At first glance, koi fish might seem to have very little in common with the accounting profession. But as Abraham Wiggill, who is passionate about both explains, this is far from the case.
As a CA(SA) as well as an enthusiastic member of South Africa’s koi keeping community, he should know. In fact, from being merely a hobbyist, Abraham has undergone training through the South African Koi Keepers Society (SAKKS) to obtain his certification as a NZA (Zen Nippin Airinkaj) Local Certified Judge (LCJ).
Beyond beauty
Admit it: at some point in your life, you’ve walked past a koi pond and found yourself mesmerised by the fluid motion of the fish.
Abraham has had this experience several times. He says that he had always thought about having a pond in his garden, but it wasn’t until he attended a koi show in Durban, his hometown, back in 2013 that he became interested in keeping the fish. ’They’re like living jewels. It’s impossible not to be drawn to them,‘ he says.
Installing his own pond, keeping fish and, eventually, entering them into shows (and winning some awards) opened his eyes to one of the key dimensions of the hobby: it’s not only about the fish. Building a community is an important part of the hobby. Abraham refers to this aspect as ‘friendship through scales’, noting that many of his close friends are people he has met at shows, either as a participant or as a judge. ’All get togethers start the same way,‘ he laughs, ’either with a comment about a new fish we’ve just acquired, or about koi in general! We’re a tight-knit community. I love being able to connect with people who share my passion, and to talk about our experiences and knowledge.‘
That’s one of the ways in which accounting is much like keeping, and judging, koi: again, there is a significant ‘people’ element. ’This was something that surprised me when I first embarked on my accounting career. Obviously, the technical aspect is crucial, but the relationships you build with clients, and understanding their businesses, are a big part of what makes the profession rewarding.‘
From koi keeper to judge
Abraham says that it was his own interest in business – sparked from an early age by the market days hosted by his school – that encouraged him to study accounting.
From those very first forays into the mechanics of trade, Abraham is now a partner at Aitken Lambert Elsworth Inc, the Durban-based Chartered Accounting firm where he completed his articles; a progression which highlights his focus on moving forward.
He displayed a similar commitment to taking the next step as a hobbyist: from owning the koi, he became more and more involved, entering his own fish into shows. Getting the fish ready for these events is no small feat. Abraham informs that most provinces host one show annually. As many as 25 koi owners may attend at a time, preparing their fish by placing them in oxygenated bags or even specialised containers. ’With the fish sometimes growing to well over one meter, transport can be quite an undertaking,‘ he says.
After competing several times, Abraham was naturally drawn to the idea of judging. He entered SAKKS judges’ training programme in 2019, qualifying as a Local Certified Judge in 2025.
Abraham explains that the programme is highly structured and rather challenging, with candidate judges supplementing the theoretical component – which includes volumes of reading material as well as a written assignment – with attendance at shows to hone their understanding of what makes a koi a real winner. ’This is especially important, because some things can’t be learnt through a textbook,‘ he points out. Unfortunately, this part of the training was put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, when physical shows were prohibited under lockdown regulations – but he was able to build exposure through remote judging sessions, when assessments were based on photographs of the koi. He also received extensive mentorship from some of the leading figures on South Africa’s koi scene.
Abraham says that judges are expected to follow strict protocols and adhere to etiquette that is rooted in many of the qualities that are central to the CA profession: ’Being a judge means acting with integrity, professionalism and ethics, and remaining true to your independent judgment.‘
If the route to becoming a judge is far from straight-forward, the actual judging process is far from simple. On show days, the transported fish are placed in large temporary tanks, with judges free to circulate and make their assessments, which they do according to strict criteria, scoring the fish out of 100 points (40 points for body, 30 for quality, 20 for pattern and 10 for finishing). Factors influencing the judges’ decisions include the koi’s conformation and proportions; skin, colour and lustre; the variety, balance and definition of pattern and overall condition and presentation of the koi.
Abraham says that the rigor of the guidelines is intended to ensure that judging is as objective as possible. Even so, there are some factors which, are obviously, beyond the owner’s control. ’You can control the quality of the food and water, and providing an optimal environment which helps the fish remain in peak condition. But the rest is down to genes.‘
It’s a real honour to be a judge, Abraham continues. ’Once you’ve been involved in this hobby for a while, you understand just how much goes into it.‘ For one thing, it’s far from cheap: the most expensive koi on record cost a whopping R26 million, and although not all fish carry the same price tag, they still require a lot of maintenance. Abraham says that he feeds his 24 fish twice daily, changes the water in his pond every second week and flushes the filters monthly. But, in spite of the investment required, he wouldn’t have it any other way. ’Feeding the fish is one of my favourite times of the day. It’s a moment of intense peace. It soothes the soul.‘
He also loves the fact that his family care about the fish as much as he does. ’They’re just as excited as I am about attending the shows. It’s a real family affair.‘ And, although he has refrained from naming his koi, his two daughters (aged five and nine) have done the honours. ’A lot of people see their koi as pets. After spending so much time and money on them, it’s inevitable that you form a bond.’
A lifechanging hobby
Abraham still has some way to go on his judging journey: having received his first certification, the next step is to qualify as an Assisted Certified Judge and, ultimately, a Certified Judge.
While it may be some time before he receives these certifications, he is certainly enjoying his judging career, with highlights include participating in the Holland Koi Show in 2025 and, more recently, the ZNA Potomac
Koi Show, hosted in Virgina, United States.
There’s plenty of scope for growth in the South African koi keepers ‘industry’. ’I’d say we’re on a par with the international scene, certainly when it comes to the quality of the koi and the size of our clubs.’
He’d love to see more people getting involved in the hobby. ’There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing people watching these beautiful fish; taken in by their beauty and grace. For me, this hobby has been nothing short of lifechanging: the people I have met, and the places I have gone, are beyond anything I imagined.‘
Author
Lisa Witepski
