I would like to take this moment in time to thank our SAKA News editor for his undeviating patience waiting for "President Connor. Thanks so much.

The Pond Tour Committee, headed by Bret Vamkoevering, did an awesome job. Six ponds and about 150 tour goers. Just one great time over two beautiful nights. How do you top that??

Again it is not too soon to start thinking about our SAKA Show and auction for 2000. Any ideas or suggestion please contact Tom Ayers our Show Chairperson. May this year we will see Koi from Paul Baker & Tom Lancing going head to head. It could happen, will it??? What koi do you have that will be put in and win the prize for the best of class or size or runner up, and maybe even Grand Champion. You have till November to decide.

O so nice! By the time you receive this newsletter the filter will be running including the waterfalls. The plant shelves are filling up and the stream is running. So Relaxing. Don't you think everyone should have a pond?

I would like to invite all of our vacationing KOI enthusiast form across the country to stop by and talk Koi awhile if you are in the area. You are always welcome here.

Well I had better stop now so this can go to print. Our editor is waiting patiently. Hope all your KOI grows and beautify this summer. Take care of them, they will bring you peace.

Bob Panter

SAKA President

Ten Reasons why you might want to attend the 2000 AKCA Seminar Springfield, Missouri. The Seminar will be held June 28 — July 2, 2000.

10. It is not a 110-degree's outside.

9. It's in the Midwest, Baby

8. Is it about time you went to one, it is not going to get much closer unless we host it.

7. Showa's, Kuhaku's, Snake's, Bekko's, Utsuri's, Tancho's, Asagi's, Shusui, Gin Rin's, Kawarimono's and many more. Do I need to say more?

6. Where else can you go for a weekend and talk koi all weekend and people won't think your a Showa?

5. They even take VISA or MasterCard

4. Lot's of free stuff (at least a suitcase full or more

3. It is a lot cheaper if you pay for it by May 20th.

2. Where else can you see over sixty Vendors to give you an idea how to take money out of your pocket. (Fish, filters, new pond, etc.)

and The Number One Reasons:

1. You will be able to meet and renew old friendships with people that are as or more Koi Koichi than you are,

One of the most frequent problems with our ponds is green water. As everyone

knows, green water is the result of algae growth, this article will look at some of

the basics about algae and how to eliminate them.

WHAT IS ALGAE?

Algae is one of many plants belonging to the subdivision thallophytes found in

both salt and fresh water. Algae comes in many forms including both free-floating

and anchored, or attached. Algae comes in many colors including green, brown,

blue, and red. Algae is carried through the air by spores and may locate in any body of water.

ALGAE NEEDS

Algae has several basic needs. Understanding them and how to eliminate them are the key to having clean, clear water.

A. FOOD: Algae feeds primarily on nitrates and phosphates in water.

B. LIGHT: Algae needs light to grow and reproduce.

C. TEMPERATURE: Algae growth is faster in warmer water and slows as temperature decreases.

D. WATER QUALITY: There are many varieties of algae that exist under a large range of conditions. However, any water that is of such poor quality that it will not support algae growth will also not support fish life.

ALGAE CONTROLS-SOLUTIONS

The three basic ways to rid your pond of algae are:

A. ELIMINATE FOOD

B. ELIMINATE LIGHT,

C: KILL ALGAE.

Algae can be eliminated by removing either food or light. It is not necessary to

remove both. To understand how to literally starve out algae we need to go to the basics of biological filtration and how algae food is produced. Bio-filters consist basically of a bed or strata on which bacteria grow. That's it. Don't let a lot of complicated systems or designs confuse you. That's what is really happening inside. Fish produce ammonia as a waste product. In the presence of an

oxygen-rich environment, aerobic nitrosomona bacteria break ammonia down to nitrites. Nitrobacter bacteria break nitrites into nitrates. Nitrates are algae food. Through a similar process, phosphates are also produced. Phosphates are also algae food. By keeping nitrates and phosphates at low enough levels. algae will starve. A good bio-filter keeps these algae foods under control. I know even a pond with a well- functioning bio-fllter may go through bouts of green water This is mainly caused by phosphates reaching levels where algae life can be supported. A healthy bio-filter will react by increasing bacteria that can consume phosphates and, in time, will clear itself, if the system is not overloaded. A regular program of 10% water changes each week helps keep nitrate and phosphate levels under control. However, filter size, fish load and the amount of fish food used all play a part in how well a system works. To summarize, a healthy, well maintained bio-filter that is large enough for the size of the pond, will go a long way toward keeping water clear. However, filters are slow to react, and changes in fish load or food load can cause filters to become out of balance causing levels of nitrates and phosphates to rise to the point where algae can grow. Regular water changes help keep nitrate and phosphate levels in check.

Algae also needs light to survive. By shading a pond, algae will not survive. Thismay be done in several ways. Water plants that have foliage on the surface will work, however it will take 50% to 75%, shading to achieve this. If watching fish is your main goal this may not be the answer. Plants also help control algae because they are a direct competitor for the same food as algae. Some systems have filters that return into a "plant" pond before returning to the main pond. This may be an option. Another method is to construct a physical structure to cover the pond. Shading may also improve the colors of your fish by preventing sun fading. Shading by placing dyes in the water may work to eliminate algae but

generally leave the water an unnatural color and may be harmful to fish. Even

though algae may not be growing in your pond due to shade, don't forget that high

levels of nitrates, etc. may still be present in your water. Regular water changes are important, even if there is no algae bloom.

Yet another way to deal with the algae problem is to just let it grow and then kill it. This can be accomplished in two ways. One is by the use of algaecides,

algae-killing chemicals in the water. While this may be a solution there are several problems with algaecides. They may not be safe for fish and those that are may not be safe for koi. Also, algaecides are really just a temporary answer and don't really solve the problem. The other way to kill algae is by the use of an ultraviolet sterilizer light. These work by killing algae as they pass by the light, and are hooked to the filter system as the last stage. U.V. lights are a good permanent solution and also kill a lot of bacteria and parasites. However, they will have no effect on anchored or attached algae. They only kill what can pass in front of the light.

Temperature is a major variable in the growth of algae. While algae growth slows as the temperature drops, the activity of the bio-filter also slows down, which reduces its ability to handle waste material. At the same time, fish still eat and produce waste even in water temperatures in the fifties. These are times when water chemistry can get out of balance and produce algae blooms and other problems.

In nature, algae plays an important part in the water environment. It helps shad the fish from the sun and is a part of the natural food chain. Where clear water exists in nature it is due to plants shading the water and competing for food or spring fed waters-water changes! While algae may not be desirable in our ponds, it is a natural part of the water environment and to control it we must understand how it grows and what it needs.

FINAL NOTE

Algae produces oxygen during the daylight hours but reverses the process and consumes oxygen at night, thus reducing the oxygen level in the water. Fish found gasping early in the morning are a sign of the problem.

We hear a lot of talk about Parts per Million (PPM), Parts per Thousand (PPT), and Percent concentrations of stuff. What is really being talked about? They all refer to exactly the same thing since 1 Percent is 1 Part per Hundred, which is 10 Parts per Thousand , which is 10,000 Parts Per Million. Similarly, 1 Part per Million is 0.001 Parts per Thousand or 0.0001 Percent (or Parts per Hundred). One just selects the units to make it easier to write down the value.

Technically, these measures of concentration have to do with the amounts of the two substances being mixed together based on their relative

molecular weights. We can usually get by with just using the weights of each substance that we determine by using a scale or balance beam.

So for our definition, One Part per Million is One WEIGHT measure of the first substance mixed with enough of a second substance to give a total of one million WEIGHT measures. The important part of this definition is that the weight measures must be of the same type. For example if we add one Pound of salt to 99 pounds of water we would end up with 100 pounds of a mixture that has concentrations of 1 percent (1 part

per hundred) salt and 99 percent (99 parts per hundred) water. The concentrations would be the same if we mixed one gram of salt with 99 grams of water, or one ounce of salt to 99 ounces of water, or one ton of salt to 99 tons of water. But NOT one POUND of salt to 99 GALLONS of water. Gallons are not a unit of weight and the resulting mixtures units are meaningless.

Note that we will usually just mix one part of the first substance with 1000 parts of the second substance and call it a one Part per Thousand concentration although it truly is one part per thousand-and-one parts. For our applications, this small amount of error is not important.

We are normally concerned with mixing something with water to obtain a given concentration and we normally don't measure the amount of our water by weight. Here is where problems often arise, we have to make a conversion from the volume of our water to the weight of our water.

I prefer to work in metric units for this task because it makes the math much easier. In metric units, 1 cubic centimeter (cc) of water is one milliliter (ml) and weighs one gram. This makes things work out nicely in that 1 gram of a substance mixed with 1 liter (1000 grams) of water is 1 part per thousand or 1000 parts per million. For some reason, in US units, one fluid ounce of water weighs 1.0425 ounces (avoirdupois).

Therefore, in US units, to get our 1 part per thousand mixture, we would have to use 0.03336 ounces of the substance in a quart of water (32 fluid ounces, which is 33.36 ounces by weight). A US Gallon of water weighs 8.33 pounds. If we would add 8.33 pounds of a substance to 1000

gallons of water we would have a 1 part per thousand mixture. To confuse the whole thing even more, the British use the Imperial gallon, which is 1.2 US gallons and therefore weighs 10 pounds (maybe they used some logic in this selection). We would have to add 10 pounds of a substance to 10000 Imperial gallons to achieve the 1 part per thousand mixture. Don't ask why, just go metric

It is suggested that as you read through the calculations below, that you do the computations yourself to make sure you understand where each number comes from (and why).

Let's take a look at an example:

A US gallon of water is 3.79 liters and therefore weighs 3790 grams. So one gram of a substance in one US gallon of water will produce a concentration of 1/3790=0.000264 or 264 parts per million. Or one gram in 100 US gallons will give a concentration of 2.64 parts per million. If we have a 5000 gallon pond (50 hundred gallons) and desire a 2.0 PPM concentration (of Potassium Permanganate perhaps), we should add

2/2.64= 0.76 grams per hundred gallons or 50 x 0.76 = 38 grams for our 5000 gallon pond.

That one wasn't too bad, let's try another:

Another number of interest is that one hundred US gallons of water weighs 833 pounds. If we add one pound of a substance to that, we end up with a concentration of 1/833 = 0.0012. This is the same as 0.12 percent, 1.2 parts per thousand, or 1200 parts per million. Knowing this relationship makes it easy to calculate how much salt to add to our 5000 pond for a given concentration. Assuming we want to make an initial

dosage of salt at a 3 part per thousand (0.3%) concentration. 3/1.2 = 2.5 pounds per hundred gallons. We should add 2.5 x 50 or 125 total pounds of salt. What if we measure the salinity of our pond and find that it is 1.0 PPT (0.10%) and we want to increase it to 3 Parts per

Thousand? Since we need to increase the concentration by 3.0-1.0=2.0 PPT, we should add 2/1.2=1.67 pounds of salt per hundred gallons or 83.5 pounds to our 5000 gallon pond.

Here is an example where interpretation problems can occur:

We are told that a 25 PPM dosage of Formalin is appropriate for handling most parasites. (Formalin is a mixture that consists of 37% Formaldehyde, 10% Methanol, and 53% water). The Formaldehyde is the active ingredient so the question must be asked what the dosage refers to. Does it mean 25 ppm of Formaldehyde or does it mean 25 ppm of Formalin? Since the Formalin is 37% Formaldehyde, a 25 ppm Formalin concentration is a 25 * 0.37 = 9.25 ppm Formaldehyde concentration. We are also told that we should dose at 1 milliliter (ML) of Formalin per 10 gallons of water. This makes it easy, we just have to add 500 ML of Formalin to our 5000 gallon pond. Let's check to see what

this dosage really gives us. If we assume that the Formalin mixture weighs about the same as pure water, 1 milliliter would weigh 1 gram and 10 gallons of water weighs 37900 grams so the dosage level would be about 1/37900 = 26 PPM (of Formalin). Obviously, it was intended that the dosage referred to the Formalin mixture, not the actual Formaldehyde concentration (9.75 ppm). If we dosed at a 25 PPM of Formaldehyde, we would be at about 2 1/2 times the recommended dosage and probably be killing our fish (as well as the parasites).

Some products come premixed at various concentrations. It is important to read the label carefully to determine how much to actually use. Suppose we have a bottle of Malachite Green solution. The manufacturer recommends a dosage of 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) per 100 gallons. The next time, we didn't get the same product, we got pure, dry Malachite Green instead. We want to dose at the same level as the liquid product we had been using so we find the old empty bottle and it states that it is contained 1% Malachite Green. Each 5 milliliters of the solution would have weighed approximately 5 grams, so we must have been dosing with 5/100 = 0.05 grams of Malachite Green per 100 gallons. This means we should use 0.05 x 50 = 2.5 grams of the pure, dry Malachite Green as the proper pond dosage. Note that since 100 gallons of water weighs 379,000 grams, the actual dosage for both cases was 0.05/379000 = 0.13 Parts per Million.

In any of these computations it is necessary to know the amount of water in your pond as accurately as possible. I consider it a good idea to compute the amount of a substance to add to your pond to give a one Part per Million concentration and a one Part per Thousand concentration. Double and triple check your math, then write these numbers down and save them to help make your treatments easy in the future. Be sure and measure your dosages as accurately as possible (and don't forget to use the proper units).

Here is a set of numbers that might make your computations easier:

1 Part per Million = 0.379 grams per 100 US Gallons = 1 gram per 1000 liters.

1 Part per Thousand = 0.833 pounds per 100 US Gallons = 1 gram per liter.

1 Part per Hundred (1%) = 1.33 ounces (avoirdupois) per US Gallon = 10 grams per liter.

My large pond is 8500 gallons (including the water in the filter system). For a 1 PPM dosage, I would use 32.2 grams; and for a 1PPT dosage,

70.8 pounds. Does your math agree?

By Norm Meck

We have recently been subjected to a barrage of emotional exaggeration and half truths from both sides of the tap water fluoridation issue. Some fluoride is known to be needed for proper bone growth (ours and our fish). Additionally, a decrease in tooth decay is attributed to

fluoride (no data is available concerning the effect on our koi’s teeth). Most of the controversy seems to be around how much is too little or too much, and I won’t join that debate here.

There is very little information about the effects of fluoride on our koi. Only one report of a controlled study dealing with fish was found and it showed that a fluoride concentration of 80 ppm was not harmful to them ( the type of fish was not mentioned). No reports of controlled

long-term tests were found.

Anecdotal reports of fish raised in water with natural levels of fluoride 5-6 times the normal treatment levels have identified no short or long term problems that can be attributed to the fluoride content. These reports originate from regions in Colorado and elsewhere in the world where the ground water contains naturally high levels of fluoride. They are primarily from aquaculture of trout and other food fish but also include koi.

The bottom line is that I am not concerned that fluoridation at the standard 1-ppm concentration would have significant effect on our koi. No

additional treatment need be made to the tap water other than our current procedures for the removal of chloramine and/or chlorine which we know can be fatal to our fish.

Doc Johnson

As far as hand taming fish. Hm-m-m. It helps to have at least one in the tank that likes people, but it is not necessary if you are patient. My sister's fish were really wild when she got them and would dash around and slam into the end of the tank if you even walked in the room. At feeding time, they would huddle at the other end of the tank and wait till you left the room before they would eat. I watched them for a while. I told her to let them get a little hungry (not ravenous) and then just put one or two pellets in the end away from them and step back a couple of feet. Eventually one becomes brave enough to come for the food. Let him get it and swim away. Then do the whole process again. Next go ahead and feed them normally. --- They do have little pea brains you know. Within a few days the other fish figure out that the guy who goes to the person gets fed first and you are on your way. I personally feel it's very important not to let them get so hungry that they frenzy, because then they aren't thinking. Think about yourself. It is really hard to enjoy some little gourmet delight if you are so hungry you could eat the wall paper. She now has a fish that will take food from her mouth.--- are we nuts or what?

Once they are comfortable in coming to you for food, put a few pellets in and trail your hand in the water. At first they may be a little afraid to come for food with your hand there, but again, one will be brave and take a chance. Don't even think about touching them yet. More time passes and you put your hand in with no food. They aren't afraid of the hand now and associate it with food. When they approach the hand really closely give them a pellet or two. Eventually they will pluck at your hand, when they do that give them a little food. I make the little koi give me "fishy kisses" before they get food. Sometimes they feel like they are going to tear off my hide, but as they get bigger their mouths get softer and they are lots less aggressive. Once you get fishy kisses it's an easy matter to just lightly brush your hand along them while they are eating --- pretend it's an accident. They may kind of quiver at first --- like you do when a bug is crawling on you. Over time you will be able to cradle them in your hand or stroke them gently. I try to avoid touching along the lateral line. I just feel this is a really sensitive area. Tummies and backs and mouths seem fine. I don't put my fist in the water with food in it . I have seen people do this and the fish come up and suck it out, but again I feel when they do that the fish are not really thinking they are just frenzied. I woul rather have them come to me of their own accord with the hopes that they will get food. It's sort of like training a mammal with food rewards and gradually removing the food until they forget about it.

Not all fish will respond to this. For example, Savannah will not come to

me. It's just her nature and she probably never forgave me for Ernst. Just kidding. She just never has been a people fish. She likes to look at me through her magnifying glass that hangs on the tank, but touching and hand feeding is out. Then on rare occasions you run into one like Ernst and Little Ernie who just crave touching with no food reward at all. Those are both ends of the spectrum and most fish fall somewhere in the middle.

Because Ernst and Little Ernie are so exceptional I hadn't really though much about all the others in this regard, but the vast majority of my fish will allow some touching and will approach to nibble at me or brush against me. It has one draw back. When I am cleaning tanks I have to be careful that I don't accidentally smack one when I am concentration on the siphon.

Smaller groups of fish are easier to work with than say a couple of dozen in a tank. No more than six at a time seems pretty ideal. That way you can observe and evaluate each fish's response and behavior. Younger is better, but older is not impossible. When you move them to a new location, sometimes they sort of freak out for a while, but then they settle down again.

That's all I have been able to figure out on the subject. Do I get in the Guinness Book of Records as fish trainer? Maybe I'll teach them to swim through hoops.

(C) 1998 JVS LLC All rights reserved. The content of this web site is protected by national and international laws. The author grants express permission to reprint any of the information contained in this web site for any not-for-profit use as long as full author and ven, to include a specific reference to this web sitte and it's URL.

http://www.pondscapes.com/page139.html

If your pond's loses more than 1/4" from its normal level in a 24 hour period,

If the pond has an automatic refill which is functioning more often than normal,

If you notice standing water, soft mushy spots or uneven grass growth around your pond, If your pond filter emits more noise than normal, If an odor is emitted for drains in your home.

It should be investigated. This is said not to cause panic, but to be cautious. (for this water loss may be caused by normal evaporation or transpiration.)

To begin your investigation:

Set and mark your pond's normal water level. Set a bucket of water in the pond so that the water in the bucket is exposed to the atmosphere. Mark the water line on the inside of the bucket. Turn off your pond and waterfall pumps for 24 hours.

Compare the water loss in the bucket with that in the pond. If the pond has lost more water than the bucket the problem is real and requires your attention. If not, repeat the set up with the pump running. If the pond losses water under this condition, the problem is either in the plumbing or caused by splash-out on the waterfall or fountain.

If the cause is splash-out, move the offending plants, or stones or restrict the water flow to the feature with a valve or place a clamp on the tubing.

It is important that a pond keeper control their pond's water volume. Its loss not only effects the life of the pond life but it can lead to endangering the structural integrity of the pond itself.

by Peter Waddington

(The following text is an excerpt from the article - TATEGOI: The Single Most Important Word in Nishikigoi. This article appears in its entirety

in the book - Nishikigoi Still Waters, by Nigel MW Caddock and is reprinted here with permission of the author. All rights reserved.)

Question - 'What are Tategoi! - what does the word actually mean - why do all real Koi enthusiasts constantly wish to learn more and more about the word, they say, is the single, most important word in the whole Nishikigoi vocabulary!

Answer - 'Tategoi translates as Koi which will become good or Koi which will become better - simple isn't it! For the breeder, however, it has a more significant meaning which is that of Koi which will become very much more valuable than the brothers and sisters of

his Tategoi and will hopefully earn him very good, extra profit - if his judgement is correct! The word Tategoi does NOT guarantee that the Koi will take an important award in a major show - this depends on the competition from other Tategoi in the same size group and classification.'

Question - 'In what categories of Nishikigoi are Tategoi found?'

Answer - 'In female Koi, all varieties and sizes from sizes when sex can be accurately determined. In male Koi, above 55cms, Go-Sanke varieties or those with potential to become incredibly long in size and therefore pose a challenge to Jumbo awards.'

Question - 'Why is this so!'

Answer - 'Because there are world class Nishikigoi shows held in Japan every year. The big three, in order of importance, are:

1.The All-Japan Show held in Tokyo each January.

2.The ZNA National Show held in various parts of Japan in late November.

3.The Nagaoka Young Nishikigoi Show held in the Ojiya area of Niigata during April every year.

All these shows are of vital importance to any breeder or collector owning Koi in almost every variety and size group which have the potential to

take a First award.'

Question - 'Why!'

Answer - 'Because the Kudos of taking a First (or second) in any entry classification and size grouping at any of these shows is a great achievement for both breeder of the Koi and/or owner of the Koi taking the award.'

Question - 'Why!'

Answer - 'Because the guys entering the award winning Koi into the most prestigious Nishikigoi shows in the world know how serious the competition

is as well as how difficult it is to come away with any of these awards and it is their chosen hobby or pastime which gives them their enthusiasm to compete - it is a result for the owner but a much

greater result for the maker or breeder who can honestly advertise the fact that his personally selected Tategoi received the important award - a Japanese equivalent of I told you so - however, in

every classification and size grouping only ONE of these I told you so's are ever correct in any one show!'

Question - 'Are you talking about small and medium sized Koi as well as non (Go-Sanke varieties when you talk about Tategoi?'

Answer - 'Yes, why not!'

Question - 'Why!'

Answer - 'Just because Jumbo Go-Sanke varieties always take the major awards in every Japanese show and smaller sized Co-Sanke entries usually take 'Kokugyo' (best in size - irrespective of variety awards) we must also not forget that there are many other varieties and classifications to judge at these shows and these also compete with others within their variety and size grouping for important awards.'

Question - 'So you're saying that classifications such as Hikarimuji; Kawarimono; Gin-Rin; Tancho and Koromo have no chance against Go-Sanke varieties even for the next most important awards to Supreme Champion!'

Answer - 'Yes, but these varieties and others still compete in a real show for important prize awards.

Question - 'It's coming over to me that you are saying that every Koi entered in these shows are Tategoi! - is this correct!'

Answer - 'No, some Koi, in every size group and classification entered in a large show are no longer deemed as Tategoi. That is to say they have reached

their peak for show purposes and no further improvements will take place. However, every single one has been Tategoi at some time or other and that's a

fact!

Question - 'We have been led to believe that true Tategoi are unfinished Koi, patterns have not yet developed, potential skin quality and volume have not yet come up to expectations. How can these hope to take serious awards!'

Answer - 'These Koi cannot hope to take serious awards now and, as a result, few are even entered until the breeder or owner considers that the time is just- right. In truth, these are secret Koi for next year; the year after 4 or 5 years hence.'

Question - 'How can you seriously tell us that varieties

such as Asagi; Chagoi; Hikari and other similar varieties

are deemed Tategoi?'

Answer - 'Why not! - a beautiful 25cms Purachina with perfect bone structure, stunning shine and luster has the potential to grow and still retain these qualities; in just the same way an 85cms Chagoi with perfect volume and unblemished skin has the potential to retain these qualities at over one metre long - both these examples are, most certainly, still Tategoi!'

Question - 'So these two fictitious examples would carry on taking awards forever?'

Answer - 'They could well do so if we do not take into account other influences such as keeping and feeding techniques, production of even better examples and the judges present on the day.'

Question - 'How much does a Tategoi cost!'

Answer - 'Which one!'

Question - 'What do you mean?'

Answer - 'Exactly what I say, ALL Koi can command a different price on a different day, you cannot seriously believe that you can simply generalize and put ALL Tategoi in ALL, sizes and varieties at a common price. In the same way I cannot even begin to estimate prices until I see the specific Koi that you wish to price. As I

explain in Koi Kichi, you wouldn't even consider going into a gallery selling rare paintings and ask the owner

the question - how much would an oil painting cost? As each and every one is different!'

Question - 'OK, give me an indication as to the pricing of Tategoi in a loose, general way'

Answer - "That’s better. Size for size — Tategoi that fall outside of Go-Sanke varieties are, with a few rare exceptions, far cheaper than those in Go-Sanke varieties simply because Go-Sanke varieties always have the chance, one day, to take Kokugyo awards or even Supreme Champion awards at a major show. However, EVERY breeder of the so-called ‘lesser varieties’ selects his Tategoi very carefully as these are potentially more valuable than his common grade stocks which form the vast majority of his overall stocks at any time. These are Koi worth keeping and growing whereas the others are for selling as quickly, in volume, as possible. A good example is that of Mr. Hiroi — Choguro in Araya — he produces the finest Purachina in the world and I can usually find many one and two year old Koi for sale there at reasonable prices. These however, do not include his Tategoi which are pre-selected and kept in separate ponds either to grow or a further season or to sell to those who are prepared to pay the asking price — however, at a casual glance, there is little to choose between the cheap and the Tategoi although prices can be twenty times higher.’

Question — ‘So his Tategoi CAN be purchased?’

Answer — ‘ALL Koi can be purchased — as long as you are prepared to meet the breeder’s asking price and take your chance on how the Koi develops and matures.’

These are just a few of the more popular questions I have been asked to answer about Tategoi over the years and am still asked the same questions on a daily basis.

Our first night tour was a big success. We lightly exceeded our financial goal and we greatly exceeded m expectations so far as pleasing our attendees and number of tickets that were sold between the two nights. I'd like to thank everyone who made it such a success. Thanks to Don Reese, Julia & Tom McCombs for your help in the planning process. Thank you Bob Panter for the inspiration behind the idea. Thank you Tony & Linda Jurado for procuring the food, Beverages and ice. Thanks to Debbie Tibbetts for the beautiful posters with the perfect shades of blue. Thanks to our vendors, Topices of Tucson and Pond, Plants, and More. Thank you Doug Wahl and Kathy & Dennis Leonard for pond sitting. Thanks to Tom and Sherry Morin for being tour guides and delivering. . Thank you to our pond host, Ken and Maria Struck, Mike and Sara Siemens, Jack Nolte & Carol Swanson, Carl and Linda Ragel, and Rob McLean with Talvin & Chawee. A Big thank you to Tom Ayers for the planning, all the printing, being a tour guide, acting as tour photographers and give me the occasional kick in the butt to get me moving. And special thanks to my wife Melissa, she always gets involved with whatever, I volunteer for. Thank to you all.

For those of your that did not have enough on the first pond tour or you missed it for some reason, you get another chance to see a great pond tour. On Saturday, June 3, 2000. Our members and friends in the Sierra Vista and Hereford area will be showing off some of their ponds. If you would like to see some great ponds and not have to wait for the next SAKA News, make a reservation to Mountain View Koi Fish & Aquatic Plants on or before May 31,2000. Their phone number is (520) 378-3710. The tour will have 6 to 10 ponds and lunch. It has been a fun event the last couple of year and I can easily say you will nave a great time. Hope to see on the 3^rd.

_______ Renewal

_______ New Member

Name: _____________________________

Address: ___________________________

City: __________________________ State: ________

Zip:_______________________________

Phone #: ___________________________

Today’s Date: _______________________

# of Koi ___________________________

Years Keeping Koi: __________________

Pond size: __________________________

Mail to:

10. Learn to call your fish by their Japanese name.

9. Discover how to build a good pond the first time.

8. What do koi really eat??

7. 10% discount at participating merchants

6. Learn how to nurse sick koi back to health.

5. Fellowship & Friendship with other koi hobbyists.

4. One can learn a lot from experienced koi keepers.

3. Monthly education meetings @ members’ homes ( out their ponds)

2. Show your Beautiful Nishikigoi (Koi)

#1 reason

Over 100 years combined koi keeping experience to draw upon to help members solve problems.

 Annual Pond Tour & Koi Show to share our hobby with the community.

An accepting, warm environment in which we all further our understanding of koi and keeping koi