NJ.com: The koi polloi
UPI: Koi taking over public waterwaysFor nearly 500 years, the entrancing koi of Japan have cast their spell on humans, especially those who feel compelled to hold their piscine magic captive in private garden ponds. Koi are domesticated by now, and they need astute keepers who know their ways and are prepared to learn the art of fish husbandry..."Living jewels," the smitten call them, and given the prices they can fetch, a pond full of koi can represent a significant cache of treasure... Koi are bred in Israel, the Philippines, China and South America, but the best still come from Japan...Koi are famously long-lived. The maximum recorded lifespan is held by a Japanese fish named "Flower Maid," that was 226 years old when it died in 1977...more...
Koi, Japanese for carp, have taken over public ponds throughout Massachusetts dumped by homeowners who can no longer handle the oversize fish...If a male and a female are dumped in the same public waterway, their koi offspring could destroy the natural habitat.
