ABOUT WATERWHEEL JAPANESE KOI FARM
A family-run koi farm in the Sandhills of South Carolina — where
Japanese bloodlines, honest pricing, and a small-farm approach
come together.
OUR STORY
[click to read more]
Waterwheel started in 2020 as a family koi operation, born from
a deep love of these fish and a vision of what a small American
koi farm could become.
After several years of breeding and
learning, we made the decision in 2025 to rebuild our breeding
program around exclusively Japanese bloodlines, a higher
standard, a longer-term vision, and a commitment to quality we
couldn't compromise on.
We still stock affordable domestic
pond-quality koi for hobbyists who want beautiful fish without
the import price tag, but every koi we breed now traces back to
our Japanese broodstock.
Today, the farm in Mount Croghan is run
by Alex and Megan, and named for the waterwheel that has been
part of this land's story from the beginning.
THREE ORIGINS, ONE STANDARD OF CARE
[click to read more]
We offer koi from three distinct origins, and we're upfront
about what each one is. Japanese imports from five top breeders
represent the pinnacle of the hobby.
Waterwheel Homebred F1 are
our own koi, bred exclusively from our Japanese broodstock —
Japanese genetics raised in South Carolina water.
Domestic
pond-quality koi are healthy, beautiful, affordable fish perfect
for bringing color to a pond without the import price tag.
Every
fish we sell, regardless of tier, is healthy and well-cared-for.
The difference is in refinement, bloodline, and selection — and
that's reflected honestly in our pricing.
OUR JAPANESE BREEDERS
[click to read more]
We currently source from five respected Japanese breeders:
Hiroi, Suda, Otsuka, Maruhiro, and Marudo. All of our Hirenaga
(long-fin koi) come from Suda.
Each fish in our stock is tracked
back to its breeder of origin, because that lineage matters.
Both to us and to the koi keepers who buy from us.
We're actively expanding our breeder relationships, with plans to add
Dainichi and Isa bloodlines in the coming years to name but a few.
OUR BREEDING PROGRAM
[click to read more]
Every koi we breed comes from our Japanese import broodstock,
no exceptions.
We cull hard, selecting only fish that show
strong color, true form, and good conformation to variety
standards.
We don't claim to cull at the level of generations-old
Japanese breeders, which is why our homebred F1 koi are priced
below imports. But our standards are well above what you'll find
in domestic pond-quality breeding, and our customers get
Japanese-bloodline koi at a price that makes the hobby
accessible.
HOW WE CARE FOR OUR FISH
[click to read more]
Our farm includes multiple mud ponds for natural grow-out,
dedicated breeding ponds, and converted holding tubs where
customers can see fish up close before they buy.
We use natural
well water, regular health monitoring, and a separation system
that keeps imports, homebred F1, and domestic stock in their own
dedicated ponds.
We're in the middle of a major farm expansion,
new concrete holding tanks, additional grow-out ponds, and
protective netting on every pond to keep predators out.
LIFETIME SUPPORT
[click to read more]
When you buy a koi from us, you're not just buying a fish,
you're getting access to us for as long as you keep that koi.
Pond setup questions, water chemistry, koi health, variety
identification, even just sending us a picture to see how your
fish is developing, we're here for all of it.
Sign up for our
newsletter for weekly variety spotlights, seasonal koi care
tips, and updates from the farm. We treat our customers like
neighbors, not transactions.
WHERE WE'RE HEADED
[click to read more]
Our goal is straightforward: become a small American koi farm
that holds itself to Japanese standards.
We want to make
Japanese imports accessible to anyone who wants one, even if
they can only afford a single fish.
We're working toward direct
relationships with Japanese breeders, expanding our breeding
program, and building a customer-facing area separate from our
breeding operations.
Long-term, we want Waterwheel to be a
family business that lasts generations, and one day, to travel
to Japan ourselves and meet the breeders whose koi we've spent
years raising.
Have questions about our koi, our farm, or just want to talk
fish? Reach out through our contact form — we'd love to hear
from you.