By Kyra Kirkwood

The debate is on as to whether the benefits of importing koi food from Japan outweigh the cost and possible loss of freshness. (Courtesy of Anastasia Thrift)

Pros

Koi fish have long been a Japanese hallmark. Japanese breeders have spent much time researching, studying and perfecting the ideal koi diet, Shawn McHenry, co-owner of Mystic Koi & Water Gardens in Upland, Calif. said. "Overall, the formulas tend to be pretty good in Japan. Japanese are pretty picky about what they feed their fish."

Most imported food is of superior quality, said Tom Lai, owner of Champion Nishikigoi of San Jose, Calif. Lai said he uses only imported food in his store and he tries everything he sells on his own stock of fish first, enabling him to give customers first-hand knowledge of the food. In his opinion, Japanese koi food is superior. "The formula tends to be better and the outcome tends to be much nicer," he said.

Taro Kodama of Kodama Koi Farm in Mililani, Hawaii, agreed that Japan sets the bar high when it comes to fish nutrition. "If they are using that food to feed their koi, the quality is guaranteed," he said. "You can take advantage of their trial and error."

Cons

Importing food from Japan is expensive for retailers and consumers. Many people shy away from the price tag. 

Freshness is also a factor. Maintaining optimum nutritional value is crucial for koi, so food that has been around too long after its manufacture date is less nutritious than when the food was originally created.

"If retailers order too much imported food from Japan and it takes too long to arrive, or is on shelves for too long, it's going to grow stale and possibly be compromised nutritionally, McHenry said. <HOME>