Koi centre ready to open its doors
A SECRET facility that is home to fish worth up to £20,000 each is set to open its doors to the public for the first time.
The specialist Japanese koi facility, located near Solihull, is the latest expansion project by renowned local fish-keeping specialist, Shirley Aquatics.
The firm, which will celebrate its 85th anniversary in September, was originally located on Stratford Road in Shirley before moving its main premises to Wythall’s Beckett’s Farm in 2016.
A decision was then made to move its most valuable stock to the new location, with the establishment of a new ‘Shirley Koi’ brand to complement its existing aquatics store. The company is now inviting prospective customers to view the Japanese koi carp by appointment only.
It said its new facility is home to custom-built holding tanks displaying the fish, with additional areas for the company’s offices and even a dedicated medical area, ensuring healthy fish.
Koi carp became popular in the mid-1800s in Japan when rice farmers began to raise the carp for their vibrant colour patterns. Koi keepers are willing to pay premium prices for the most aesthetic fish, with
many competing in competitions across the country to showcase their colourful fish collections.
The most expensive koi ever sold went for £1.4 million back in 2018. While nowhere near this price bracket, Shirley Aquatics’ higher-quality Japanese koi will be kept at the new facility.
The mid-priced Japanese and Israeli koi will continue to be available at the company’s main store, along with 10,000 other tropical, cold water and marine fish.
Shirley Aquatics managing director Richard Cook said: “A significant proportion of our customers are dedicated to the koi-keeping hobby and value the provenance of the fish, which we import directly from world-renowned koi farms in Japan. We want to offer a bespoke experience, which our customers will remember.
“The new facility allows customers to view the fish in a quiet setting and really take their time to view the stock in our custom-built tanks.”