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 When he was 13 years
old, Ken Tran enjoyed collecting Koi and goldfish. Lots of them. Over the years,
Tran's hobby turned serious. Especially when his backyard landscape went from two
fish ponds to six and His collection of several fish grew to hundreds.
A
few years ago, he decided to take his hobby to another level. He started selling
fish from his backyard. Today, Tran owns Eastern Nishikigoi, a Koi and goldfish
store in Westminster, CA (Directions to our Store) that caters to buyers
nationwide. "Going into business helped my hobby", Tran said recently
after a fish buying trip to Japan.
As a 36 inch white Chagoi gently
swam nearby in the store's large pond, Tran explained why a growing number of
people have become fascinated with Koi, and particularly the prized Nishikigoi, or
"king of fish".
"When they swim, they are like elegant
jewels in the water", he said. "You watch them swim and pretty soon you
forget everything".
The
serenity of watching swimming fish is well known in Japan. (Read more about Koi
History) In the last five years, Tran has seen an increased demand in
the US.
After visiting friends with Koi ponds, many people decide
to build one of their own, he said. The most prized Koi are the Nishikigoi, of which
there are many varieties. On his trip to Japan, Tran purchased 54 of them, varying
in length from 16-24 inches.
At his store, shoppers can choose from
a wide variety of fish, from minnow size to 40 inches long. Prices start at $12 and
can run into thousands of dollars. Tran said he had heard of Koi in Japan selling
for $16,000.
Tran, who is also a computer systems analyst at Cal State
Fullerton's Student Health Center, plans to expand his business. He wants to
increase his mail order line and carry a full stock of supplies that are sometimes
hard for customers to find.
And of course, he wants to add to his
collection of Koi and goldfish.
 Eastern Nishikigoi
can be found at the same location-14700 Goldenwest St.-- where retired owner Joe
Akiyama operated the Pacific Goldfish Farm for years. The property was vacant for
more than two years before Tran opened his store in October 1998.
Directions to our Store
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