[dimashp]

Dear all,

I have a mud pond in Indonesia, its size is about 10m x 12.5m (it's not really a square pond, so it's a rough estimate), with a depth ranged from 0.8m to 1.4m. Water supply comes from spring water which is located just above it. pH ranges from 6.5-7.0 and gH is very low (i'm using Tetra gH Meter, and it shows that after the first drop, the colour changed), hence it is around 1. I can't find kH tester yet here.

The soil type is 'very very' muddy. After one month, the thickness of the mud reached 10-15. This is one of the main reason why its depth keeps decreasing.

The highest temperature is 27 C (during a very hot day) and the lowest is about 20 C (at night). My mud pond is located at the bottom of paddy field (maybe comparable to Japanese Mud Ponds).

My feeding regime is, currently, twice a day. Once at 8-10AM and in the afternoon around 4.30-5.30. I tried to feed them 3 times a day, at noon (12AM), but they seem reluctant to eat. Once a week, i feed them with vegetable (hmm...i have no idea what it is in English, Chye Sim-its green vegie though). One interesting thing is that there are plenty of small fresh water shrimps in the pond (this is may be one of the reason they refuse to eat at noon, they might eat these shrimps and other insects or other things). They love to go to the bank, and somekind like 'dig' the soil, i asked some of my friends, they say that they are actually considered as carp, hence, this is one of 'carp' syndrome (often, they are looking for worms and all).

I use it for the past one year, and i am quite satisfied with its performance. In fact, i put all my koi inside it for the whole year (since, my koi is still not even tosai, around 30cm when i put them inside). Most of them are locally bred and i had one Dainichi Showa last year, but it died which is my fault too, i did not quarantined her and i put her directly after she arrived in Indonesia (it's like 5 days frame...). Then, i was quite scared to buy another Japanese koi . However, i tried my luck again with another Ogon (Izumiya, if i'm not mistaken). Fortunately, she is okay now. and for updtae she grows about 6 cms in about 2 months time.

One of the growth rate sample, is my Bekko he was 28 cm last year, and now he is 45 cm. He is a male koi, and taking into consideration that he was one of my few experimental koi, he is locally bred with unknown parents. I bet his parents are all around 60cm.


There are some questions that i would like to ask you about mud pond system in Japan Basically, i want to compare the condition of mud pond that i have now and those at Japan. Although, the growth rate of my koi is considerably good (taking into consideration that most of them are locally bred with 'i have no idea what kind of oyagoi they used'), I believe there are other things that those mud ponds at Japan and (the system behind it). Pardon me, if my questions are too detailed and lenghty.

1. What's the maximum number of koi that my mud pond can hold to obtain maximum growth, do i need to deepen pond, if yes, how deep it should be ? (to make it easier, take average size of fish is about 50-60cm)

2. Once i heard that Oomo Mud Ponds are muddy too and it is desirable for rearing Showa, is it true ? if it is true is there analogy behind it ?

3. I've never been to Japan by myself, and from all mud pond photos that i've seen thru sites (Japan ones). I did not see any water input source, Is it true that mud ponds there do not have any 'input-output' water ?

4.This is my feeding regime( i've tried Nozomi, Hikari and now i'm using Ogata...All wheat germ...I've never feed any food enhancer for my koi) and i don't believe in spirulina until they really reach their peak...So far, Ogata gives the best result...Yet, what is Jap Farmer feeding regime (for their mud ponds) ?

5. Is it okay if those shrimps are there too ? and i've seen Sakai video that they do feed their koi wth vegetable ? Do vegetable has positive impact on koi ?

6. Is the growth rate of my Bekko considered good or bad ? Oh, he was taken into one koi show last year, so he was basically out for 3 weeks from the mud pond.

7. Lastly, this is maybe a stupid question...it is impossible to copy Jap Mud Ponds...yet...i just want to ask, what are other external things that Jap Farmer do to their mud ponds ( maybe something that is measurable e.q. they add some essence or something)



Well, i'm really sory if my questions are really long. I want to cull some of my koi and really concentrate on few but good koi-if that ogon is allright by the time i come back to Indonesia, i might start hunting some Jap Tosai.I'm a believer of nature law. I want to put them all inside mud pond until they reach Sansai and reach their peak and hopefully by the time, they are all stable. and by the time, i'll finish building my second concrete pond (around 150 tonnes). Hence, they can enjoy their new home.

I would really appreaciate if you could (or anyone) help me clarify my doubts.

Here i attached some views of my mud pond, and my Bekko sample from he was 28cm till that one is actually when he was 34 cm. My dad has not send my the latest photo to me yet.

Best Regards,


Dimas