Nishikigoi colored carp has already been sold for R$1.5 million; get to know the fish Nishikigoi, a category of colorful carp valued for its beauty, has already been sold for US$1.5 million. And it's not just abroad that the fish reaches high prices: in Brazil, it was traded for R$80,000. The word "nishikigoi" is formed by combining two Japanese terms: "intensely colored" and "carp". ?? Do you have any reporting suggestions? Send to g1 Only 17 varieties of colorful carp are classified as nishikigoi, according to the rules of Zen Nippon Airinkai (ZNA), a global organization dedicated to standardizing the breeding of the species. One of the characteristics that defines it is having the design distributed throughout the body, in a balanced way on both sides. The fish may also have scales or leather. While a common carp costs, on average, R$30, the nishikigoi can be found from R$300. The female is worth even more because it can reach a larger size and has a wider body, which highlights the pattern and makes swimming more beautiful. Fish that win competitions are also more valued. For example, a small carp worth R$200 can become worth R$3,000 after being awarded. One of the factors that make nishikigoi more expensive is the high demand in the face of low supply. The growth of this market is driven by the expansion of high-end landscaping, which uses fish ponds. Rafael Caetano, programmer, collects copies of the category at home and spends around R$1,000 per month to maintain them. The most expensive fish in the collection cost R$20,000. "It's the feeling, what it brings me, it's difficult to put a price on it," he says. Ivan Miraldo, an insurance broker, also invests in nishikigoi. His collection, with 27 fish, is valued at R$700,000. Read also: Cows monitored by AI become a guarantee for loans in an unprecedented operation in Brazil Rice, coffee, wheat and more: how the fertilizer crisis — in an El Niño year — can put pressure on prices Brazil is the second country to ban the production and trade of foie gras