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shape, colour, and pattern. Lit
points out that an ideal Koi would
have a big, long, and symmetrical
body shape, rich colours, and a
well-defined pattern.

Lit says the rarity of a quality Ko-
romo Showa like his own gets ad-
ditional points from judges as few
breeders want to raise this kind of
Koi because they cannot generate a
lot of sales.

A Koromo Showa has a white base
with red markings, and blue-black One of Aaron Lit Ying-yeung’s solar-powered Koi feeders at his farm
shapes on top of or connected to its "When a dream
red areas. help look after the fish.
comes true, it gives

Visiting his Koi farm at least twice Lit says his favourite part of the you a lot of satisfac-
a week, Lit says, “I will stay there visit is the final step of meeting
for around two hours because with some of his friends from the tion."
there’s a lot of work to do.” He has Hong Kong Koi Club who have “I fell in love with Koi at that mo-
to observe the condition of the their own farms in the same area. ment. After that, I joined the Hong
fish, refill the solar-powered feed- After their caretaking chores, they Kong Koi Club. I then started to
ers, and check the electric pumps. bond whilst eating together nearby. buy and raise Koi,’ Lit says, add-
ing he was 22-years-old when he
When he is not at the farm, the “We call it “chui shui” in Canton- joined.
farm’s landlord living nearby will ese ( chit-chatting in English)”. We
treasure this timetalking about Koi He also finds excitement in rais-
or other topics,” he says. ing each Koi to their full potential,
which he compares to chasing a
Errand Runner Turned Expert dream.
Lit’s love for Koi began when he
was in his final year at university, After 33 years as a member, Lit is
whilst running an errand for his now the honorary president of the
then-girlfriend’s family. Believing Hong Kong Koi Club, an organi-
Koi would bring the family good sation with about 100 members.
fortune, they sent Lit to purchase Lit says that although he is not a
some for their newly built fish tank. founding member, he worked very
hard to earn the top position in the
He became fascinated with Koi club.
because, unlike marine fish, every
Aaron Lit Ying-yeung as a judge one of them has a noticeably dif- When Lit first joined the club, he
in Japan. (Photo courtesy of Aar- ferent pattern. met some upper-class people in
on Lit Ying-yeung) the community, such as listed com-