What Type of Koi do you want?

There tends to be two types of Koi owners – those who love to keep them as pets in their pond, and those looking for a prized collection.

For inexperienced Koi seekers in the process of finding that perfect pond addition, the question may loom, pet or show quality? You may find yourself wondering, “how should I know?” or “why does it matter?”.

Just like in dogs or horses, the price associated with your Koi can be determined by bloodlines, markings, and size. By understanding the differences between show and pet quality Koi, new owners can feel more confident during the selection process.

Let’s take a look at the various groups of Koi to help better understand what is important to you and what you’re paying for when selecting Koi for your water garden. Some owners collect show Koi like a prized car that is only driven on Sundays. When you stop and think about it, there are quite a few analogies that can be made between Koi and cars.

The Economy Car:

There are three options for Koi breeders to choose from when deciding what to do with the poorest of their culled baby Koi. First, they can sell the fish into the bait market or as a feeder fish for consumption by larger fish in pet shops. Second, they can bury the fish. Last but not least, they can sell them as pond grade Koi.

To a beginner Koi collector, a simple all-orange fish can be considered good enough to be a decent Koi. The all-yellow Koi, known as the lemon ogon, is wildly popular and very easy to produce. Like the finest of the economy cars, the lemon ogon is abundant and not unpleasant to own.

Just like how there is nothing wrong with owning an economy car, there is nothing wrong with owning an economy Koi. They will certainly be pleasant to own, but exceptional colors or patterns don’t generally occur in this group.

The Minivan:

Like a reliable family minivan, domestic Koi are attractive and of good quality. It is a healthy fish that has been bred on the grounds we currently stand on. The bloodlines of most domestic fish are short, and the classic ancestral stock is not long ago. The fish are tough, but with a lack of refinement comes a less refined look. Domestic, durable Koi of average to good quality make wonderful, sturdy pets and are an enjoyable addition for your pond.

The Handmade American Stock Car:

Lovingly handcrafted in America, these performance vehicles are fast and beautiful. The Koi tends to be a hand-selected small import or domestic fish that goes on to take a trophy in a local showcase.

In this instance, the owner of the fish likely chose it based on its assessed future quality. They then raised it on their own to sub-adult or adult status before putting it in a Koi show. Victory in a Koi show with a fish you chose and raised by hand is a testament to your ability to judge fish, identify quality, and provide the kind of husbandry needed to produce a champion from a small fish you hoped was a diamond.

The Sports Car:

For those with a fancier taste, consider a Koi imported from Asia. These Koi are more expensive than their domestic counterparts, but in general, much prettier. Their good looks plus the cost of shipping is why they’re more expensive. You get what you pay for!

The Handmade Italian Sports Car:

There is a breed of Koi owner who doesn’t care about price. They simply need to have the best.

What’s interesting is that when the driver of a handmade Italian sports car drives down the road, people only marvel at the value of the car – not necessarily the skills of the driver.

There are handcrafted fish available in Japan that are finer than any other Koi you can buy on any market in the world. These magnificent fish are usually large in size and typically have a Japanese Koi show win already under their belt.

A Koi from this group is going to be a profoundly expensive fish that is bred, raised, and shown by a Japanese craftsman, then sold to a trophy hunter in America. No skills are called upon to buy a fish that already comes with a trophy. Only a fat wallet.

So, what does it all mean? Just like how there are many different types of Koi, there are also many different types of Koi owners. You have to choose a Koi that is the right fit for your ownership style, and your budget. Extreme Koi enthusiasts may be meticulous and specific in the care and keeping of their Koi, but it is not always necessary. It is okay to only care for your Koi in ways it needs to be kept.

The post Show Koi vs. Pet Koi: What to Look For appeared first on FNC PONDS.

Among inexperienced Koi Fish seekers, one question looms early in the process of finding that perfect pond addition, pet or show quality? This is an inquiry often asked by breeders, but you may find yourself wondering, “how should I know?” or “why does it matter?”.

Well, when it comes to purchasing Koi, there are usually two categories of shoppers –those looking for pets and those looking for a prized collection. Just like in dogs or horses – bloodlines, markings, and size can determine the price associated with your Koi.

Understanding the difference between show quality and pet quality Koi – and how breeders arrive at those assessments – can significantly demystify the selection process for many new owners.

So, let’s take a look at the various groups of Koi to help better understand what is important to you and what you’re paying for when selecting Koi for your water garden.

Koi Fish: The Domestic Group:

The Domestic group is exactly what the name implies.  Attractive and healthy, this fish has been spared a long trip from overseas.  The bloodlines of most domestic fish are short, and the classic ancestral stock is not long ago. So, the fish are tough and of good quality. But with a lack of refinement comes a less refined look. Domestic, durable koi of average to good quality make wonderful, sturdy pets and are an enjoyable addition for your pond.

The Import Group:

Typically imported from Asia, these koi are more expensive than their domestic counterparts, but in general, they are more attractive. So, just like most things, fancier equals more expensive. Why are they more expensive?  Their prettier appearance is more desirable and the cost of shipping is high.

The Handcrafted Exotic Group:

The definition of handcrafted is to “make skillfully by hand” and as you can imagine there is a much higher price associated with anything “handcrafted”.  However, it is safe to assume that the type of koi owner looking for a handcrafted koi, is also the type of koi owner who doesn’t care about price, they simply need to have the best.

The grand champion koi is much like a vintage Italian race car, no one cares about the skills of the driver, just the beautiful car.  It’s a profoundly expensive fish that is bred, raised, and shown by a Japanese craftsman, then sold to a trophy hunter in America. No skills are called upon to buy a fish that already comes with a trophy- just a fat wallet.

Koi Fish: The Handcrafted Domestic Group:

Just like the Domestic Group above, these Koi are handcrafted right here in America. They are fast and beautiful. The comparison in koi is the hand-selected small import or domestic koi that goes on to take a trophy in a local show.

In this case, the owner of the fish chose it based on its assessed future quality and they raised it to sub-adult or adult status and put it in a koi show. There is a lot to be said about a triumph in a koi show with a fish you chose and raised by hand. A true testament to your skillset to judge fish, to identify quality, and to provide the kind of husbandry needed to produce a champion from a small fish you hoped was a prized jewel.

The “Ordinary” Group:

The ordinary, unadorned and unembellished Koi is the last group of Koi on the market. There’s nothing wrong with an “ordinary” koi, but exceptional colors or patterns don’t generally occur in this group. These fish are certainly pleasant to own – just recognize that they aren’t going to win any shows.

Novice koi collectors often mistakenly assume that a koi with orange pigment is adequate to be a proper koi, but that isn’t the case. The all-yellow koi, called the Lemon Ogon, is wildly popular and easy to produce. It could be considered one of the finest koi of this ordinary group because it is abundant and not unlikable to own.

Often times breeders will sell the poorest of their culled baby koi into the fish bait market, and as feeder fish for consumption by larger fish in pet shops. The common alternative is to either bury the fish, or sell them as pond grade koi.

What Do These Different Groups Mean?

What this ultimately means is that there are different pedigrees of koi to choose from when purchasing your next finned friend. But more importantly, acknowledging there are very different types of koi owners as well. But you want to know the amazing part?

While the owners of economy koi are unlikely to expect all koi to be low cost and lower quality – the converse is not true of some of the folks who keep and show the finest koi. It’s important to remember at the end of the day, there’s a vast difference in the way koi need to be kept, and the way they are kept by the koi aficionados.

Want more information or some koi of your own? Contact us here!

The post Koi Fish Quality: The Difference in Koi Fish appeared first on FNC PONDS.

How are your Koi this spring?  Ahhh, Spring. Mother Nature is blowing a warm wind through the air. Flowers aren’t the only thing blooming, so is young love. It’s popping up everywhere, not just in the tulips and pansies, but also in your pond. That’s right, all that splashing around and displayed exuberant behavior is not your fish fighting, they are dancing around the idea of… spawning.

Spawning? Yes, you read that right. Koi fish, just like any river fish with a developed mechanism for river life, scatter their eggs everywhere rather than laying them in a neat and tidy nest, like other pond fish. The warming of the water, followed by longer hours of daylight, set off a biological trigger that “creates the mood”, if you will. These changes in ambience cause hormones to be released in the fish, causing the female to become full (gravid) of eggs and the male poised and ready for fertilization.

Surprised? Don’t be. Consider yourself lucky to have a front row seat observing the ‘wild ways’ of wildlife right in your very own backyard!

Shall we Dance?

The peacefulness of early morning is about to get a lot more interesting, now that Spring has sprung. You may notice an increase in activity in the pond during this time, particularly with your Koi chasing each other around the pond. The larger the fish, the more disruption that can occur. Upsetting pots, rocks and roots- in their rambunctious rowdiness, all in the name of love. The female Koi, she would be the “rounder” one, is “driven’ by one or more males, and even on occasion, during all the excitement, other females may partake in the pursuit of the female laying her eggs.

We know this sounds hectic and not terribly romantic, but it has to happen in order for the female to release her eggs. Female Koi do not have the ability to push their eggs out with abdominal muscles, so they depend on the pressure of being pushed around the pond, sometimes even into rocks or plant material. The males will even bump their heads into her flanks to provide a little extra “oomph” to help the process along.

One thing to keep in mind, spawning is a natural process, without setting up a “natural” habitat in your pond, it is highly unlikely, to almost impossible for her to spawn on her own. We aren’t suggesting a blanket of rose pedals, but the mood can be set by the environment for fish, as much as for humans. In plain liner ponds, with no decorative features or natural elements, the fish have no obstacles to spawn against and they may require artificially induced spawning hormones. Your Koi also appreciates a little privacy, so good plant and rock coverage that gives them a place to hide helps.

Looks like a (Koi) fight!

Most pond owners who are new to this arena, are shocked to see their Koi “fighting” each other one day, when in fact they are NOT fighting but rushing at each other in a spawn. Understandably, some females during this “amorous roughhousing” will endure a few abrasions, mainly on the face and flanks. These should quickly heal under two conditions.

First, be aware of your male to female ratio. Ideally, there should be two males to every female. Anything higher, means she’s the only gal in the pond, and she’s pretty much rushed all day. (C’mon ladies, you know how annoying this can be) Also, remove any female that gets run for more than four hours.

Secondly, water quality is important. Neutral, healthy water with little to no nitrogen will help to heal any injuries. If the water is too high in ammonia, nitrate or the pH is sagging low, the female will not heal well and infections are inevitable.

We know you care about your finned friends and though this process doesn’t seem as tender as one would envision, we assure you it’s completely natural for the Koi. Also, keep in mind rocks underwater are not nearly as abrasive as when above water. They develop a coating of slime called biofilm, and not only is it beneficial to both the pond and fish, but it also makes the rocks quite slick.

Keep the Koi

Kids Safe 

Ok, so now that the deed is done, you may want to partially change the water. After a bout of spawning occurs, the water can get a bit foamy. In about 2 days, the eggs that have been released during spawning- will now hatch. These baby fish, or fry are so small, you won’t really be able to see them. If you have gravel in your pond, this makes a great hiding place for them to hide out, away from danger of being eaten by bigger fish. They will stay there for another day or so, using their yolk sac for energy, then when they are about 24-36 hours old, they will swim up to the foliage of the pond. If you do not have foliage, it’s going to be a short day for a fry. It’s important to remember that most of the eggs, and fry are not going to make it. After all, life’s not easy and nature is a rough and savage place (it’s like Game of Thrones in there). Fish eggs are a favorite snack for not only the adult fish in the pond, but also dragonfly, tadpoles, and frogs.

The fry that do make it, will eat microscopic plants and animals. If you have a pond with a coating of bio-film and a thin greenish layer of algae on things, the fry will have plenty to eat. They do grow fast, as long as they can survive. Some will due to color and cunning and they will live to join the shoal.

Joining the Family 

Baby fish grow about an inch per month in the first year, especially in biologically filtered ponds with an abundant plant life and rich gravel bed to sustain them. When you have a clean, liner bottom, drained pond, expect few fry to live.

Of the babies that do survive, a very small percentage will have any admirable markings or colors. Of course, you’ll love them no matter what they look like, (just like any real mom would) but fish with distinctive beauty is very rare from spawned “homemade” babies in your pond. It’s likely that their coloring will be grey or brown, partly because the genes for that color are extremely common and let’s face it- its good camouflage for growing. Shall we call them “survival colors”? Either way, lower your expectations and leave the collectible Koi to the professional and talented breeders in Japan.

Let’s put it this way, in your pond of a hundred thousand offspring, a thousand will hatch, and a hundred will live to be seen by you. Of that 100, 10 will get big enough to catch with a net and of that 10, maybe one will be tolerable as a “keeper”.

Mixed Company

One thing to keep in mind if you have a pond mixed with Koi and Goldfish, Koi don’t get baby fever. Will they eat a baby fish? More likely yes, but mainly by accident.

Goldfish, on the other hand, are intentional cannibals, especially with big, juicy koi eggs and babies. If you keep your pond mixed; it is almost certain that any surviving babies will be of the goldfish variety, not Koi. So, if you’re hoping for a nursery or school (ok, cheap pun) of baby Koi this Spring, think about relocating your Goldfish to a new neighborhood.   Contact us for more information.

The post Why are my Koi fighting? appeared first on FNC PONDS.