Create Your Own Collection

How creating your own collection works

My ready-made collections are fixed sets I put together, and they're the easiest way to start. But if you already know which colors you want, or you want extra depth in one line plus a few of another, you can create the exact group yourself:

1. Choose a size. Twelve fish for $169.99 is the best deal: it ships free and gets you the most fish for your dollar. Six for $89.99 and three for $49.99 are there if you want a smaller group.
2. Pick your varieties. Use the plus and minus buttons above to set how many of each line you want. Only varieties I currently have in stock are listed, so anything you can pick is something I can actually ship. Your picks are randomly sexed: I select for health and color, not sex, so if you need a guaranteed male and female, add one of my sexed breeding pairs to the order instead.
3. Add it to your cart. No emailing back and forth, no waiting on a quote. Keep shopping or head to checkout; I hand-pack that exact combination and it ships on the next shipping day.

What you can mix

Any of my medaka varieties can go in the same order and the same container. Every medaka is the same peaceful species (Oryzias latipes) under the color, so mixed groups school together without conflict, the deep black of an Orochi next to the blue shimmer of a Blue Miyuki and the warm orange of a Red King makes for a striking tub viewed from above.

Fish aren't the only thing that fits in a slot: you can swap in a Japanese Trapdoor Snail for any fish in your collection. They are the cleanup crew I keep in my own tubs, and they ride along in the same box happily.

One thing worth knowing: mixed varieties will interbreed over time, and the fry won't come out looking like either parent. That's part of the fun in a display pond, but if you're breeding for a specific color, keep one line per container, my breeding guide explains why. You can still create a custom order for that: pick six of a single variety and you have a colony to start from.

Why create your own instead of a ready-made set?

A custom collection is priced in line with my ready-made sets, so you're not paying extra for the choice. It's the better option when you want a specific color scheme, when you're topping up a tub that already has certain lines in it, or when you want more of one variety than a ready-made set includes. If you'd rather I choose for you, the ready-made collections are still there, and my Breeder's Choice set is the best value if you simply want a good mix.

Shipping your custom collection

Custom collections ship exactly like every other live order: Mondays only, packed with free floating plants, and covered by my live arrival guarantee. Every fish is hand-picked and health-checked before it ships. New to medaka? Start with the complete care guide, or read up on keeping them outdoors before your order arrives.