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    East Bay Koi

    4.6 (44 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    My $85 koi from East Bay Koi losing almost all its color in 2 weeks.  Water test: Ph 8, nitrates: 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm, ammonia 0ppm.

    Let me start out with the good: We had a great experience at the store! When doing my research on reputable koi stores. I really appreciated that they quarantined their fish from Japan and make sure they are disease-free before selling. For this reason, we drove a little under 2 hours to pay them a visit. When we arrived there, Kelvin was there. He was ready to help, but not intrusive or hovering at all. When we visited most of the young koi were all $85, with one small section that was $75, the one's in the main tub were over $100. We were able to take our time picking out our koi. When we express interest he patiently caught the koi fish we liked and allowed us to observe them close up in a blue tub. There was no pressure to buy at all, we had a great time. We went home with two beautiful koi and a bag of Hikari gold food. The unfortunate: Our koi lost most of its orange color within a week (photo attached). While we were picking out our Koi, we asked Kelvin if the koi would change color or pattern. He told us the pattern would stay the same as they grew, and the color would just enhance, especially the black. He said the gray parts would definitely get more black and he pointed over to the bigger koi for us to observe. This was very important to me because as a young girl, we had a koi pond, but we always bought cheap $15 koi from pet stores, and they would always lose their color. So now as an adult, I wanted to invest in nicer koi that would not lose their color. We went home with two $85 koi that day. $85 is quite a jump from $15, so needless to say, I was alarmed when my Koi lost color. Especially when I was reassured they wouldn't. I instantly tested our water (PH 8, ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, nitrate 0ppm) Nothing seemed wrong with our water, everything was within healthy parameters. So I contacted East Bay Koi through their website. The website asks you to leave your phone number in which they follow up with a text. Tony responded to me fairly quickly and sent me a link about color loss and said possibly my PH was on the high side and that he recommended us to use PH down (a name of a liquid used to reduce the ph) We were hesitant to change the PH, as so many websites say it can shock the fish, but we did as he recommended, and slowly dosed ph down. Unfortunately, after a week, our koi lost even more color and his orange is reduced to a small pale dot on his head. At this point, I contacted East Bay Koi again, letting them know that decreasing the PH didn't work and that I was very disappointed and felt tricked. This time, someone else responded (I'm not sure who) and said: "East Bay Koi: Sorry. I see your fish loose colors ,but I see your pond have a lot the rocks to keep all the ammonia, not let the filter to clean ,your pond water can not be Heath ,when fish get bigger more ammonia ,they are not only loosing colors ,will sick and die ,you set up the pond is the pablum not the fish !" I can tell English was probably not their first language.. but the message was clear: "not my problem" Needless to say, I was a bit taken aback. He didn't ask us about the specs of our pond, he didn't ask anything he just flat out told us our pond was the problem because it had rocks and not his fish. On top of that, our pond tested 0ppm for Ammonia. I instantly responded with our pond specs: Our pond is an ecological Pond, filled with plants- it has a large 8'x8'x5 up-flow wetland filtration and a 6'x6'x4 mechanical filtration intake bay. We invested in the best. Bacteria is auto-dosed regularly. The water goes down through the rocks intake bay and is pumped around 30 feet-- and then up 5 feet of the wetland filtration before it goes down the 30 feet of stream of 4 waterfalls and down another water waterfall into the pond again. Basically, it's a HUGE filtration system. Again having a pond as a young girl, I didn't want to make the same pond mistakes. So we invested in a massive filtration system. But according to them if you have any rocks on the bottom of your pond irregardless of your filtration-- your fish will die from ammonia poisoning. After doing a ton of reading and research on my own. I learned that its Tosai (young koi) often change color and it's not unusual for them to lose color, even those with great genetics. And for this reason, sometimes it is better to invest in older Koi when their color is more stable. SO BE AWARE that the young koi you pick may not retain its color! I was not well informed and just believed Kelvin. I don't want to return my Koi, that's not my intention. It's my precious fish now, no matter what color it ends up. But I do want this shop to be honest with its customers. Koi are often chosen based on appearance. This is the main deciding factor. If a koi can lose or change its color, tell the truth. In conclusion: I feel like I was flat out lied to and then when I inquired about it I felt like I was basically told "it's not my problem"

    Fish = Food
    Duke H.

    I just wanted to say there's something about fish that you shouldn't eat that makes my mouth water, lol. I was there for their grand opening and it was mouth-watering dropping gorgeous fish everywhere! I honestly don't like pets but if I were to get pet(s), they would be fish as I don't have to walk them (they swim), bathe them (they swim) or have bags around to pick up their poop 2-3 times a day or worse if they get the runs (their droppings are in the aquarium). Fish are great pets and as a meal. I mean other pets are only accepted meals outside developed countries. So I stick with fish or fish on a a stick! Sadly, the workers there were nice enough to give me a little lesson about Koi fish. They told me that I shouldn't eat Koi fish because they are like other bottom-feeding carps. I beg to differ as I love me bottom-feeding catfish! We shall agree to disagree on what I can and cannot eat. We can agree that the place is ultra-cool even just to go and look at the huge ass Koi Fish!

    Beautiful Japanese Koi!

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    8 years ago

    Love all there kou Fishes Recommending go here better Quality koi beauty nice looking i lov

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    8 years ago

    Worth it if the real Koi from Japan is what you want. They know their fish.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - East Bay Koi

    Review Highlights - East Bay Koi

    They have a beautiful selection of Koi of all sizes, and all the equipment I needed to refurbish my pond.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

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    Went in on a Friday afternoon to purchase fresh water plants, I bought 4 different species of…read moreplants, one in particular being "FOXTAIL". The very next day ALL the leafs of that specific species fell off! The other plants were fine , I then called Saturday the very next day to ask about either an exchange or a refund and I spoke to a representative named Mike whose immediate response was "no! there's something wrong with your tank" / "all sales are final" Mike offered no help or tips or nothing just simply blame my tank, which already has shrimp and fish and other vegetation that is doing just fine........ Definitely do not recommend buying from here unless you know for a fact, if something doesn't work out, you're screwed no refunds, exchanges, or any help. Bad bad business practice

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    Gio Marine is easily one of the best local fish stores I've been to. The moment you walk in, you…read morecan tell the tanks are well cared for and the livestock is healthy, vibrant, and properly maintained. That alone already sets them apart from a lot of other places. What really makes the difference is the level of knowledge and the way they approach helping customers. Instead of just trying to make a quick sale, they actually take the time to understand your setup and what you're trying to achieve. The advice feels genuine and experience-based, which is huge in a hobby where the wrong guidance can cost you time and money. Their selection of corals and fish is solid, and everything consistently looks like it's been handled with care. On top of that, their prices are very competitive--honestly better than most other places I've come across--which makes it even easier to keep coming back. It's clear they take pride in what they do, and that shows in both the quality of the store and the overall experience. Whether you're new to reefing or have an established tank, this is a place you can rely on for both livestock and guidance. Definitely a strong option if you're looking for a dependable and knowledgeable shop.

    East Bay Koi - localfishstores - Updated May 2026

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