Q.) I am thinking of importing my own fish and plants from other countries.  People in the business warn me against this, why?

A.) Unless you are moving a large amount of fish and plants the expense can be quite high.  Transporting live animals or plants is a task that demands special skills and experience in handling unforeseen problems.  Your company will be listed in public records as an importer of live animals.  Be careful as many anti-trade groups or animal rights groups may focus on your business and negative impacts are likely.  You will need to have facilities to meet the demands of the fish after a long journey by air transportation.  The cost of the fish or plants on the exporters list may look cheap, but when you add in the boxing charge, freight costs, duties and import taxes, export taxes from the country of origin, etc. the cost can be quite different.  You often need special permits, fish health certificates, and knowledge of the ins and outs of the bureaucratic hurdles.  Therefore, unless you are prepared to deal with the structure and scales of the export/import business sourcing from other countries may not be for you.

One alternative is to work with Importers or Transhippers.  These are companies that specialize in handling the paperwork and taking care of the stringent legal demands for importation.  They charge a service fee or handling fee on top of all charges but you can stay with your core strengths and let them let do what they do best.  They will also split shipments so you can buy just the number of boxes you need which avoids overstocking and limits your overall risk.     

Q.)I want to expand my business and I am thinking about farm ponds and natural ponds that flow into a local stream.  How do they differ from the liner ponds I am use to?

A.)  The biggest concern is the increased responsibility of any pond that food animals drink from or a pond that outflow to a natural water source like a small stream.  The ponds that NAPP promotes are ornamental ponds.  Most of the products that are used today are not designed for or licensed for ponds that provide a water source for animals intended for human consumption or flow into natural waterways.  If you work on farm ponds or natural ponds that provide water outflow to a stream you are taking on a greater responsibility and liability.  Remember when working with natural ponds that source other waterways you may be working with a wetland and the legal demands are totally different from the ornamental ponds often referred to. 

There is a great opportunity with wetland restoration work but that is something beyond the scope NAPP.  If you want to pursue farm ponds and natural ponds with a water outflow to local streams you will want to check into the permits and licenses that are required.  And also check with your insurance provider to be assured your policy will cover your activities. 

Q.) Why should I suggest Koi or Goldfish for my customers? 

A.) Both of these fish are coldwater varieties which mean they can withstand the wide temperatures of winter and summer.   They have the same diet demands of a low protein diet in cooler water and higher protein diet in warmer water.  Both Koi and Goldfish will reproduce in the pond.  But the big difference is their desire to eat plants, personality and their size. 

Goldfish are a great selection, especially for the customer who neglects feeding their ponds.  Goldfish come in a variety of distinct shapes and colors.  Goldfish are often the first fish customers select and later upgrade to Koi.  Goldfish on average will have a maximum length of 10 to 12 inches and most fancy varieties even smaller.  Their body shapes can range widely from elongated with flowing fins to round spheres with unusual eye formations.  While we can familiarize goldfish to come to the edge of a pond when people approach, generally they are not as sociable as Koi.  The best of class, top-selling goldfish generally sell for about 100 to 150 US dollars.

Koi will eventually nibble and eat pond plants.  As Koi grow they become more and more veracious eaters of plants.  Koi on average grow up to 36 inches in length and even bigger.  But one of the best features about Koi is that they are more sociable and friendly with grater interactions with people than goldfish.  As Koi are fed on a daily basis and the customer stay to watch them eat, they will develop companionships with people.  The interaction of fish with people promotes others who visit the pond to want Koi.  For the business Koi can sell for thousands of dollars each and they are voracious eaters.  Selling higher priced animals with a greater opportunity to sell products promotes a strong business.       

One of the best ways to have Koi in a pond is to have a second pond well-planted connected to the first.  This allows the customer to enjoy their plants and the flowers they produce and the interaction with the Koi.  So selling Koi can often promote a second pond or an addition to an existing pond.  The other opportunity is to design a pond with extensive filtration to handle the larger volume of fish mass associated with Koi.  Either approach is correct and strengthens your sales portfolio.