AIMS

A - Organized by people with the interest of raising and improving the quality of Nishiki Koi, and its culture

B - through Nishiki Koi, 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 member’s ponds

C - To carry our necessary business functions of the Club

MEMBERSHIP

A - a qualified member must be interested in pond culture

B - Persons wishing to become a member 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

President Bob Panter

747-7278

Vice President Doug Wahl

883-2582

Secretary Tony Jurado

Treasurer Delphine Bermudez

326-6366

1999 Show Chairperson

AKCA Representative Debby Tibbetts

682-7697

Editor Tom Ayers

744-6996

Membership Chairperson Mike Siemens

623-3880

Raffle Chairman Faye Hall

297-1253

Page 3 President Corner

page 3 20^th Southern Arizona Koi

Association Koi Show

page 4 Meet This years Judges

page 4 Lecture Series

page 5 Hotel's / Vendors

page 5 Koi on the Move: Goin' to a Show

Page 7 Seasonal care

page 9 Kawarigoi Kornor

Page 9 New Members

page 9 Fish of the Month

Page 10 Saka Membership List

This letter got reedited due to a technique problem with my computer. (i.e. it crashed when I was spell checking and I had not save it) I hope I got most of this right. Sorry Bob.

As we are getting close to the 20th Southern Arizona Koi Association show it is now time to look and decide who is going to come to the show. We all have winners in our ponds. We have been blessed over the years to see some fantastic fish.

We are still in need of prizes for the raffle. If you are able to help, please do so.

My pond is all most done the liner is in the back yard. The filter is 90% done, and the sump is ready to install. I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is not a train. Thank God!

Snake Santa will be here soon. So remember you better be good, you better not cry, Snake Santa is coming to town. So Be Good.

Some of the fun facts about the SAKA show. Here is a list of some of the people that have made the Southern Arizona Koi Association Koi Show over the last 20 years. I know I have probably missed some people, I hope not too many. But thanks for the history.

This is Doug's third show as a head judge. He was certified as an AKCA judge in 1997. He participated in the international Judging seminar at the ZNA All Japan Show in 1993. He has been activily involved in the hobby since 1985. His koi involvement includes koi breeding on eight occasions resulting in many first place and best in class award winning fish. He has entered his fish in over 25 shows in the southern California area over the last eleven years. The highest award achieved was maile champion of the SoCal 25^th Anniversary Large Fish Koi Show.

He is in his 12th year of koi keeping and has been an active member of the Koi Club of San Diego for 9 years and has served as president or as a steering committee member of the club for 7 years. Steve has also been the assistant chairman and show chairman and is capable of handling any element of a koi show. This will be his 11^th judging experience. He does however show his fish in about 3 shows each year and is a very serious koi enthusiast. He has had different articles published by Koi USA. He was very fortunate to have been taught and helped by 2 great people for whom he has high admiration. They are Galen Hansen, and Tom Graham. He is also lucky as part of his occupation, to have traveled to many countries and made koi friends around the world. For instance he has been to Japan 5 times and is very interested in the people behind the creation of this hobby.

Noon - Water Conservation and Your Pond ( Blended Water in Your Backyard)

There is a lot of controversy over the use of water in the desert. Here we hope to educate pond owners and water gardeners to the proper use and reuse of the water. With the addition of Chloramines, comes a danger to aquatic life. Learn how to use "Blended Water" safely. Representatives from Tucson Water, Tucson City Council, Rancho del Koi, and University of Arizona Hydrology Department will be present.

9:00a.m. How to Judge Koi - Steve Drake & Larry Gill

Both Steve & Larry will be Judges for our Koi Show on Saturday. They will discuss " What they look for in a Champion Koi"

10:00 a.m. Spawning Your Fish - Doug Dahl

Doug is a well known AKCA and ZNA Judge. A major part of his koi keeping hobby is the spawning of koi.

11:00a.m. Water Gardening - Helen Nash

Helen Nash is a well know water gardener. She publishes a magazine called "Pond & Garden" and has lectured across the United States on plants and keeping a water feature in your backyard.

We have two great hotels for people to stay at this year. The Red Roof Inn and the Holiday Inn. To get the group rate at either hotel, please tell them that you are with SAKA. Check-in is after 3:00pm for both hotels.

AQUA Ultraviolet

43271 Avenida Alverado

Temecula, CA 19508

1-800-454-2725

Maureen Williams

AKCA Book Store

P.O. Box 115

La Habra, CA 90633-0115

1-800-646-1685

Carl & Judy Caddies

W. Lim Company & Lim's Quality Koi

933 Mabel Ave

South El Monte, CA 91733

626-448-7032

William Lim

Quality Koi Company, Inc

322 North Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA 19102-1015

(215) 988-9723

Joe Suritsky

The Twentieth Southern Arizona Koi Association Koi Show & Auction, at the Kino Memorial Sports Park, November 12th thru 14th is almost here. As you stand next to your pond and look at your colorful and splendid friends, particularly those special ones, you can't help but want others to see them too. At the show, not only can others see them but it gives you an opportunity to look at yours alongside some of the best to see how they measure up. But what about the problems of moving them, keeping them in an unfamiliar environment for a couple of days, what if they get sick? If we worried too much about things like that, we would never have sent our children to school. Many koi keepers believe that exposure of their fish to different conditions actually strengthens them. Any event that is not part of the ordinary daily routine of your koi, catching them, moving them, and releasing them into different water conditions, does subject them to some stress. The object is to keep the stress to both the koi and yourself to a minimum. Make preparations for their trip early, and make sure all the equipment you will need is available and ready for use. Most of the things you need should already be on hand for those just-in-case situations. First thing to decide is when to bring the fish to the show site. You can check in your fish either late Friday (3 PM to 7 PM) or early Saturday morning (9 AM to 11:30 AM), whichever is more convenient for you. It is not fashionable to be late for check in and any fish that arrive after 11:30 AM Saturday will not

be judged.

Have you taken pictures of your koi recently? Just before a show is a good time to update the pond photo album. Check out how they have grown since their last photo shoot. Have the color patterns changed? Of course that great looking Kumonryu is considerably different than last year.

The next step is to catch the fish which can be a major challenge in itself (particularly in a large pond). The first requirement, and only for the larger ponds, is a small mesh, soft seine net, with floats on the top and weights on the bottom. This is dropped into the water and adjusted to confine the fish into a smaller and more workable area of the pond. The next item needed is the handling net whose diameter should be about twice the length of the largest fish and with a handle long enough to easily reach the far side of the capture area. Note that koi nets are shallow by design and the netting is soft to help keep the slime coat intact. A koi, particularly the larger ones, should never be actually lifted from the water in a net. The net should primarily be used to gently guide the fish to the location of a floating tub. (I can hear the laughter starting now, "Not my koi !") This takes practice with no sudden movements of the net. The tub should be about the same size as the net, and almost full of water. The next step is to "roll" the fish into the tub. One edge of the net is used to submerge one side of the tub, and with a smooth rotation of the net, the fish will end up in the tub with the net covering the top. The fish was never lifted out of the water and it doesn't actually roll into the tub, it just slides in with the water. (The laughter is getting much louder.) Keeping the tub covered with the net, pull it to the side of the pond. Slip a plastic bag under the net and gather in the fish with some of the water out of the tub. Now that was simple, and the koi didn't even splash around. (Now the laughter is changing into hysterics.) All humor aside, this is not easy to do properly, and not without a great deal of practice. It is a little easier with two people; one handling the net, the other working the bag. I have watched some of the "masters" routinely do this where I don't think the fish ever knew he was being caught until the bag was lifted out of the tub.

Before sealing the bag is the time to closely inspect your show candidate. Look at it from top to bottom, side to side. Check closely around the mouth and gills. Make sure your fish is in good health. It won't be allowed in the show if it is not healthy. If there is any little problem, better leave this one home.

When plastic bagging fish for transport, use only enough water to just cover the dorsal fin.

Squeeze out the current air, add 5-10 times the amount of oxygen as water. This is normally sufficient oxygen for at least 6 hours with reports of over 24 hours. If oxygen is not available, the same amount of just plain air in the bag is sufficient for a short trip of an hour or so. Twist the top of the bag to seal and secure tightly with a rubber band. The plastic bag should be clean, of heavy construction (at least 4 mil,

not the 1-2 mil trash bags), obviously with no leaks, and at least a little wider than the length of the fish. If putting more than one fish in a bag, the width of the bag should be at least the combined length of the fish. A simple safety measure is to then put the bagged fish into another bag and separately seal it with another rubber band.

Temperature control and ammonia build up then become the major problems. The bag needs mechanical support during transport and although just a cardboard box will suffice, putting the bag into a picnic cooler or a Styrofoam lined box will help control the temperature. Covering the bag so the fish can't see what's happening will also reduce stress. Try to arrange the container so the fish is aligned with the direction of travel. Side to side sloshing is less stressful than end to end. If possible, place the container in the passenger compartment, not in the warmer (or colder) trunk area. A spare plastic bag or two and extra rubber bands should be packed in the koi's overnight bag. Don't stop off for lunch somewhere and leave the fish in the car while you increase your cholesterol level, use the drive through. Temperatures in a parked, sealed car can rise very rapidly and we don't want to end up with poached koi.

If a transport tank is being used for hauling fish, an air stone or

aeration column can be used. A venturi (eductor) is not recommended since the strong currents induced make the fish

"work" harder which increases both the oxygen consumption and, of more importance, the ammonia waste products in the small tank. If an air stone is used, it should be selected primarily on the basis of the production of many very fine bubbles. The lifetime of the air stone is not of significant concern for this use. An air stone can be driven with a battery powered air pump or even fed directly from bottled oxygen. An aeration column can be driven by a small submersible water pump ideally located at the opposite corner or end of the tank from the aeration column. Have spares for everything and a tank patch kit close at hand. If preparing to use a transport tank for the first time, install it, fill it (no more than half full), and leave the fish at home while you go out for a test drive. With as much as an extra half ton of weight in the back, handling will probably change. Find out how much more braking distance you need and how much slower you should take bumps and corners.

CAUTION: Make sure that the transport tank's air supply cannot be contaminated with the vehicle's exhaust. Carbon Monoxide is very soluble in water and can be even more deadly to the fish than to you.

So now we've reached the show site. The koi traveled well, but it may or may not be time to get them out of the bag. Based on the reports of controlled experiments, (the experiments were conducted using bass, trout, and carp but it is assumed that the results also apply to Koi) it was found that floating transport bags for 30 minutes prior to release slightly decreased any transport losses, particularly for small fish. This test was conducted with the fish bagged for one hour. With fish that had been bagged for four hours, it was found that any losses slightly increased for all sizes of the fish if the bags were floated for 30 minutes. In both of these cases, the bags were very heavily populated. My recommendation is that if the fish have been bagged for two or three hours, it is probably better to release them almost immediately than subjecting them to the "bad" water in the bag for an additional half-hour. Thirty minutes of floating will prevent a sudden shock if the temperature

difference is large, but it will not acclimatize the fish to the new

temperature. Actual acclimation of a fish to the new temperature range takes several days, similar to us dealing with jet lag. It is not only the temperature the fish needs to be accustomed to but also the pH, hardness, alkalinity, "the taste", etc. of it's new environment. In either case, get the bag floating in the destination water as soon as possible. The show registration team will

tell you which tank to use.

When the time is right to take them out of the bags, the challenge is to get the fish into the new water while keeping the transport water in the bag. Do not put any transport water

into a show tank (or into the pond when returning home). With the bag floating where the fish is to be released, open the bag, and with wet hands, help the fish to almost swim out of the bag. Dispose of the transport water at the provided disposal area or on some nearby plant

that needs some moisture and nutrition. The show check in team will probably do most of this for you. You should be alongside to help identify your fish and find out what class and size they are being assigned so you can keep track of their progress during the show.

Now sit back and enjoy the show while the water quality control team is making every effort to take excellent care of your friends. During judging, the handlers will be giving special treatment to them as well. Look at your koi alongside others of the same class and size. Why did the judges choose yours for first place over all the others? Why was one of your favorites selected for second place instead of first? This is a great opportunity for learning how to identify top quality koi. After the judging is completed, it is your responsibility to go to the administration table and sign up each of your winners on the sheets provided to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.

Throughout the show you will have an opportunity to talk to many other pond keepers. One of them may have a solution to that nagging little problem with your pond (or you may have a

solution for one of theirs). At the booth area, the vendors will be

extolling the virtues of all their latest products. There, you can pick up some more information about that item you saw advertised that just might be right for your pond. Don't miss the awards banquet Saturday night. A good meal and good company, and here is where you officially get told how well your fish did in the show. The banquet raffle will feature some great koi items that you can only win if you are present and have purchased your banquet raffle tickets at the banquet itself.

Sunday afternoon includes the show raffle drawing, lots of neat stuff and you don't have to be present to win at this one but you do have to have a ticket or several. At the koi auction, there are always some top quality fish that would look great in your pond. Then the show is over for another year.

Make sure you are at the show site at check out time. Did you remember to bring your handling net? Some nets will be available, but it is easier if you have your own. You will be assigned a tank in which to place all your fish prior to the trip home. Now it is your job to find your prize winners (and your also rans) and move them all into your assigned tank. Within the confines of a show tank, you can easily use the net to guide the fish directly into a plastic bag. When moving fish between show tanks in plastic bags, carry the bags sideways, using one hand to hold the top closed, and the other hand grasping a bottom corner. Do not carry it just by the top, plastic bags have been known to split. Water is heavy, again use just enough to cover the dorsal fin. In this situation, the water can be put into the tank with the fish, but do not pour the fish into the tank. Lower the bag into the water, open it, and let the fish swim out. Then any remaining water can be released into the tank.

When everyone has all their fish in their assigned tanks, the word

will be given that it is time to head for home. Now is the time to bag your fish for the return trip. Bags, rubber bands, and oxygen are supplied if you don't have or don't want to use your own. Special tanks of good water for transport will also be available although just the show tank water can be used if the trip home is not too far. The rest of your day is a repeat of the trip to the show, just in the other direction.

When you get home, and your fish are happily back in their own pond, they will be telling their pond mates about their neat experiences at the KCSD show. As you stand by the pond

looking proudly at them, I'm sure all your prize winners and those that you thought should have been prize winners would now enjoy a good meal.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you and your finny friends

Winter

As temperatures drop, koi move into the deeper parts of the pond and become more reluctant to feed, and below temperatures of 6C(43F) cease feeding altogether. As the water continues to cool, the koi tend to lie huddled together on the bottom of the pond with all fins except the tail fin clamped tightly against their bodies. This conserves some body heat, as each fin is supplied with a tiny network of blood vessels through which heat escapes if the fish lie with their fins outspread. One of the major areas of cooling of a fish's body is through the gills, where the warm blood is cooled by the water passing over the gill filaments. You may have noticed that koi seem to breathe more slowly in winter - this is a method of conserving body heat. At temperatures between 2C and 6C (36-43F) koi are described as being in a 'torpid state'. Their senses such as smell and taste are inoperative but they can still see and respond to some external stimulation, such as touch, or water movement below the surface.

Temperatures below 2C(36F) are critical to koi, as there is an increasing risk of ice crystals forming in the delicate gill membranes. Because water expands when it freezes, these crystals break the tiny cells in the gills and the koi die.

Winter filtration and aeration

Like many other materials, water expands when it warms and contracts as it cools. Because water is a liquid, warm water is light and therefore rises. (If you feel your hot water storage tank, you will notice that it is hotter at the top than at the bottom.)

Logically, you might expect, therefore, that freezing water (ice) should lie at the bottom of exposed water but, as we all know, this is not the case. In fact, a reversal of this principle occurs at temperatures just below 4C(39F), when colder water rises to the surface and warm water sinks. This is the salvation of most underwater life. Water is a poor conductor of heat, so the cold water and ice form an insulating layer that retains the heat of the warmer water below it. As we have seen in the section on pond and filter construction, the pond should be at least 1.5m(3ft) deep; depth will aid the temperature stability of the warmer water below the ice and the water will also absorb heat from the ground.

Keep all biological filters running throughout the winter. It is important that the water continues to ventilate so that oxygen can diffuse into the water and harmful carbon dioxide (the byproduct of respiration) does not become sealed in by total ice cover. If the pump is turned off, the fish will suffer and the plumbing will corrode or freeze if the pump is then left in the water. If a variable flow pump is fitted in the pond, turn it down to its minimum output. If your system enjoys the versatility of two or more pumps, then using one should be sufficient at this time of year in all but the very largest ponds. This will give you the opportunity to service any pumps not in use. (Most pumps are now sealed units and you need only clean them and check the strainers, cables and switches.)

You may have a submersible pump in the pond or a variable level gravity feed pipe, if so, you can vary the level from which the filter is fed. As the water temperature drops towards the critical 4C(39F), raise the pump or filter feed to 15-23cm(6-9in) below the surface. This will avoid disturbance and chilling of bottom water and allow the koi to rest, while preventing the pond from completely icing over.

You may decide to moderate the water return to the pond. Restrict the air flow on your venturi, bypass waterfalls and turn off fountains, since all these means of aeration are no longer necessary, as cold water is usually rich in oxygen, and, if left on, will excessively chill the water. If your water return is via a straight pipe from a filter above pond level, terminate it with a 'T' piece or elbow pipework to prevent disturbing the lower water.

It is not a good idea to use rubber balls, hammers or kettles of boiling water to prevent or break up ice formations. Although the koi are torpid, they can sense any water movement, and breaking ice sends violent shock waves through the water, which can severely stress, and even kill, koi. (It is a sensation probably similar to someone suddenly crashing a loud drum close to your ear

while you are sleeping and waking you with a start!)

Heating outdoor ponds

A growing number of enthusiasts are installing heating systems in their outside pond to keep their koi active and feeding, and thus growing, throughout the year. Avoid placing heaters in the bottom of the pond, however, as they can set up convectional currents that lift the warmer water, which chills as it rises towards the surface or towards a layer of ice, thus returning cold water

to the koi.(You should also remove any airstones from the bottom of the pond in winter for the same reasons.) Instead, place small heaters in the filter system, preferably in the settling chamber or transfer ports. Any heating unit should be thermostatically

controlled and capable of maintaining the water temperature at a minimum of 10C(50F), even through the severest of winters. Rapidly fluctuating temperatures are highly undesirable and temperatures sufficiently high to activate the fish but too low for safe feeding can have a debilitating effect. Furthermore, between 0C and l0C(32-50F) the koi's immune system does not operate, but bacteria in the water are still active. If your heater cannot maintain an adequate temperature throughout the winter, use it only to

help stabilize autumn and spring temperatures.

Indoor ponds

An alternative to heating outdoor ponds that is favoured by some koi-keepers is the installation of pond systems in the garage, greenhouse or conservatory, and some enthusiasts even have permanent fish houses. Such pond systems are usually smaller and may be used at certain times of the year, for quarantine purposes or for raising baby koi, or they may be rested throughout the summer and used only during the colder months, to protect koi from the chill of winter.

Use mature water from the existing pond rather than tapwater to fill the inside pond. In this way, you avoid subjecting the koi to a change in temperature and water quality when you move them inside. In addition, you could move a small portable filter to the inside pond when you transfer the fish, having matured it with established pond water. Alternatively, by transferring some of the media from the active outdoor filter, you can overcome the ammonia/nitrite problems associated with new filters and pond systems.

During the early 1900's, a new variety of koi was created by the addition of sumi (black) markings to the basic Kohaka patterns of red and white. This new variety was named Taisho Sanke and is also referred to as simply Sanke or Sanshoku. The positioning of the sumi accentuates the beauty of the overall pattern.

Whether the sumi pattern is bold and expressive or sparse and elegant, a deep lacquer-like black is most desirable.