how the best Koi remains its the best.

Q: You said you spent high expenses in feeding koi, can you please again explain in details?
A: I understood the pisculture must first raise the water, before recuperates the water, must recuperate the fungus. To recuperate the fungus, I used all the Japanese Momotaro's biochemistry bacterium stone. Its market price is RM 65 per kilogram. One ton water takes ten kilograms for average. My entire fish pond are using the Momotaro biochemistry bacterium stone, solely the filter material has spent several hundred thousand RM. The feeding aspect complete with the Momotaro carp field feed. Willing to feed my koi the best even if I might have hard time, by this way only then may raise to genuine good koi.

Q: Mr. Wong, is there any other formulas beside using the Momotaro's feed? A: There is no any special assorted formula actually. I was only added-on "original five sour fungi" and vitamin C and E, vitamin C including many kinds of amino acids in the feed. This could cause good absorption by the koi.

Q: Do you know how many industry that uses the similar way to raise the brocare carp as you do in Malaysia?
A: There is probably no one before me but could possibly have someone now. But I want to accent that I am now using all the dribbling -like biochemistry filter the system, filters without the overflow. Malaysia raised the brocade carp's history to be supposed also to have approaches for 30 years, some customers called me as the developer of brocade carp industry in Malaysia. As usual people generally used the overflow to filter for the tradition feeding, and filtered 1/3 of the fishpond. Though I have broken this tradition in Malaysia. I was the first to completely use dribble filter industry, moreover filtered only holds very small part in the total water volume. For instance, my big fishpond with 150 tons water is filtered only about 5 tons. And filtered less than 1 ton for a 30 tons water fishpond. During the initial stage of this system, many seniors recognized that this kind of fishpond is impossible to raise good fish. But these 4-5 years had already proven all. For a 10cm koi already grow as long a s 80cm. For the Sanke borned on July 25, 2003 which was only 10cm is now grew as long as 80cm too. And again there are Kohaku borned on July 2002 is now grew until 83-90cm. Tea carp also approached a meter as well. There is no case of illness in these years growth. Moreover the healthy shape is good. The achievement is supposed to give credit to three aspects: fishpond structure, Momotaro biochemistry bacterium stone and the pond internal management. Finally, I have righteousness to tell the consumer, now in the market condition has a lot of imitation of Momotaro's feed and the biochemistry bacterium stone, is definitely two matters, the price and the effect are also different. Therefore, respectfully to pay attention before you purchase the goods.

Q: Mr. Wong, there are lessor people were able to distinguish the carp, have you ever bumped into the assorted question when you are giving you the customer to introduce the carp?
A: Yes! A customer wanted me to introduce a good Koi to him, so I recommended a 2002 Kohaku which is the eagle system. It was 53cm at that time, I offered him a price of two ten thousand five RM, though the deal burst and yet be scolded by him terribly. Although I'd face all these problems all the time but I was still carry on because I know I must be persistence. Today I'm proud and happy because this Kohaku grew to 83cm as well as it is now the best collection. And also, it is possible to grow as long as 90cm. I Estimate this Kohaku supposed to be three million Japanese Yen in Japan market. I turn over in my mind after this matter. I did analysis market and analysis the point of view of customer to buy the koi. I then made the concessions, one batches of more than 40cm Kohaku was sold at the half of original list price. Customers bought at RM500 per one Koi just to makes the education nature. This action does work and let me win the market. This batch of fish is now grow all about 75cm even if were the male Koi. The customer also opposed the carp to live the fierce interest, the extremely laborious carp pond is now have the favourable turn. I also have an interesting experience, my neighbor holds me to look for the Kohaku, Sanke and Showa each for it. I produced him to choose each RM 3,000 vertical carp, at that time only about 20cm, altogether was RM 9,000. However he wasn't very happy while he took the fish, because he thought the fish performance has not been ordinary, has not let the person palpitation the feeling. So, I gave him an explaination each fish at that time to look and the future, but he did not believe. He recognized three fish to be unworthy this multi- money, entrusted me but also to be embarrassed does not buy, he bought it at last. As a result he on his way quarrel with wife, because wife recognized him to deceived by me. Afterwards this customer and I broke communicate for more than a year. Until recently, he on his own initiative looked for me. He said three two year old of big vertical carp already grew as long as 75cm, their performances are extremely good. These three obvious and other fish performance was different. He mentioned that some people left five time of prices to want him to sell though he did not give up. I was speechless.

Q: Mr. Wong, how did you select and purchase vertical carp?
A: Firstly we must understand the parent fish,believed in its blood relationship and while choosing small fish must first look from the forehead(must be big), the eyes are away widely, the mouth must be big which looks squarely as well(remember not go for pointed shape). Additional, the back should be high, the spine to have to be big, the tail torso wants thick and big, the fish's proportion should be built slender. This parent fish raised has only then been able to be big. For average, person could compare the shoulder department obese, build quite short, looked like has strongman's feeling, this parent fish looks very good but having difficulty to foster the great carp. For the quality, fish's front fork canot excessively long, the boundary must be fluent, cannot be blur, the fish's plate does not need too red but must veyr dense and thick, white should better be snow white with some blue, which brings one kind of thick feeling. Appearance varied, so it is very difficult to fix the standard. Moreover the general appearance fish had the possibility to result in all sum total champion in the large-scale appraisal met recently. This caused us to understand the pisculture mainly was the build quality of quality must be good since the appearance was not very important.

Q: Did you plan to expand your carp pond again?
A: Not now. I do not strive for greatly or many, only strive for good ans ask the essence. In our profession, the expert people all said: "Did not fear you greatly did not fear you are many, only feared you do not have the technology." Therefore most important is the judgement, good technology, knowledge and the personal connection also must be good.

Q: Mr. Wong, you may share your laughter, anger, sorrow, and happiness in this profession with us ?
A: Trod into brocade carp this profession indeed to let me experience many repeated difficulties, I on made a summary by this topic to be relaxed! (1) Can obtain some customers' approvals. Like in Japan, a year old and two year-old vertical carp with two to three million Japanese Yen, even customer never look on it at all, just so long as I said Ok, they on bought immediately by posting the money to me at same time. This trust indeed let me feel glad. (2) Because what I am selling now is vertical carp and its extremely laborious. There might be customers not to understand you, but I will also continue my enterprise and my dream. In the past war, now is, future also will be. (3) Since early undertaking until now, accepts from nobody until approves me, even invites me to the overseas to work as the referee, makes me to feel the infinite joy.

Note: 1.00 MYR Malaysian Ringgit = 2.20751 CNY China Renminbi