Time to buy your first koi

         After months of building your Koi pond, paying attention to all those little details, filling with water, setting out your range of aquatic plants, switching on the pumps and filter, everything seems ready. You’ve tested your water, the pH is right, the water is crystal clear, and everything says “Go for it.” The time for buying Koi has finally arrived!

If you have a local store that sells Koi and stocks a large variety of fish things are a lot simpler. If your only option is to order online some things are a little different but the essential thing is to buy the best Koi you can for your money.

Why Some Koi Can Be Expensive
After mating a pair of Koi could produce one million fry. Fry is the term for fish that hatch from the eggs. While it may seem cruel the fact is that in an intensive breeding program a Koi breeder may in fact only take from this million as few as ten very select specimens. If the Koi parents are considered to be fine and valuable specimens then these ten or less Koi could be very expensive because so much care has gone into their selection. It is more than likely that these few Koi could end up show specimens and become very valuable. You do not need to think about buying such expensive fish but you do need to understand how the young Koi are priced.

However if from this breeding say a thousand or more fry are selected then you can expect these fish to be much cheaper. Not all the fry that hatch are good fish. A good breeder will very quickly destroy say 90% of the fry. And then continue to cull as the fry mature and the features of the fish become clearer. The selection of the chosen fish requires a lot of experience in understanding the characteristics that expert keepers of Koi demand when buying fish. If the breeder is just a hobbyist then his fish are likely to be cheaper than a breeder who is doing this work on a commercial basis. If you are looking for Koi with good coloration and markings you may need to pay more.

Choosing Your First Koi
The younger and the smaller the Koi, the cheaper they will be. If your pond is well maintained these smaller Koi will grow quickly. The colour, style and the type of Koi will also play a part in the price of the young fish. To start with just chose the colors and the shape of the colors that you find attractive. If you are buying from a store with an excellent reputation it will be hard to make a mistake. Your plan is to gain as much experience as you can from these first fish. Don’t buy too many. Even if you have built a large pond four or five Koi are enough to both test your pond, and your experience.

Buying Online
You may not have the opportunity to make your purchases at a local store and so it will be necessary to make your purchase online. One advantage, you have a lot of stores to choose from. The disadvantage, you will not be there to make your own choices. However since you are new to the game don’t be afraid to let the store make these choices for you. They may do a better job considering their experience. Find out as much as you can about the store you select, if the store has a bad reputation then find another store. It is not hard on the internet to search for those with a bad experience who will let you know how the store let them down.

A Twelve Hour Time Frame
In selecting your store once you are satisfied that it has a good reputation the next issue to determine is the ability of the store to send you the fish so that you receive them within twelve hours. Your store will know if this can be done to your area. The fish will be sent in a plastic bag that has been filled with oxygen. The packing should be able to keep the fish alive for twenty-four hours but to be on the safe side the plan for their transit should take no longer than twelve hours. A store selling on the internet will know how the fish have to be packed and which carrier can reach you within this time frame. Just make certain you check all this with them before proceeding with your order. Let the store know this is your first order and that you hope to develop an ongoing relationship with them.

Arriving At Their New Home
It will not matter how you have bought your fish there is a ninety-nine percent chance you now have a plastic bag of your Koi purchases and you are ready to introduce them to their new home. The first thing to remember is that your fish will be experiencing a degree of stress. Don’t rush things. There is a high probability that the water temperature in your plastic bag is not the same as the water temperature in your pond. Just let the plastic bag float in the pond water until the temperatures are the same. 

If you are really set up and you have a smaller quarantine tank or pond then use this. The biggest risk in this entire undertaking is disease. If you are unlucky enough to have purchased diseased fish and you have introduced them to your quarantine tank then you have only this smaller tank to deal with. Putting sick fish into your main pond first up is the stuff of nightmares, not likely if you buy from a store with a good reputation but it does happen! Sometimes even the store may not be aware the fish have problems but the stress of transit brings this issue to the fore.

After a period of two to three weeks and you are satisfied that your fish are free of any ailment they can be introduced into their larger pond. Any subsequent purchases should be made via your quarantine tank. If possible stick with the same store for any additional purchase.

The history of koi

               For centuries in the days before our understanding of chemistry there was the search for a process that would turn some common metal into gold. Charlatans for centuries sought deprive the wealthy of their riches by promising the secret that would make any man abundantly rich. The amazing story of a few simple fisherman in Japan who learned how to turn a very drab looking fish that was almost worthless into what is now a world-wide trade of very expensive fish. 

                     It is hard to imagine that anyone would pay scores of thousands of dollars and in some cases even hundreds of thousands of dollars for one single fish! Today in the world of Koi there are real treasures and some are willing to pay for them. In a sense these simple fishermen achieved what charlatans for centuries were never able to achieve, turn a simple fish into gold!

Early Koi History – Carp in China :
The name Koi is simply the Japanese word for ‘Carp’. The real history of Koi or Carp is lost in the mists of legend but it is believed that Koi had their beginnings in an area that today we would call Iran, history would call Persia. Did the carp migrate through the waterways of Western Asia into China, or was trade the means by which carp travelled eastwards into China? We will never know. Carp seem to have arrived in China at least 2,500 years ago. History would have us believe that the son of Confucius who it is believed was born in 533 BC was presented with a carp by the king. A study of ancient Chinese artwork and sculptor demonstrates that carp were a popular subject for artists for the last two and half millennia.

Early Koi History – Carp in Japan
Carp found their way eastwards from China to Japan probably again through trade or was it invasion? Some historians think the origins of carp in Japan stretch back as far as 200 AD. Over the years in Japan rice farmers made the carp a source of protein food. Salted carp would last the winter when other food was scarce. Rather than catch them wild these rice farmers became carp farmers to secure their winter food supplies. In time these simple rice farmers started to turn these plain-looking fish into gold.

In the middle of the 19th century the world knew little of the science of genetics. Mendel in Europe was only just starting his work on the genetics of peas and there was little understanding of how characteristics we passed on from one generation to the next, be it in plants or animals. However these simple farmers noticed that some of the fish had patches of red and later white on them. Intrigued by these abnormalities they kept them aside, regarded them as pets, and began to breed them. Without any genetic theory they developed the first colorful carp or what today we call Koi. There is little doubt as one studies Koi history that these Japanese rice farmers from the Niigata prefecture in Japan can take credit for the development of Koi. The popularity of these colorful fish grew immensely in the following decades and while today Koi can be found the world over these fish are still known as Japanese Koi. Without the dogged perseverance of these humble 19th century rice farmers the history of Koi would be very different.

Modern Koi History :
The 20th century saw the continued development of the world of Koi. Koi became a popular feature at an exhibition in Tokyo in 1914 where the first tri-color Koi were exhibited. It had been a development over the previous 25 years but gained full recognition at this event. This trend was further strengthened when Emperor Hirohito was presented Koi for the Imperial Palace moat in 1914. A further development involved the cross-breeding of Koi with a mirror carp from Germany which had reflective scales. This was quickly followed with the introduction of golden scales from a different species of wild carp. From about 1920 onwards no other known mutations have been recognised by international Koi breeders.

Koi History – Koi Now a World-Wide Hobby
After the second world war and with the development of using the plastic bag and oxygen to transport live fish a much wider distribution of Koi took place. Today it is a hobby that is to be found around the world. While there are still very expensive specimens of Koi to be found the price of regular Koi is within the reach of most people thanks to the development of the mass market for these fish. The need for space is a far greater limiting factor for Koi keepers today than the cost of the Koi.

Koi History in the 21st Century
The Japanese still call the shots in the world of Koi and probably have some of the best Koi specimens in the world. However expert Koi breeders are to be found in Europe and the USA and some local trends have challenged to the dominance of Japanese Koi breeders and associations. One example of this trend has been the Butterfly Fish developed in the USA by the Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery. Similar breeding has been started in Japan but Japan moved to ban these fish at the shows regarding them not as true Koi. This has resulted in these fish falling out of popular favour in Japan. Not so in America. While debate still rages over whether or not these fish are true Koi, they are popular and the world has the Blue Ridge farms to thank for their development. Butterfly Koi are here to stay whether or not they are true Koi.

Koi fish farms are no longer the province of Japan. Koi fish farms are to be found around the world and many of these farms are making significant strides in the development and marketing of these amazing fish. Having a Koi pond in your garden is a world-wide development. The history of Koi has been an exciting one. The humble rice farmers from the Niigata prefecture in Japan turned a common fish used as winter food into rivers of gold.

butterfly koi – the most beautiful fish in the world?

        

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this is especially true of Butterfly Koi. Many regard the Butterfly Koi one of the most beautiful fish in the world. They are very popular in America and it is sometimes referred to as the American Koi. It is a hybrid and not regarded as a true Koi by the purists. The Butterfly Koi have fins that are long, flowing and almost featherlike in appearance. They are reputed to be a hardy breed and better able to handle colder temperatures. However the breed finds very little acceptance outside of America and traditional breeders of Koi will not breed them.

Unacceptable Compromise
In the breeding program that led to emergence of Butterfly Koi the aim was to breed an increase in the hardiness of the fish. It is thought that Koi were interbred with wild Indonesian Longfin river carp. The offspring were hardier but had long fins. The traditional ideal body shape of Koi is oval but the Butterfly Koi is much slender. The long slender fins also compromised traditional Koi standards. In Japan these fish have been disallowed from Koi competitions. As a result of all this Koi breeders and retailers do not include this breed in their range of Koi.

Developing Standards
However despite all this in America the breed is extremely popular and there is no argument over whether or not the breed is part of the world of Koi. The Koi Club Association of America has set up its own standards and criteria for judging these beautiful fish. However even these standards are in the process of development and there are many who feel that the criteria for judging traditional Koi should not be lost sight of in judging Butterfly Koi. There is still tension between the purists who favor the shorter fins while the market for the long tail is far more dominant.

Dragon Koi
Butterfly Koi were bred in the USA by the Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery. They were first named by Wyatt LeFever of this hatchery. These popular fish are sometimes also refered to as Dragon Koi. One of their advantages is that they look as beautiful when viewed from above as they do from the side which makes them excellent pond fish. They appear to swim with grace and have such a regal bearing that their presence is a huge visual asset to any Koi pond. Ongoing breeding programs are producing fish with color equal to the more traditional range of Koi. They are a hardy fish thriving in a wider range of temperatures and very resistant to disease. They have a reputation for destroying plant life within a pond but if the right plants are chosen both are able to thrive in the same pond.

Butterfly Koi like regular Koi do not do well in an aquarium. They can grow to become large fish. You should not consider keeping Butterfly Koi unless you have a pond holding at least a thousand gallons or more. All the criteria required for keeping Koi apply equally to these fish. Butterfly Koi are ravenous eaters and grow very quickly and need room to do so.

It is Your Decision
The decision to keep Butterfly Koi in your pond is a personal one. If you wish to maintain the traditional standards that have grown up around Koi then the keeping of these fish is out of the question. If you are trying to build a traditional Japanese garden or submit specimens in Koi shows or competitions then think carefully about the presence of Butterfly Koi in your pond. However if all you are looking for is beauty and elegance among your fish stock then these graceful fish are certainly worth a place in any Koi pond.

Your Start to a Great New Hobby - Koi How To

A Koi pond well done has an amazing attraction for most people. The colors and size of these very active fish are a magnet for most people. Keeping Koi is a very popular hobby and it is possible that many more people could enjoy keeping these amazing fish. The ‘How To’ is often the stumbling block in getting started but it need not be if you are prepared to look carefully at all the factors that make it possible to set up a Koi Pond.

• Since Koi are a large fish they do need space. To really enjoy Koi you need a pond. Koi are not really suitable for any but the largest of aquariums. A 500 gallon aquarium would be the smallest size but Koi do much better with a larger volume water. A properly set up pond is your best choice.

• Koi need clean water. A proper filtration system is an absolute must. Koi themselves produce a lot of waste and this waste must be constantly removed. Do not have more Koi in your pond than your filtration system can handle. In designing your pond allow for plant life to create a natural environment. Do not just rely on your filtration system.

• While Koi are a cold water fish they do not like long harsh winters. A Koi’s immune system shuts down at around 50 F (10 C). During summer Koi will need shade either plant life within the pond or shade provided by the owner.

• If you have the space plan for fountains and waterfalls to assist your plant life oxygenate the water. Make the entire pond attractive. Ensure that pumps and filters are not just properly installed but where possible hidden and out of sight. Submersible pumps are not only hidden but they mask the noise produced by the pumps.

• Ensure that your pond is well constructed. The sides of the pond must not allow garden fertilizers, chemicals and storm water to enter the pond. Make the side walls steep enough to discourage land animals try their luck at fishing. Make the pond deep enough so that birds like Herons cannot walk in the pond. If you are designing the pond from scratch ensure that you provide fixtures to allow a net to be stretched across the pond should the need arise.

• Koi fish are omnivorous – they will eat anything. However feed your fish a healthy diet, a variety of meats and vegetables. Special pellets can be obtained from fish shops and pet shops if required, these usually float which bring the Koi to the surface. Do not leave uneaten food to rot in the bottom of the pond. Uneaten food must be removed. Also remember the more you feed Koi the more waste matter they produce.

• Koi can be hand fed and will soon recognise the person feeding them. Kio are very social and will interact with humans if you take the time to establish such a bond.

• Koi can be bred but you are advised to gain as much experience as you can with Koi before attempting to breed.