I'm looking at breeding some Kohaku and maybe some Showa in just a few weeks and want to get a bit more prepared. Got a 3 acre mud pond lined up for summer, so that situation is OK.
Here is the current situation: have two small ponds (1500g and 3000g) available for initial spawning plus raising of fry. One is clear, the other is green. Both have bottom drains to settlement chambers then pump, etc. The smaller green one has wonderful light green algae on the sides and is liner. The larger clear one is concrete sides (rough) and was recently blasted with PP.
1) Where do I breed the fish and what substrate should I use? Is one of those net chambers, like those as seen on the Koi-Bito DVD, a good idea? If a net chamber is recommended how do I go about building or buying one?
Btw, it would be more conveinient to use the concrete pond for breeding.
2) Where should the fry be raised and to what point? I'm guessing that the smaller pond, with already green water, is better for the fry. Cull at 7 days and then at 6 weeks then mud pond for summer? Screen off the bottom drains but continue to run air and pumps? How to transport the eggs or wait?
Hmmm... enough questions for now. What's my first step?