~Roy~ wrote:

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:16:01 CST, "Reel McKoi"
wrote:
snip

From what I have seen here in TN the quality is about the same
in both places. Only the prices are different.
snip

What credentials do you have to make an assumption they are the same
in quality. It takes along long time to properly asses and be able to
judge a koi by its attributes, and its future coloring.....and a good
working knowedge on genetics .......to determine what a young koi
of such and such will more than likely turnout to look like when it
matures.....

Actually, no. If I go to PetSmart or to a pond store, or if a respectable
Koi breeder does the same, neither of us will be able to tell anything more
about the value of the koi than "from what I have seen". A working
knowledge (even a very good knowledge) of genetics doesn't help if you
don't know the parentage.

Something that I doubt seriously that you or anyone else
here is properly qualified to do.

Behave. Personal attacks are not permitted. There are certainly people who
have posted on the old rec.ponds who are extremely qualified, but I can't
say they'd buy koi from a local pond store, either.

To say wuality is the same is bogus and wrong.

To say it of these specific examples is almost certainly not wrong. In
either case, you're getting poor grade koi. Personally, since I'm not
going to protect them from predators, I like mine "free" - they're still
pretty, but they won't win any prizes.
--
derek