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AIMS
A - Organized by people with the interest in raising and improving the quality of Nishiki Koi, and its culture
B - Through Nishiki Koi, to promote better international and community relations and for public welfare and the better understanding of brotherhood among members through a common interest.
C - To improve the technology of raising and keeping koi
D - To promote Nishiki Koi
BUSINESS
A - To encourage the raising and better development of koi through public and private exhibition
B - We will have a monthly study discussion and make field trips to various members' ponds
C - To carry out necessary business functions of the Club
MEMBERSHIP
A - A qualified member must be interested in pond culture
B - Persons wishing to become members must be first introduced by another member in good standing and have approval of the Officers - Dues are payable immediately
C - Membership will be terminated by the Officers if a member is found guilty of negligence of his duty, is against the purposes of the southern Arizona Koi Association, and/or who disgraces or insults the Club
Page 3 President Corner
page 3 Nitrates
page 4 Understanding & Managingthe synergistic effects of stress
page 6 Spawning
page 8 10% Discount
page 8 Kawarigoi Kornor
page 8 Some fish are too tuff to die
page 8 Koi Trivia
Page 9 SAKA Hereford Pond Tour
page 9 Fish of the Month
page 10 1999 Pond tour
"Vacations over, work is still here, time to get this pond done so we all can cheer."
I would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to the members of the Tucson Koi Society and the Southern Arizona Koi Association for all your diligent work to make Pond Tour 99 a big success. Thank you ever so much.
Looking to the future, if two clubs working together can have such a success what could three do? or four?
With the temperature rising and your water getting warmer remember old man algae will be back. Try to avoid green water. More filtration will help along with more airiation of the water which will also help cool the water a bit. If you can put up some shade screen or covering over the pond your fish will love you. This will also help control algae as well as an increase in salt content. If you have plants try not to exceed 1.5 to 2% salt or your plants will not survive.
I hope Bill Hart, President of TKS and his wife had a safe and exciting cruse. My wife, Darleen, an I had a wonderful vacation in Louisville, KY. Doug & Debbie are in Oklahoma and Don & Dee are in Alaska. Have a grand time and a safe return.
Don't forget if you plan to go to AKCA seminar in Costa Mesa, early registration is due their May 20.
What if there was an almost ubiquitous compound in our fishes' water that could stunt growth? What if there was a compound that could slow wound healing to the point where you become sure your antibiotic therapy is not working? What's the next parameter to check just when you're sure your "water's just fine" but none of your small fish ever live more than a few weeks?
Defined: what are Nitrates?
Nitrates are the final product in the successful reduction of nitrogen from: Fish waste-> Ammonia-> Nitrite-> Nitrate. Algae and plants in the presence of phosphates normally use/eliminate nitrate.
Causes: When are nitrates a problem?
In heavily stocked systems which are also heavily fed, the cycle can produce prodigious amounts of Nitrate. The better your filtration, the more Nitrates can be produced as you feed more and more heavily.
In such systems, the growth of brown algae is not sufficient to measurably decrease nitrate levels. A thick blanket of green sessile algae will measurably decrease nitrate levels. Dense plant growth of the more ornamental varieties such as Hyacinth and Pistia (Water Lettuce) can also assist in the reduction of Nitrate.
When Nitrates get very concentrated, they may support the growth of Blue Green algae's which can contribute to certain intoxication's and algae. (Author's note: These blue green algae are actually pole blue like blue cheese.)
High nitrate accumulations are more toxic under conditions of low oxygen tensions. Part of this is because the Nitrates can do damage to the fishes red blood cells and to their vascular performance, causing them to be oxygen deprived under otherwise survivable conditions of low oxygen tension. The slightest decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity of the water, or an increased need for oxygen can cause sudden death.
Symptoms of chronic high level nitrates
New fish added to your collection die off within 2-3 weeks.
Lethargy, lack of energy, especially when you're not feeding. They may brighten up considerably during feeding times only to become dull afterwards. Slowed growth.
Dramatically increased susceptibility to disease. Very delayed wound healing.
Redness in the fins and occasionally patches of redness in the body.
Upon close inspection, fancy goldfish may have dilated blood vessels and at the base of the tail. Large fish are much less susceptible than smaller fish.
Sudden death with the very slightest of stresses (catching, handling, injection).
Numbers over 100mg/L are associated with the signs and symptoms I am mentioning above.
Methods of detection:
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals has a new test kit which does not require test powder. Tetra Labs test kit is the one with which I am more familiar and is very accurate.
Special notes concerning high Nitrate levels:
Lack of energy is the single most common sign of Nitrate accumulation.
Short bodied goldfish consistently "list" to one side and hang motionless in the water when nitrates accumulate.
Fish are noticeable improved with a 50+% water change, duly dechlorinated.
Nitrate accumulation is NOT an acute intoxication. It will NOT happen that someone say: "My Nitrates spiked and all my fish were lost." In fact, fish must be exposed to high nitrates accumulations for days (new fish additions) to weeks (smaller fish which have adopted) before a symptom is noted
Adaptation - is possible under conditions of high Nitrate accumulation. Large adult fish may tolerate levels up to 200 mg/L for long periods (months) whereas the health of fish under 10 inches will deteriorate within weeks.
Treatment. Nitrate Control
A major water change is the very first, best step to controlling Nitrates. Water changes may be required daily until numbers under 20 mg/L are accomplished.
Increases in lighting will stimulate green alga growth in the recently cleared areas. Algae will consume Nitrates at a prodigious rate.
Cleaning the pond bottom of brown alga growth and removal of the filth-holding slime in the pond is advised, but the pond needn't be "sterilized" or impeccably cleaned.
Plants may be employed. In order to force the plants to use waterborne nitrates and phosphates, a soilless potting media may be used so the plants can send out viable root systems but all their nutrition is derived from the water.
Because feeding and stocking rates influence this so dramatically, a reduction in stocking density and feeding rates can make an improvement in the accumulation of Nitrates.
Floating plants with complete root systems can be grown in floating plant habitats, or connected (but isolated) ponds. More on this in another article.
" Disease, per se, is not an entity or an end in itself Disease is the end result of an interaction between a noxious stimulus and a biological system, and to understand disease is to understand all aspects of the biology of the species... (Modestly Thomas, 1972)
We all know the excitement of bringing home a new koi . Having searched through so many koi you finally find that special one which tickles your fancy. Floating his transport bag in your pond, the other koi come to say Hi and give him a nudge. You let him into the pond and stand back to admire your beautiful collection of koi. What a sight; all seems well, so you confidently say goodnight. A couple of weeks pass with apparently no trouble and then one day you notice a couple of the koi aren't acting right. Passing it off as "no big deal" you throw in some food and they are mildly interested; hmm, they seem OK, oh well , they'll perk up. Next day, 2 or 3 of them are hanging over by the water fall and a couple more are sitting on the bottom. Prodding your favorite Sanke with a net he is obviously in big trouble and a feeling of panic ' sets in. " What could I have done wrong?", you think. " Is the water all right?" You test for ammonia and nitrite and pH, cause that's what your dealer always tells you to do. "They test good ! What else !? It must have been that new koi ! Dad gum it!, that guy sold me a sick fish; now what am I gonna do?" Unfortunately, this story is not too uncommon. New koi are often a source of infection to the entire pond. The events leading to the dis-ease in your pond are very likely synergistic in effect. When many small stressors combine together, the total effect on the koi is greater than the sum of the effects taken independently. This is why limiting every possible stressor is so important, because they all add up. Fortunately, with a little applied knowledge this serious scenario can be prevented.
Yes koi and goldfish are very strong fish and considered hardy ; but, come on, they can only take so much. Every fish has his limit to handling stress. This is a word we hear a lot..., "stress", sometimes too much. These are some definitions of stress that I took from one of my fish books. " Stress is the sum of all the physiological responses by which an animal tries to maintain or reestablish a normal metabolism in the face of a physical or chemical force (stressor). " (Selye 1950) And " Stress is a state produced by an environmental or other factor (stressor) which extends the adaptive responses of an animal beyond the normal range or which disturbs the normal functioning to such an extent that the chances of survival are significantly reduced." (Brett 1958) Stress is now usually taken to mean the stressor itself, like "temperature stress". Koi have to respond to changes in their world with certain physiological reactions. These corrective adjustments to stressful situations can actually make koi weak. They can only respond to one or two "stressors" at a time and they can't take any more. Their metabolism weakens and their immune system is compromised.
Jet Lag
Consider what a new koi has to go through before he gets to your pond. Let's backtrack a bit, to the koi farm. OK, your sanke gets netted out of his huge mud pond where he has been happily for 4 to 6 months, and undergoes all
kinds of handling in the nets and then some hand sorting for quality, gets thrown into cement tanks which are overcrowded and often dirty, medication is dumped on him to keep things in check and he might get a pellet or two for food. Along comes the transhipper or dealer, who must catch him along with other koi in a net again, bag them, transport to his facilities which may or may not be healthy. They go into another crowded vat with a different temperature and some more medicine dumped on them. Foreign koi will then be starved for 7 to 10 days before they are renetted, bagged with maybe 20 or 30 other koi for a long 20 to 30 hour flight overseas. In the bag, the oxygen level falls and carbon dioxide increases; the pH drops and the ammonia level goes through the roof. The dealer picks them up at the airport after inspection by Fish and Game and Customs. Off they go to his shop, where they must adjust again to his temperature and water conditions. While they try to regain their senses, they may be exposed to ammonia or nitrite or pH changes. Often low oxygen levels and lowered temperatures weaken the koi further. Here, they await purchase by you .
Hopefully, the dealer is on top of his water conditions and initiates some preventive medicinal therapy. Hopefully, the dealer monitors his water quality and gives these poor koi a chance to settle down. Know this; koi need at least 2 to 4 weeks of rest and excellent water quality to regain their strength from this traumatic experience, to say the least. Purchase a koi before he has had time to recover and you are asking for trouble.
Adding Insult to Injury
As can be seen from Table 1, environmental stressors and excessive handling really impairs a koi's ability to fight parasites or pathogenic bacteria. The process of netting and handling can bruise and tear the skin which opens sites for infection. Damage to the protective slime and skin barrier probably accounts for more cases of "hole in the side" than we may like to admit. Excessive handling is one of the most harmful of all "stressors" in my opinion. Of course an accumulation of waste products and the accompanying low oxygen and low pH are debilitating. A koi pond is basically a recirculating toilet. Pathogens thrive in these conditions. You must maintain adequate filtration and aeration and make sufficient monthly water changes to reduce waste accumulations.
Water temperature plays an important role in dis-ease response of koi. Koi are not a cold water species; Their immune system functions best with water temperatures approaching 76 degrees F. A lowering of temperature more than 5 degrees in 24 hours can shut down a koi's defense system in no time.
Koi's Adaptive Response
When koi are exposed to any kind of stressor, the adrenal glands release adrenaline and corticosteroid hormones. These hormones initiate the fight or flight reaction and increases cellular energy levels. Unfortunately, these same hormones also depress the activity of the immune system. Furthermore, when koi are subject to stress, their osmoregulatory system is impaired. Osmotic control of internal blood salts and freshwater through the gills is reduced. Internal salts can be lost to the point where the koi's cellular metabolism is threatened and any further immunological response is highly unlikely. Koi may require weeks of recuperation before their natural system is under control again. Thus, any stress, if continued long enough, will reduce the koi's resistance to disease. Parasites or bacteria which are always present will become problematic adding additional stress. Once a pathogenic invasion occurs, we can expect one of three koi vs. pathogen interactions:
1) Pathogen proliferates beyond the control of the koi's defenses and the koi dies. The accumulated stressors were beyond the koi's ability to recover.
2) The pathogen persists at an above normal level but no dis-ease is evident; the koi exists as a "carrier". The extent of the environmental stressors was not excessive and the koi's immunity is only mildly compromised. Further stressors during the carrier state will more than likely lead to an increase in pathogens and increase the disease state.
3) The koi's immunity remains intact or is acquired and the pathogen is basically "in check" at a very low level which can be considered normal and healthy. The environmental stressors are minimal or non-existent, the koi is strong and the pathogen population is of no concern. But remember, the pathogens are still there.
Potential Pathogen Population
The importance of maintaining excellent water quality becomes evident in regards to these 3 reactions. High water quality with low waste content equals strong koi and a low pathogenic population. Even the inevitable occasional stressor ( handling, temperature fluctuation, etc.) can be dealt with by the koi without incidence. Poor water quality with high waste content equals weak koi and a high pathogenic population. Pathogens thrive in dirty pond water, koi do not. Putting it simply, pathogens by their nature, feed on organic material. After all, the koi's skin is organic. A pond with a high waste load will contain a high potential pathogen population.
So yes, stress and poor water quality are the culprits in making koi sick. We have seen that stress is an accumulative thing. Koi can deal with a mild stressor here and there, but when the stressor is continuous or multiple, the koi cannot adjust. What follows the stress is the onslaught of endemic parasites and pathogenic bacteria to a weakened koi. Parasites and pathogenic bacteria are a part of life. They are always present. We cannot eliminate them. What we can do is learn to live with them in a healthy manner. Knowing this as a fact we can plan ahead to provide conditions which increase the koi's strength. Fish have had to deal with these pathogens before mankind existed. Some how we can accept the fact that our dogs and cats get fleas and ticks or our roses get aphids. Well, koi also have parasites and pathogenic bacteria, period.
The Koi In The Plastic Bubble
Please consider this carefully for existing populations of koi. Koi which have been established in a pond for years I call, " The koi in the plastic bubble". Remember that movie about the boy who did not have any immunity to the diseases of the outside world and had to be confined to his house? Well, old established koi populations are the same way. They become very healthy and resistant to the pathogens in their little world. They are stable and can resist mild stressors without any problem of infections. Their filter is totally gross and is rarely cleaned. No problem! You say you haven't changed the water in how long? No problem! They were originally 20 small koi and now they are 20 very large koi. No problem! With confidence you go down and buy a new koi on sale and BOOM. You got problems! Indeed, this situation is one of the often overlooked potentials for disaster. Isolated populations of koi simply cannot respond immunologically to new "bugs". Likewise, a new koi cannot take the additional stress of being introduced to a dirty, poorly managed pond. Of course, a very clean and well managed koi pond will be less adversely affected than a dirty overcrowded one. The koi will have a fighting chance. Usually, koi afflicted with this problem will be lying down on the bottom of the pond. Often the new koi are just fine, it's the older ones which become sick: The best cure for this problem is a very high salt solution in the pond at 0.5% to 0.7% for 3 to 5 weeks. In addition to the salt, treat pond with formalin/malachite green every 3 to 4 days for 2 weeks. Furthermore, we must consider the past history of our existing population of koi. Do not add new koi to an existing population that has just recovered from some infection or water quality problem. Give the existing population time to stabilize, at least one month. Also, I think it is a good idea to wait at least one month between additions of new koi, to perpetuate stability. There is a saying in aquatic animal husbandry, " Nothing good ever happens fast". So, apply a dose of patience sometimes.
To The Rescue
You might have a healthy pond, but your new koi is weak. Newly purchased koi are faced with many "stressors". The degree of stress will determine whether they can adapt and recover. So we must provide some kind of aid to help him and the established koi to adjust and settle down so that their own immune system can become strong and protect them. Our main objective is that: All our actions or medications should be aimed at producing a strong koi. Usually all we are concerned with is killing the pathogens with little regard to the natural environment of the pond or on the koi's skin. This sets us up for worse problems down the road. Certainly, we can control these pathogens with proper knowledge and preventive techniques and above all, a workable filtration system.
Water Quality and Filtration
Check your water chemistry; check your filter. A dirty filter loaded with sludge is one of the main breeding grounds for pathogens. Biofilters produce a sticky sludgy slime and will become increasingly anaerobic even with a good prefilter. Anaerobic areas in a biofilter actually contribute to bacterial infections. Furthermore, we are growing a tremendous amount of bacteria in a bio filter, and the question arises, " Just how much bacteria do we really need?" We are growing good bacteria and pathogenic bacteria in our filters. This is just how mother nature works with her natural checks and balances. The bacteria keep growing and the bacterial count in the water and filter can become excessive. A filter which clogs easily and restricts flow will surely require more diligent cleaning to ensure that a healthy population of good bacteria are present. Some of the newer filtration designs promote easy cleaning with a resultant lower pathogen count. I want to make a comment on our filter designs of the past. Originally all we were concerned with was having clear water and no ammonia or nitrite. A compacted type of filter material like gravel or foam did this job for us and we were happy. Of course we thought everything was working and simply chose to forget about cleaning the filter. Then, problems eventually arose due to the compacting and channeling nature of these materials so we vigorously cleaned the filter and our water turned green. We tested for ammonia and it reads zero. So we attached an ultraviolet sterilizer and again all seemed well so we neglected the filter again. Hey, as long, as the water is clear and the fish seem OK we should leave well enough alone; right? Now it has become evident that all is not well with a neglected filter. We were all told that a biofilter can compete with pea soup algae and keep our water clear without a UN. A bacterial filter does two things. First, the process of mineralization which breaks down organics by the action of heterotrophic bacteria into inorganic ammonia. Secondly, the process of nitrification which converts the ammonia by the action of autotrophic bacteria into nitrite and nitrate. An important fact to remember is that organic type bacteria compete for space with the nitrifying bacteria. Yes, we do need both types of bacteria to have a well conditioned filter. However, the organic type bacteria usually outweigh the nitrifiers immensely. Ammonia build up in an established pond is often a result of a filter overloaded with organics being converted to ammonia. The filter plugs up and less actual filter surface area is being used. The bacteria which digests organic matter has the potential to clear a pond of green water. However, the filter can only digest so much before it plugs up. A thorough cleaning can wash away the bacteria and enzymes which "eat" green water. So, we are stuck between cleaning the filter too much and not enough. This becomes an extra job when our filters are too small.
When we rely on the biofilter to digest the organic filth and control green water, we are creating a time bomb of a bacterial explosion. Pathogenic bacteria are of the same varieties which digest organic waste. Naturally, the greater the organic waste in the filter, the greater the number of pathogenic varieties. In this day and age of understanding we are much better off using an ultraviolet sterilizer to control pea soup and use a loose fill type filter material to control ammonia and small quantities of organic waste. The vast majority of solids should be washed away frequently and water changes increased to reduce dissolved organic and inorganic substances. Simple. No fancy equipment, no fancy chemicals. This is not to say that gravel or foam filters are no good. They just need more frequent and vigorous cleaning to relieve the pond of excess bacteria and waste. Some of the inherent problems of a compacted type of filter material can be cured by simply increasing the flow of water through it to increase usable surface area and oxygen.
NH3 and N02
Ammonia and nitrite really do physical damage and impair a koi's basic immune system. Maintain zero ammonia and nitrite. A good well managed biofilter with a mechanical prefilter will provide this. Drain or wash your prefilter frequently to wash away accumulated organic waste (Once a week is good; once a day is better). A large biofilter itself may only need cleaning 6 or more times a year depending on the design, the organic load, and frequency of prefilter cleaning.
N03 and Water Changes
Nitrates (N03 ) are best kept under 50 ppm with monthly water changes (less than 20 ppm would be better). I think the importance of a low nitrate is underestimated. After all, in nature nitrates rarely exceed 1 ppm. Nitrate levels are a good indicator of other dissolved waste product accumulations and is a good guide for managing overall water quality. Remember, a high waste content also means a high bacterial population, good and bad. The numbers of koi most people keep are totally beyond anything nature ever intended. Large water changes are really the only way to offset this imbalance. Water changes dilute the pathogens and the organic soup they thrive in. Professional fish breeders around the world realize this and utilize a constant inflow of new water and an overflow of old water by as much as 5% to 10% of the pond volume daily. This amounts to over 150% a month. Use caution with this technique if you are using city tap water with chlorine or chloramines as these will have to be neutralized. I recommend daily input of 2% daily for city water folk, This is 60% monthly. Chloramines are less of a problem because of the large dilution factor. On a more practical level make routine partial water changes and use your nitrate test kit to maintain levels below 50 ppm; under 20 ppm is best. Many Japanese dealers report levels near 3 and 4 ppm. You may have to increase the quantity or the frequency of the water changed compared to your current regimen. As far as the koi are concerned, small frequent water changes are a lot more stable than infrequent large ones. Your koi's health and color and the pond's appearance will be your reward.
02
Provide and test for high oxygen, at least 7 to 8 ppm. When koi are new or adapting to some stressor, they will need maximum aeration and it is just best to provide this continuously.
pH
Koi do best at a pH between 6.8 and 7.8. Buffering compounds and water changes will help stabilize pH near 7.4 to 7.8. 1 have seen apparently healthy koi in pH as high as 8.5; however their colors are poor. A pH over 8.5 is too high. A pH below 6.5 is too low for the nitrifying bacteria in the filter; not to mention the koi. Controlling algae growth in the pond also helps stabilize the pH. Excess algae can raise pH over 8.5. Liner ponds tend to drop in pH quickly with insufficient water changes. Liner ponds require frequent pH tests and would do well with routine additions of a buffer compound. Cement ponds tend to be high in alkalinity and usually maintain a high pH around 7.5 to 8.5 As cement ponds age the pH will become less alkaline.
Temperature
Koi prefer a temperature around 74 to 76 degrees F. They are strong and comfortable at this temperature. A decent and stable temperature is extremely important in maintaining healthy koi. Temperature stability is maintained in larger deeper ponds with some shade. Koi are very sensitive to a drop in temperature more than 5 degrees F. Koi lose immunity and vigor when temperatures are below 60 degrees F. Pathogens are slow to grow in cold water. When the water warms up in spring to between 60 and 72 degrees the pathogens start growing quickly but the koi is still weak. Maintain excellent water quality at this time of year and really be careful with quantity and quality of food given. Koi cannot grow new skin tissue when the water is below 65 degrees. The fish is swimming around with an open wound, however slight, which will become infected if the water or filter conditions are dirty. I have seen koi with skin abrasions show no signs of infection until the water actually warmed up over 60 degrees. These infected and weak koi can carry the infection with them even when the water warms up into the high 70's. The goal is to catch even slight skin abrasions early; clean the wound; eliminate parasites; put the koi into warm clean water (76-80 degrees) at 0.5% salt so the skin can grow back before infection starts. This is especially important for new koi purchased in the winter and spring, since new koi are usually physically damaged from shipping and handling. Koi are the most disease resistant in late summer and early fall since the water has been warm long enough to make the koi strong.
Objects
Keep sharp objects out of the pond when possible. Your existing pond conditions should have smooth walls and few if any protrusions into or over the pond
Handling
Do not handle your koi needlessly and never lift them from the water in a net. Use a large clear plastic bag or a koi tub to move or inspect koi. A clear plastic bag with just enough water in it to hold up to the light will magnify the
koi and reveal any damage without hurting the koi.
Population control
Do not overcrowd or overfeed. Do not add koi to a pond that is already overcrowded or is dirty with sludge. Your filter system, your maintenance schedule, your water changes, feeding practice, oxygen levels and emergency number of koi per pond. Less koi is always better than more koi. Zero koi equals zero problems.
Food
Do not starve your koi and feed them variety with fruits and vegetables. Fresh green vegetables and citrus fruits should compliment koi pellets regularly. Frequent small feedings of pellets are better than large single feedings. Color enhancers like spirulina and shrimp should only be fed in the warm summer months to help reduce digestive problems and skin diseases like Hikkui. Most brands of koi pellet are good as long as they are fresh and used within 3 months.
Protect the Mucous
Most of the aforementioned factors affect the integrity and quality of the mucous on the koi's skin. The mucous is he koi's first line of defense against pathogens. Over handling and over medication will strip the mucous off. The mucous has natural protective secretions and good bacteria which can be removed easily. I have seen koi which were over medicated that basically ran out of mucous. Their skin was dry and rough to the touch. Use medications thoughtfully and get the fish back into clean water conditions.
Source of Koi
Buy koi only from reputable sources. Be sure you know the health history of the koi, such as length of quarantine or time at facility, what if any medications have been given. Note the condition of all the other koi in the dealers pond and the apparent condition of the pond water. Do not be overly anxious to get the newest koi before they have had time to recuperate. This is a good way to throw your money away. Don't think you are going to be the lucky one.
Quarantine and Preventive Treatment
Set up a quarantine pond large enough to comfortably house your largest koi, say 300 gals. Provide a permanent biofilter and oxygen source; a heater is also helpful. Separate new koi or old sick ones away from the main pond. This removes a source of infection (carrier state ) from the main population. This is the same reason we stay home from work or school when we are sick, so we don't spread it to everyone else. In the quarantine tank you can monitor them closely and give them the special attention or medications they need.
Salt, Heat Therapy and Other Medications
Although we try our best to maintain healthy conditions and select healthy koi, somehow some still seem to get sick. Boy, doesn't that just yank your chain? Oh, the trials and tribulations! Maintaining pristine water conditions will lessen the likelihood of certain diseases and support quicker recovery when medications do become necessary. Sometimes we have to help weak koi over the hump with some type of medication. I am not going into the endless list of therapeutics. But I do feel a need to mention a few with regards to our main objective which is: All our actions or medications should be aimed at producing a strong koi.
Salt
Rock salt is well known to be one of the most beneficial stress reducers for koi. Remember when we discussed how a stressed koi loses some of it's ability to osmoregulate properly across the gills? Rock salt at 0.3% to 0.6%
can prevent the loss of internal body salts during stress. The koi is closer to what is called an isotonic solution. The koi does not have to expend as much energy recovering these lost salts on top of his already weakened condition. This helps us achieve our main objective. Also, for some reason, koi seem to be able to handle cold water better and I always keep these levels of salt in my ponds during the winter and spring. Furthermore salt at these levels retards or kills many ectoparasites. There is also reason to believe that these levels of salt help koi overcome bacterial infections. How many of you have gone for a swim in the ocean with cuts on your fingers, and found the cuts to be exceptionally cleaner after the swim? Don't we also gargle with salt water when we have a sore throat?
Salt is definitely a good thing, however, you need to apply a little knowledge before using it.
Dosage: 2.5 pounds per 100 gals. equals 0.3%. This is minimum dose. 5 pounds per 100 gals. equals 0.6%. This is maximum dose. Achieve these dosages gradually in the pond over a 2 to 3 day period.
Remove excess algae or aquatic plants before using this dose. Salt will kill these and cause pollution and oxygen depletion. Never use salt during a planktonic algae bloom.
Maintain these levels of salt for the duration of the koi's dis-ease by using a pond salt tester or a digital meter for best results. Regular water changes will gradually reduce salt levels over a month or two. There is no need to maintain these salt levels permanently in my opinion.
Alternatively, if you only have one or two koi Which seem to need treatment you may give them a salt bath in a separate tub with 5 gals of pond water and 1 pound of rock salt. This produces a 2% solution. Bathe the koi for only 5 to 10 minutes. Use a plastic bag to transfer the koi to and from the bath so as not to damage skin and mucous,
Potassium Permanganate
This chemical has been used for decades to help control ectoparasites and pathogenic bacterial problems. PP is
particularly helpful in controlling resistant strains of flukes and trichodina. PP is an oxidizing agent. This means it basically burns or oxidizes materials that it comes in contact with. PP is non-selective, it will oxidize waste
products, algae and pathogens in the water. It cleans the water and actually improves water quality. Permanganate can also burn the good bacteria in your filter and the koi's gills if improperly administered. This is where problems occur with excessive use of PP. Koi cannot live in sterile conditions. The good bacteria on the skin of the koi and the surfaces of the pond actually compete for space with pathogenic types. PP can obliterate your natural environment and the koi's good skin bacteria thus leaving a wide open invitation to very fast growing pathogenic types of bacteria. This is a typical case of chronic over medication leading to worse problems. If you need to use potassium permanganate, use it wisely and quickly and get out of there. Know your pond volume within 5%-10%. For flukes treat at 2.5 ppm every 2 - 3 days until the color remains purple for 7 hours. This should only require a few treatments if your water is clean. For trichodina infestations treat at 1.5 ppm every 2 - 3 days maintaining a purple color for only 2 hours. By the way trichodina loves dirty ponds and filters.
Fluke-Tabs
These were developed to control resistant strains of flukes and work quite well if applied twice, with doses applied a week apart. Again, know your pond volume within 10%. The up side to Fluke-Tabs is that they do less damage to the environment's good bugs than the potassium permanganate. The down side is their cost to treat larger ponds. Given the less damaging side effects, I would suggest that Fluke-Tabs extra cost over PP was money saved.
Formalin / Malachite
This old stand by is still very useful for some microscopic parasites like Ich, costia, chilodinella, epistylus; and fungus problems and some external bacterial problems like early symptom fin rot. The formalin part of this mixture can damage the environment if over used. Malachite Green is a known carcinogen. However, correct dosages will overcome many disease problems and is especially useful for new koi or koi coming home from a show. Know your pond volume and treat at least twice with 3 to 4 days between treatments. The Ich parasite will require up to 4 or 5 treatments to kill the life cycle.
To save the pond environment from overuse, do not use any of these chemicals as a general prophylactic. Rather, always use them discriminately when you purchase new koi or bring koi from a show
It is very difficult to breed good quality Nishikigoi. Professional Koi breeders even find it hard. Hobbyists still try Koi breeding to see the results they get. The most important thing is to choose good quality parents with excellent blood lines. This is critical. Unknown blood lines and background may cause an undesirable variety of babies. For instance, from a Kohaku parent there might be many different types of Koi such as Taisho-Sanshoku or Showa-Sanshoku, even Ogons and Asagis. Since there is no such thing as a pure blood line, there is always a chance the babies could be drastically different from the parents.
If planning to spawn Kohaku, Taisho-Sanshoku or some other popular breed of fish, make sure the parent Koi have snow white areas, bright colors, even colors and sharp edges on the patterns. Balance and formation of pattern on the parent Koi is not an important factor. The resulting patterns on babies is a matter of chance and cannot be panned.
The age of the female should be three to ten years. If the female is too small, her eggs will be small and cause premature birth and most of the babies will die. For the most effective spawning, the male should be three years or older, if any younger he is probably unable to produce sperm effectively.
Some well known breeders in Japan will breed with only one male and one female, however, this can develop into a lengthy process since it is difficult to select both fish in the peak of spawning condition. If the breeding is only a part of your hobby, one female to three males is suggested. If the mating is a failure the first time, the male partners should be changed. Also, if the female fails to produce eggs, there is a possibility she has a stomach tumor and should be exchanged for another female with eggs. The major classifications of Koi should not be mixed forbreeding. For instance, if Kohaku breeding is being tried both male and female parents should be Kohaku.
After selecting the parents a decision must be made concerning the container for the spawning. The should be sturdy and smooth as, in the process of spawning, the Koi will move around a lot and often rub up against the sides of the tank. If it is rough, they will injure themselves. The best type container is a tank 6 to 8 feet in diameter and three to four feet deep. A large show tank is a good choice. Make sure adequate aeration is available as the fish will be extremely active and use large amounts of oxygen.
In Niigata spawning does not start until late May or early June because of the cold temperatures. In California and the southern areas of Japan the spawning season starts much earlier, around the beginning of March and early April. To induce the female to lay eggs there must be a soft and stringy media on which she can deposit them. Typically, items like willow tree branches, water hyacinth, a clean mop head or long stringy algae are used. Most professional Koi breeders use a specially made fiber but, whatever the material, it must be free from disease, parasites, and chemicals. Another method of spawning applies anificial techniques. This is done by squeezing the eggs out of the female and spraying the male sperm on the eggs. The eggs are then mixed with the sperm and placed into a special hatching tank This is not recommended for amateurs as it can cause injuries to the Koi.
In order for successful spawning to take place the daytime temperature must be above 75 degrees. Many times a female will lay eggs because the pond is shallow and cannot maintain an even temperature. The change in temperature between night and day triggers the fish's natural response to spawn. However, if the pond is deep and the temperature stays even the fish will not spawn unless induced.
Setup the spawning tank early in the morning so the water has a chance to warm up before cooling down at night. A day must be picked when it's obvious the temperature will be over 75 degrees and will stay this way for a couple days. Make sure the spawning materials and aeration systems are ready and installed in the tank. The early afternoon is the best time to release the spawning pair into the tank as they need to adjust to the water temperature. To do this properly, put the fish in a plastic bag with water and oxygen and float it in the tank for at least fifteen minutes then release the fish. Because fish tend to jump during spawning, the tank shoud be covered; such as with tautly secured shade cloth, neiling or even a heavy board. The spawning will start at about 4:00 a.m. next morning and continue for two to three hours.
An additional tank, with water at exactly the same temperature as the main tank, should be ready for the fertilized eggs. (A variation of just a few degrees is sufficient to kill the eggs). These should be removed from the spawning tank as soon as the parents have finished their activity. The water in the spawning tank will be white, smelly and soon become rotten because only a small portion of the sperm, sprayed by the male, is adhering to the eggs, the rest is distributed in the water. The parents must also be removed and, if possible, the female placed in a separate tank to allow her time to recover. Finally remove any eggs remaining and place them with the others in the rearing tank.
The hatching tank should be placed in an area that does not show a temperature fluctuation of more than five degrees day or night. The eggs will die if the temperature changes even 10 degrees in a twenty four hour period. The average sized female will lay between 200,000 to 400,000 eggs. An attempt should not be made to save all these eggs because the hatching tank space is limited. They will not all hatch if the tank is overstocked. Within four to seven days the eggs will start to hatch. This will vary dependent on water temperature. Warmer water will accelerate the cyde and soon the baby Koi will start to swim. They can survive for a few days on their yolk sack but after that is depleted, they will have to be fed. The best food for them is microscopic animals, but if these are not available they can survive on very small particles of dried food such as powdered milk They will eat continuously throughout the day, and must be fed every hour. Be cautious to feed only tiny amounts of food because any leftovers will become rotten and kill them all. In about two weeks, they should be moved to a larger pond for faster growth, still feeding all the time.
The combination of feeding and culling is the most important feature in Koi breeding. Within the first month, the first culling should take place. Eliminate those with deformed bodies, single colors (if raising Koi with pattern), and those that are unusually large. This type of Koi is called "Tobi" and they usually do not have good patterns plus, they eat the smaller ones and these smaller fish, very often, have the better patterns. Professional Koi breeders usually save only about 10% of their hatching. After four months most professional breeders will have grown their Koi to about 5 to 6 inches.
Two weeks ago while I was out doing a nighttime flashlight inspection of the koi pond to find out what my koi were up to late at night I was distracted by a gagging, choking sound coming from my dog. I turned around quickly and walked about 15 feet across our lawn to investigate the dog. As I aimed the flashlight at her mouth out popped a large, slimy orange blob. Much to my amazement, the blob had scales (a few fewer than it had earlier in the night) and was indeed my largest GOLDFISH !!!!!!! I immediately picked up the fish and plopped it back into the pond. It swam wearily to the bottom of the pond where it helplessly swam in a circle with one pectoral fin obviously damaged. After a stern lecture to the dog about what constitutes dog food, I retired to bed thinking I would certainly awake the next day to find the goldfish dead. It has now been almost three weeks, and tonight when I fed the fish I must say that very goldfish was out-competing the koi for food. The goldfish has made a complete recovery save for a few rows of missing scales on its sides. The injured pectoral fin now functions normally, and the fish is behaving like its old self. How that fish ever ended up in the dog's mouth I will never know but never underestimate the hardiness of a good old goldfish.
1. The oldest living Koi died at the age of
a. 49 b. 185 c. 27 d. 228 e. 313
2. The sparkle scales on certain types of Koi are called
a. glitter scales b. prism lights
c. matsuba d. gin rin
3. What is the function of a Koi's barbels?
a. they act as facial fins
b. they are completely ornamental
c. they act as the Koi's taste buds
d. they are for smelling
e. they help them build muscles
4. What is the Japanese name for Koi?
a. Hariwake b. Nishikigoi c. Ryukin d. Yamabuki
5. What does the term Doitsu (pronounced "doytz") mean?
a. this describes a very small Koi
b. this is the sucking action a Koi makes when it eats
c. this describes a Koi without scales
d. this scale pattern is black with a red outline
6. A Koi with Kuchibeni
a. has a red belly
b. costs a lot of money
c. is a solid black Koi
d. has red "lipstick"
e. has only two rows of scales
7. How old is the tradition of breeding Koi?
a. about 200 years
b. began in the 5th century
c. about 115 years
d. it is relatively new, beginning in this century.
answers on Page 9
The tour starts Saturrday morning at 9:00 am Mountain View Koi Fish, 3828 Keeling Road, Hereford, AZ. A guide will be in an auto marked so as to be easily identified and followed. Also, maps will be handed out. We ask that you were sensible shoes. We will spend approximately 15- 20 minutes at each pond. We will briefly go over the basics of the pond - construction, filter system, fish, plants, etc. . . leaving time for questions. At lunch time we will return to Mountain View Koi Fish where there will be some refreshments and sub sandwiches. After lunch we will finish out the tour. This should be a great tour. Hope to see you their.
The following article was written by Joel Burkard/Pan Intercorp and previously published in PONDSCAPES magazine
The name Tancho was originally bestowed on a Kohaku that was completely white with the exception of a round, red "crest" on the center of its head. This Tancho Kohaku is well loved by the Japanese people as it reminds them of their national flag, a red sun on a white field.
There are several other kinds of Tancho including; Tancho Sanke, Tancho Showa, and even Tancho Goshiki.
The sacred crane of Japan (Grus Japonensis) is a spectacular white waterfowl with a blood red crest and is called a Tancho.
Legend has it that these birds live for a thousand years and are agents of good fortune and longevity.
It is important to note that Tancho occur by chance, and that this is not a "breedable" trait. There is as much chance of obtaining a Tancho by breeding any two Kohaku as there is by breeding two Tancho. It is also quite common for young Tancho to lose their red due to stress or adverse water conditions. Once gone, the red will never return.
When purchasing a Tancho, look for a koi that has strong red on the head only. Try to select a koi with a symmetrical
"crest". This can be diamond shaped, egg shaped, octagonal, heart shaped or circular. The better the shape and intensity of the "crest", the more you can expect to pay. As in selecting any koi, body confirmation is the most important point to pay attention to. Don't allow yourself to be distracted by a striking pattern or color if the body confirmation is not acceptable, as this is the first point that a koi will be judged on. The intensity of the white and luster of the skin are also important points, but these are things that can be improved on by selective feeding and rearing conditions. When selecting a Tancho Sanke or Tancho Showa, one must keep in mind that the Sumi (black) is likely to be undeveloped and therefor indistinct in a younger koi, but needs to be deep and strong in a mature koi.
Answers: 1.d 2.d 3.c 4.b 5.c 6.d 7.a
Koi For Sale 15 fish from Japan form 12" to 36"
Call Edward Salido @ 760-0747
The Tucson Koi Society and Southern Arizona Koi Association Pond Tour was held April 25, 1999 in the Greater Tucson Area. It was a great success with over 200 people viewing the 18 ponds that were on the tour. The 3 ponds people chose ponds were 1st place Mark & Carol Michael's Pond, a real close second place was Victor & Janet Lee's Pond and third place went to Shelby Hawkins' pond. If you missed this years tour, you missed a lot of great ponds. Hope you can catch next years or the Hereford Pond Tour on May 22,1999 at 9:00AM.
