MARTINSVILLE, Ind. – Think of Indiana and things like the Indy 500, the movie “Hoosiers” or even TV icon David Letterman might come to mind. But goldfish and koi?

Ozark Fisheries in Martinsville is celebrating its 100th year of raising and selling these fish, putting its stamp on Indiana being the goldfish and koi capital of the country.

“Martinsville is known for fish and there are even other fish farms across Indiana,” said Margaret Cleveland, senior vice president at Ozark Fisheries.

Cleveland, a fourth-generation farmer, grew up on her family’s fish farm in rural Missouri and then studied fisheries and wildlife at the University of Missouri. She spent three years abroad in South Korea before rejoining Ozark Fisheries in 2018 on the sales and marketing team.

Ozark Fisheries got its start as a trout hatchery in Stoutland, Mo., in 1926, led by two men: F. Lawrence Bailliere and Dr. Charles A. Furrow.

In the 1920s, the big boom in goldfish popularity started with the establishment of pet departments in the chain stores such as S.S. Kresge, Woolworth, Grant and McLellan’s. There were more than 60 goldfish producers in the U.S. at that time, located mostly in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

Grassyfork Fisheries in Martinsville was already in existence. This Indiana fishery started in 1899. In the 1970s, Ozark Fisheries acquired Grassyfork Fisheries in Martinsville. Both Missouri and Indiana locations now produce and sell five different types of goldfish and two types of koi.

“We’re now the oldest privately owned fish farm still in operation in the United States, especially when it comes to goldfish and koi,” Cleveland added. “The goldfish is our ‘bread and butter’ fish as those are our biggest seller. Most goldfish are sold under a year old and under 12 inches in length. The koi are sold at 18-20 inches long.”

The fish get their start indoors in tanks. Nylon fiber spawning mats are at the bottom of each tank. They’re kept indoors for safety as these fish have a lot of predators like snakes, turtles, bullfrogs and birds.

Once big enough, they’re moved to one of more than a dozen ponds across the property, where they’ll continue to grow.

“It’s in our best interest to give the fish the best chance at survival before heading to one of numerous ponds on the property,” she said. “Just like any other crop you’re raising, we spawn our fish. The fish that lay their eggs, we hatch them in a hatchery, and then we move them to ponds where they live most of their lives here on the farm, and so we put that crop into production. We have to feed it, take care of it.”

The ponds, which are right off I-69, have fish in them throughout the year. In the winter, when the ponds are ice-covered, it takes workers more time to fish out the goldfish and koi.

“We have an estimated number of fry that we hatch from our farms, which is about 100 million per location,” Cleveland said. “This area in Martinsville is known for its underground water, flowing from natural springs. You need a lot of water to raise a lot of fish.”

From the pond, the fish are transported to an indoor facility, full of holding tanks. The fish are fed with a soybean/corn mix from area farms. The fish are then graded, or sized, before being shipped via UPS or FedEx throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, to pet stores, garden centers and others.

“Most of our goldfish are sold when they’re under a year old. When they’re the right size and color we harvest them out of the outdoor ponds, then sell them to customers.

“In the early history of our hatchery, we shipped fish by railroad in big metal cans, and then we switched to shipping in a cardboard box with insulation.”

While the anniversary is officially in April, Ozark Fisheries has started its 100-year celebrations, honoring all family members who helped them get the farm to where it is today.

“My grandmother is still alive,” Cleveland said. “My great-grandfather started the farm, but my grandmother is still alive. We’re planning several different celebrations throughout the year. We just finished publishing a 100th centennial book about the history of Ozark Fisheries. We’ve got a lot of fun things planned.”

The fishery is not open to the public for in-person sales, but they do offer farm tours for school and FFA groups.