The Koi: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Fish
130
The Koi: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Fish
130Hardcover
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781620457573 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | TURNER PUB CO |
| Publication date: | 03/26/1999 |
| Series: | Your Happy Healthy P , #99 |
| Pages: | 130 |
| Sales rank: | 1,142,518 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.60(d) |
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Koi: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Fish
- 3 -
Purchasing Koi
Before addressing how to establish a healthy habitat for your pet, it is importantto discuss the koi selection process that every new koi owner must ultimately gothrough. This will be an exciting and fun process because your koi pond will be establishedand you will be eagerly anticipating adding your fish to it. In general, koi arevery hardy fish that can endure less than optimal conditions and varying amountsof stress. However, one of the most stressful periods for koi (and most vulnerable)involves their transportation and introduction into their new home. In this section,I will address the important steps of evaluating, choosing and transporting yournew koi.
Dealers
Koi can be purchased at a number of places, including pet shops, garden centers,koi farms, individual breeders and from other koi enthusiasts. Before you purchaseyour koi, be sure to select a source that you have thoroughly investigated. Koi clubs,Internet sources and exhibitions are excellent places to inquire about high-qualitysources of koi and koi-related products. Try to visit all the available sources beforeyou choose one or two with which to work. It is very important t o establish a goodworking relationship with your dealer or breeder because you will need someone toadvise you on many aspects of koi-keeping. You want somebody who maintains a good,clean business, has healthy fish and is always willing to answer your questions andspend time with you. He or she will be motivated by the desire to help you succeedin your hobby. Choose someone who shares your pas-sion; someone who will be consistentlyavailable to help. Try to avoid dealers who will not take the time to explain thingsor to provide the specific koi that you desire.
QUALITY FACILITIES
Take care to look for the following at your koi dealer's facilities:
- 1) Clean display tanks with biofiltered, odorless water. Each display tank should have its own filter to prevent the rapid proliferation of disease throughout the store.
2) Quarantine tanks for new arrivals with a two-week minimum quarantine process.
Experienced dealers have oxygen on hand to add to the bags that transport yourkoi. Your new koi are going to be stressed when they are netted and placed in a confinedspace. Fish that are stressed consume oxygen at a higher rate than normal. Fillingthe transport bags with oxygen will ensure that your koi will have an ample amountfor the journey home.
Koi specialists will have a wide variety of koi and koi products available inthe store. Look for a good assortment of products, ranging from those that are time-testedto the new and innovative. This is generally a good indication that the dealer "keepsup with the times" and follows the koi-keeping profession closely.
It can take time to find a reputable dealer that wi ll provide expert consistentadvice and high-quality koi and koi products. You may need to work with more thanone dealer so that all your needs are met.
AT THE KOI STOREKoi can be found for sale at pet shops, garden centers and koi farms. You may learn of breeders in your area through the Internet or by reading the advertisements in koi-related magazines. Before you buy any fish, shop around. Be confident that the seller you choose not only keeps high-quality fish in a healthy environment, but is also pleasant and helpful. The new hobbyist (you) are bound to have many questions (both before and after you purchase). Find someone with whom you are comfortable.
QUALITY KOI
Be sure to inquire about the origin of the koi. This is very important becausethe origin of the koi can dictate the quality and cost of the fish. Be aware thatkoi can technically be called "Japanese koi" and not necessarily come fromJapan. Koi that are bred in Japan are generally of higher quality and cost more thanthose bred elsewhere, but this is not always the case.
Find out where your fish were bred. The phrase "Japanese koi" doesnot mean that the fish was bred in Japan.
Selecting Koi
By reading this book and others, you should have a general idea of the varietyof koi that you find most pleasing. Keeping your personal tastes in mind is veryimportant when selecting koi because you will likely have these fish for a very longtime. Don't purchase any koi that is available to you through a friend or becauseof a reduced price. Realize that you are making an in vestment in a pet that willgrow, respond to you and provide enjoyment for many years.
SIZE DOES MATTER
The size of your new koi should be considered when choosing them for your pond.Many experts feel that one should purchase only mature koi because the good and badqualities of younger koi are not as apparent--koi can change appreciably as theygrow larger. In general, the better the color and the sharper the pattern on a smallfish, the more likely it is to lose quality than it is to improve with size. On ayoung fish, the red should be an orange/red, and the white will move from the abdomento the back with growth. Gray in young fish will surface as black when they get older.These changes will affect the color pattern of your fish.
START WITH "PET QUALITY" KOI
Choose koi that you find attractive even if they are not of a recognized variety.All too often, novice koi-keepers spend money for expensive Japanese koi that donot survive in the newly established pond. Keep this in mind when purchasing yourfirst koi. Work out the problems of your new system before investing a lot of moneyin your fish. Finally, as you add new koi to your pond, vary your selection so asto provide new interest and color to your pond environment.
KOI QUALITY: HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?For the new koi-keeper, expensive, top-of-the-line acquisitions are best avoided. Know that your pond is well-established and healthy before adding any fish. By beginning with koi of average quality you can "get your feet wet" while taking less risk. Just like other pets, koi that don't win "Best in Show" make fin e companions.
Show-quality koi are judged on the basis of their shape, color and pattern.It is best to learn to care for lesser quality fish before you invest in "top-of-the-line"koi.
MOVING TO "SHOW-QUALITY" KOI
Although I do not recommend that you purchase expensive show-quality koi for yourfirst fish, there may be a time when your interest in such fish will pique. If youare looking for mature show-quality koi, there are a number of features that youmust consider. Koi are judged on the criteria of shape, color and pattern. A well-shapedkoi is symmetric, with a straight backbone, fins in proportion to the body and anabdomen more rounded than the line of the back. The distance between the dorsal finand the tail should be one-third the distance between the front of the dorsal finand the head region. If the dorsal fin is too near to the tail, it is consideredan inferior fish. The head should be in proportion to the body and not too rounded.The cheeks of the koi should be solid and round, and the head should be without blemishes.The color should have depth and clarity, and all the colors should be of even hue.White should be pure and without specks, as should the red. A koi with bright orangecoloring is considered to be of better quality than one with purplish-red coloring.In most koi varieties, markings that are round are favored to those that are unevenor angular. The overall pattern should be well-balanced and consistent over the bodyof the fish. Borders between colors should be crisp and distinct with sharp edges.Finally, the skin should be lustrous and appear lacquered.
SELECTING HEALTHY FISH
Knowing the quality of koi that you desire is an important aspect of selectingyour fish, and evaluating the health of your selection is the other. Be selectivewhen you get to the dealer. Buy koi only from healthy looking tanks with clear water,clean panes and no dead fish in the tank. Make sure that the fish you want appearsto be in the best of health, with clear eyes, unblemished skin and full fins. Ifthe fish has any cuts, scrapes or fin problems, don't buy it. Watch for possiblesymptoms of disease, such as bulging eyes, white granular spots, cottony white patches,frayed fins or dull skin. Disproportionate bodies, large heads and pinched abdominalregions are all signs of sick or neglected fish.
Watch the behavior of the fish. Healthy fish swim in a lively manner throughoutthe water column and are not shy. Koi that are gasping for air at the surface arenot getting sufficient oxygen and are in a chronic state of stress. Even though youmay be interested in a particular fish, inspect all the koi in that tank as wellas those in other parts of the store. If other koi in the store are unhealthy, thenit is likely that the koi of your choice has not been properly cared for. Note:If you bring home a single sick koi and introduce it to your pond, you threaten thehealth of all your koi.
START OFF RIGHT--BUY ONLY HEALTHY FISHTake the time to examine closely each and every fish that interests you. Is the fish active and bright-eyed? Is the skin clear and unblemished? Do any of the tankmates appear to be in anything but the best of health? Although you should quarantine a new purchase before placing it in your pond, don't take chances.
In addition to its physical state, take a hard look at the behavior of thefish you like. It should be active and lively.
Bringing Your Fish Home
When you have selected your new koi, make sure that the dealer properly handles,bags and prepares the fish for transport home. The koi should be netted quickly witha large, shallow, soft mesh net and transferred to an appropriate heavy-duty bagfilled with ample amounts of aerated water. Too much chasing and the fish will betoo severely stressed for the transportation process. As mentioned earlier, the bagshould be filled with oxygen before being sealed. If the fish is to be transportedthrough a variety of temperature levels, then care should be taken to insulate thebag in a Styrofoam container so that a constant temperature can be maintained. Thispacking method should suffice for most short-term transportation to the home.
However, the longer the fish is in the bag, the more carbon dioxide and ammoniawill build up in the bag. Bacterial concentrations and disease agents will increasewith time as well. Most importantly, the koi is likely to become highly stressed,rendering it vulnerable to disease. If your koi are to be bagged for more than afew hours, it is recommended that you add some common, noniodized salt to the waterat a concentration of about 0.05 percent or 4 teaspoons per gallon. This will notharm the fish and will reduce stress associated with handling. For longer-term transportation,an ammonia detoxifier should be added to remove toxic forms of ammonia that willaccumulate. Some experts also suggest adding medications to the bag, but consultwith your dealer for advice before doing so. Try to purcha se your koi at a locationthat is not far from home, so as to keep time in the bag at a minimum.
Once your new pet koi are home, it is time to prepare them for their introductioninto your pond. This will be discussed in subsequent chapters of this book. Firstwe must discuss the habitat that your koi will happily live in, the koi pond.
It is very important that you start your pond off right with healthy fish.Closely examine the koi that interest you for signs of disease.
Table of Contents
PART ONE: The Joy of Koi.1. What are Koi?
2. Varieties of Koi.
3. Purchasing Koi.
PART TWO: About the Koi Pond.
4. Planning and Building Your Koi Pond.
5. Water Quality and Filtration.
6. Pond Care and Maintenance.
PART THREE: Koi-Keeping.
7. Feeding Your Koi.
8. Koi Health.
9. Breeding Your Koi.
PART FOUR: Beyond the Basics.
10. Glossary of Japanese Koi Terms.
11. Resources.
