About
Play It Koi has quietly become a destination for pond keepers across the Pacific Northwest, a specialty koi and pond fish store in Bothell, WA where the staff genuinely live and breathe the hobby. Walk in with a question about your backyard pond and you get unhurried, honest help — the kind of guidance regulars come back for season after season. The shop is best known for hand-selected Japanese koi.
Customers describe sitting down with owner Ben to pick out specific varieties — Tancho, Kujaku, and Ginrin — and leaving with healthy fish for their ponds. One family bought three beautiful koi on their very first visit and were already planning a return trip for Ben's next arrivals. If you are searching for Japanese koi for sale in Bothell, WA, this is the rare local spot that lets you choose your own fish in person before they ever leave the shop.
Pond plants are the other big draw. Water hyacinths, lotus, water lilies, iris ensata, and even hard-to-find varieties like Colocasia 'Pink China' taro turn up here, and reviewers consistently mention how large and healthy the plants are when they bring them home. Beyond livestock, Play It Koi stocks pond pumps, pond kits, filtration gear, and fish medications, making it a genuine one-stop resource for the supplies available in Bothell, WA.
What truly sets the team apart is the advice. Ivan is praised again and again for sizing a pump to a customer's actual pond instead of upselling — one veteran walked him through a short video of his waterfall so Ivan could pinpoint the right system, and another found exactly the quiet, long-cord pump that brought a small yard fountain back to life. Owner Derek and Kristen earn the same trust, and the shop happily works through pump calculations and SeaSide RDF filtration questions without charging a consultation fee.
Whether you keep a small porch fountain or a multi-thousand-gallon koi pond, the people at this Bothell koi and pond store treat your project like it is their own.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Play It Koi in Bothell, WA
Play It Koi stocks koi, aquarium plants and pond fish for sale in Bothell, WA. As a fish store serving Bothell, WA, it also carries fish medications and aquarium equipment and offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
- Pond
Highlights
What makes them special
- Hand-selects Japanese koi varieties — Tancho, Kujaku, and Ginrin — for customers to choose in person
- Large, healthy pond plants including water hyacinth, lotus, water lily, iris ensata, and rare Colocasia taro
- Free pump-sizing consultations — Ivan and the team match equipment to your actual pond, no upsell
- Carries pond pumps, pond kits, SeaSide RDF filtration, and fish medications
- Owners Ben and Derek, plus Ivan and Kristen, praised for honest, knowledgeable service
From keepers
Customer reviews
“In 2 weeks my lotus has done great. Thank you for a wonderful product.”
— Amy Grace5.0a month ago“Pond dwellers, I shopped around for a new pond pump and hose and quite frankly got the run around by some of the pond companies I contacted. They were obviously trying to upgrade me to a system that I didn't need or want. I then spoke to Ivan at Play It Koi, who obviously cared about my project and what system was the best fit for my pond, not what suited him best for his commission. He even had me send him a short video of my pond and waterfall so he could evaluate and pinpoint the best system. After all that, I eventually ordered the pump and hose through Ivan and Play It Koi. Ivan was also very helpful on the ordering side because I am not that computer savvy. The order was done and I received multiple updates on shipping arrival days and times. Overall, I am super happy that I used Play It Koi and also met a new friend in Ivan, who is also a fellow Veteran. Thank you Play it Koi! Over and out! Sgt. Mike”
— M Lawson5.0a month ago“We have a small yard fountain, needed a long cord cause you can't use an extension. This is the perfect size for my fountain, adjustable flow, quiet pump, and super long cord. The price was right and my fountain is alive again. The right price, and the pump got here quickly.”
— S K5.0a month ago“Placed my order and was hesitant about doing so. I cannot remember the employee that I talked to but he assured me that everything would be to my exact measurements for my welder box for my pond. My order came in today and it exceeded my expectations. This is one company that’ll have me as a returning customer. Thank you!!!’”
— Dana5.02 months ago“I ordered a few plants for my mini pond, and they arrived SUPER quickly and in great shape. Bigger plants than I was expecting, too!”
— Brandis Svendsen5.02 months ago“To your response: I never received a timeline for my shipment. Never got dates for when it would ship. So, you lied in that review response. If my order was pulled and ready to ship, why didn't I get an email? Customer service was more interested in blaming me and telling me to have a "fin-tastic day" instead of being helpful. Horribly inflexible and bad communications. They steal money out of your account before they've even sent the order to you. They talk about "last frost dates" but never sent updates or give any timeline to the customer of when that will be, leaving the customer to just... wonder and wait. The refund request was met with a smarmy "we told you" attitude. They would much rather send you an email of their blonde family thanking you for sending them money than send you your order on time. They want to have an inflexible business that can't adjust to the historic high temperatures the majority of the country is dealing with and are relying on outdated frost date information. DO NOT BUY. SCAM!”
— Iron Griffon (Trevor Hardaway)1.03 months ago“If I really got an impossible to find this year Colocasia Esculenta 'Pink China' Taro (Bare Root) THEN WOW. Even FedEx couldn't screw up ideal packing, plant health and delivery instructions. As directed, planted immediately and perhaps overkill. MiracleGro Potting soil filling a 15" blue pot from Amazon on studio deck. Cross fingers this "Zone 6" (AI reports, not PIK) allows it to remain on deck in zip 77843 aka Aggieland. Better than one I got years ago & failed due to local amended clay soils and soft sodium hi-PH hose water. More pampering & rain/RO water for this baby. Thank you - we miss our huge pedestrian species elephant ears pre-freezes long ago.”
— Tad Vaughn5.03 months ago“Ben took plenty of time to educate me and select the koi I wanted for my pond. He is very knowledgeable:) I certainly will use play it koi for my future needs 😀 A++++”
— John Marcus5.0a month ago“Ivan really knows his stuff!”
— Brent Goldman5.03 months ago“Most of the plants I ordered have arrived and are doing well. A couple arrived looking pretty rough. The company has been good in working with me on that problem. This is a reliable and conscientious company!”
— Doug Folland5.0Edited 4 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (206) 350-7580 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Play It Koi.