How We Source and Import Our Medaka
💬 Why I’m Sharing This
I just want to take this opportunity to share our process openly and honestly.
This isn’t about creating drama—it’s about setting the record straight.
Our entire process is well-documented. (Here are the documentations from last year’s import)
🛠️ How SNR Medaka Operates
SNR Medaka was started in 2019 by a South Korean medaka hobbyist. We currently operate several medaka stores across South Korea. We have long-term partnerships with top breeders in Japan and visit them regularly to select the fish ourselves. Because we manage multiple stores and buy in volume, we’re able to provide high-quality medaka at fair and competitive prices.
Our Logistics Process – Why We Don’t Ship Directly from Japan to the U.S.
Although no one has directly asked, I want to clarify this important part of our process. There are two main reasons we don’t ship medaka straight from Japan to the United States:
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- Our base of operations is in Korea
Since our retail stores are spread across South Korea, receiving shipments there first makes it easier to supply both Korean and international customers, including those in the U.S. This saves us in shipping cost and labor cost.
- Our base of operations is in Korea
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- Logistical Limitations
Most of the breeders we work with are located in southern Japan—such as Kansai region and Kyūshū region. Their nearest major airport is Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka. However, there are no direct flights from Osaka to Atlanta, the closest U.S. port of entry for us.
Whether the fish are shipped via Tokyo or Korea, a transfer is unavoidable. Routing through Korea allows us to better manage quality control and minimize stress on the fish.
- Logistical Limitations
If you have any questions about our process, please reach out to us.
Our email address is sn*******@***il.com
🌿 Improvements We're Making
To provide accurate information about the origin of each medaka, we are now adding origin labels to all listings. Each fish will be classified into one of the following three categories:
| Label | Description |
|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Direct from Japanese Breeder | Imported directly from Japanese medaka breeders we collaborate with. |
| 🇰🇷 From SNR Medaka Korea | Imported from SNR Medaka Korea. The parent fish were originally supplied by Japanese breeders. |
| 🇺🇸 Imported Pedigree – Born in the U.S. | Fish whose parents were imported, but were born and raised in the United States. Often F2 or F3 generation. |
This classification helps distinguish between fish that are direct imports and those that were bred or born in the U.S. from imported lines.
We work with multiple trusted Japanese breeders, and breeder information may vary depending on the fish. For import batches where we receive fish directly from a specific breeder, we include that breeder’s official seal (sticker) as a token of authenticity.
About Breeder Seals (Stickers)
In Japan, it is a traditional practice for medaka breeders to provide their official seal (sticker) when you purchase directly from them. These seals serve as both proof of authenticity and a gesture of appreciation. We also follow this tradition.
For the upcoming May 2025 group import, the fish are from めだかの館 (Medaka no Yakata), and customers who purchase from this batch will receive an official めだかの館 seal with their order.
In future imports and purchases that are directly from specific Japanese breeders, we will include the respective breeder’s seal with each qualified order.
Also, we receive exactly one seal per pair from the breeder. For example, if we purchase 10 pairs, we are given exactly 10 seals from the breeder. Unfortunately, we cannot provide additional stickers beyond what we are given. We appreciate your understanding and hope this clears up any confusion regarding the breeder stickers.
📦 Import Notice
All medaka sold as breeding pairs in 2024 were imported directly from trusted breeders in Japan.
From the beginning, any medaka born and raised in the U.S. have always been clearly labeled as US Bred. This is not a new system — we have consistently ensured transparent labeling of the true origin of each fish.
If you visit our juvenile page, you'll see that juvenile medaka are specifically marked as US Bred.
Starting in 2025, we will also introduce a new label: SNR Korea. This label will indicate fish that were imported from our sister company in Korea, where the parent fish originally came from Japanese breeders.
We hope this clears up any confusion. Thank you for your continued trust and support.