YOUNG entrepreneur Alex Bosch has found that fishy business makes money.

Alex, a 21-year-old who lives in Cranbrook, founded KoiCarp4U and expects turnover to be more than £250,000 in the first year.

Last autumn he dropped out of university after failing to find suitable work experience and decided to go it alone selling live fish online.

At first, he sold his fish through eBay and hit £60,000 in the first four months.

But a dedicated website koicarp4u.co.uk has boosted sales and cut the overhead costs of online auctions.

The business is busiest in spring and summer, with up to 175 orders a week coming in by phone and the web.

The fish are sent by courier in specially designed containers marked "Live fish – handle with care."

Alex offers customers a five-day live arrival guarantee. Dead fish are rare, even when the courier service is slowed by busy holiday periods.

He plans to offer customers the chance to select their own delivery times online.

And another major step will be into the tropical fish market to even out the business’s seasonality.