Tough Love

A question came up the quality of Koi, water quality, and stocking rates. Here's JR's thoughts on that:

Posted by James P on 5/28/2002, 11:56 pm , in reply to "question for JR"

(Name deleted), I wish I had some magic answer for you, but I don't. In some cases the breeder is selling the fish as culls because they are not going to keep the color even in Japan. Next is the reality that most asgai, kujaku, hikari varieties in general simply don't look very beautiful after age three or four. And finally we have water parameters that hasten the deterioration of these transient varieties. I would repeat what you have already said- high pH (over 7.8) and hard water - both calcium and magnesium, but also iron, lead and aluminum at levels greater than 120mg/l, are said to contribute to speckling and general darkening of asagi. One important point here: In ideal environments for koi( I.E. 7.6 Ph and slightly softer water 90-100mg/l CaCO3) the possibility of water quality problems is higher. And ORP readings tend to be lower in neutral PH ranges. So Understocking is important to keep koi from experiencing a seesaw type environment of good and bad water quality. Makes me wonder if the intrinsic values themselves are most important or if the best water parameters for koi is by it's nature, too much of a challenge for the average koi keeper to contend with? Either way, keeping asagi looking as good as they did in their first year of life is a real challenge.

JR

*** Someone was "talking" about the various ways of keeping "too" many Koi in a pond, despite a high DOC level. In the interest of Koi everywhere, JR *HAD* to jump in, as the "voice of reason." This post is one of my favorites! ***

(Name deleted)! Don't encourage BAD koi keeping! If your pond is small and you are overstocked, YOU are your koi's problem, not DOCs! Here's a quick reality check;

1) If your pond is small buy only male koi and keep one for every 200 gallons of water you have.

2) Everything taught to newbies about filters is in regards to ammonia and nitrite poisoning because they are the FIRST and most dramatic killers. The easiest and cheapest way to deal with the threat is with frequent water changes and understocking.

3) After buying a microscope, buy an ORP meter and send you water to the lab for a bacteria count.

4) DO NOT OVERFEED no matter how much personal pleasure it gives you. The koi can only digest so much and the rest does to fouling water quality. Besides, if koi are overcrowded when young and you feed them to grow more, aren't you sowing the seeds for your own destruction?

5) The definition of an insane person is one that keeps doing the same thing, and expects a different outcome.

The advanced guys tell you these things to keep you from blowing yourself up again! Please take the mistakes we made and learn from them?

6) IF you really come to realize that koi are meant to grow large ( 24-30 inches) and shine with luster and you simply can't provide an environment that will produce this, shift back to smaller species. Some tropicals can even be kept out for the high summer months in many areas.

7) Alternatively, keep koi fry/tosai and bring them in when winter comes.

Sorry to be so direct, call it tough love! JR

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