Showa In Warm Climates

[dtbh]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Well, I have gotten diverted trying to learn about the climate of Taiwan ... curious what koi lead one to research. The globe shows Taiwan at the approximate latitude of Cuba and southern Florida. Closer to the Phillipines than to Japan. Of course, latitude influences climate, but does not necessarily control . So, I went searching for agricultural products. Seems Taiwan is quite diverse. There are mountains with more moderate climate than the low areas. However, among the crops of some economic importance are bananas and pineapples ... definitely subtropical. I think it would be a very nice place to live. I've always thought that if Florida had a couple of mountains it would be much improved. A worthwhile inquiry. The experiences of the koikeepers of Taiwan are likely more relevant to Florida koikeepers than the experiences of koikeepers in the northern U.S.

Thanks for the lesson in geography....my knowledge in this subject is really shameful. And sorry to have gotten you diverted.

Now that we have observed the effect of hot weather on sumi development, what about shimis? Is there a similar correlation as well?

[dtbh]

I entered my Omosako shiro under the 80BU category and she managed to be placed 2nd. Attached is the latest photo of her.

[swordfish]

Congratulation Doc. She is still a tategoi. Chances are high she can be a future champion.SF

[MikeM]

Both wonderful figure and pattern, with so much Sumi still to come. That is a koi to treasure.

[dick benbow]

fun thread! Thanks everyone! In a more recent article Omosako went to a show in Indonsia and was very impressed with the shiros in that climate. He was thinking otherwise as he prepared to leave.

I think while conditions can be easily blamed for the preceived value of colors displayed, more and more recognition has to be focused on the genetics.

[MikeM]

The November, 1994 issue of Rinko (English) has an article concerning koikeeping on this Japanese island located near Taiwan. Typically, water temperature stays above 20C during the coolest part of the year. Due to the warmth year-round, the hobbyists interviewed observed:

1. Their koi grew much faster and larger than on Japan proper.

2. They feed without any fasting year-round.

3. High protein food is given "twice to three times longer than in Japan proper".

4. They have difficulty with heightening color, as occurs when koi experience cold seasons.

5. The hobbyists were wanting to develop their own food for color heightening.

6. Koi were fed at night to avoid the heat of the day. One hobbyist stated: "I try to give food at night, three or four times a day, starting from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m." The same hobbyist commented: "They are likely to grow bigger when they are given food at night than when they are in the daytime."

The hobbyists commented that statements on proper koikeeping techniques in Japanese magazines were not necessarily appropriate on their island. They had the challenge of learning what was proper in their conditions.

And, that is why I'll continue adding to this thread as I come across warm climate koikeeping articles. I am not endorsing these viewpoints. Just sharing them.

[swordfish]

MikeM,

Thanks for the input. Its certtainly very informative especially for me & the others who live in tropical climate.
I do not understand why they would have difficulty heightening their koi color in Taiwan. I suppose because of tremendous grow in a short period of time.
I known quite a few hobbyists here who achieve good grow up to 40cm a year & still having good color.

SF

[MikeM]

Swordfish:

A couple of thoughts. First, color is relative. There seems to be a general observation that in warm climates red does not develop as well as in 4 season climates, but Sumi does fine. Twenty years ago, however, there was much talk about the need for cool seasons to get Sumi to rise. The improvement of Sumi over the past 20 years seems to have had major benefits for koikeepers in warm climates.

Which leads to the second thought: the article is from 1994. There has been much genetic improvement of the Hi in koi over the past dozen years ... more stable, deeper, thicker. The observations in 1994 may have been accurate, but not as applicable to today's better quality koi.

Third: Water quality. My personal obsewrvation has been that koi raised in Florida do not have Hi as intense and even as koi raised in a 4 season climate, but the ones raised in optimal water conditions come closer to meeting the standard set by the 4 season koi. As we have learned more about water maintenance, and certainly much has been learned (and become available) over the past dozen years, the more likely the differences between warm climate Hi and 4 season Hi have narrowed.

Fourth: We should never take what is written in an article (or a koi board) as a fixed truth. Einstein showed that all the conventional wisdom can be wrong, even if it accurately predicts virtually all that occurs. And, like history, the perspective from which something is written should be weighed before accepting or rejecting the conclusions.

[soelistyo]

Mike, great reading. keep it coming please.

besides from the hi and sumi, i think shiroji also benefits from lower temperature. it's warm all year long here in Indonesia, and fish do grow well as a result of year round heavy feeding, but the colors are compromised. i'll always remember a koi dealer (in spore, same type of weather) once bringing up a sansai shiro bekko a month before a koi show. the fish was yellowish with the sumi looking dull. he told me to take a good look, cause in a couple of weeks it'd look very different. he put the fish in his chilled pond, and sure enough, 2 weeks later i went to visit him again and the difference was spectacular. it was snow white and the sumi much improved.

[swordfish]

MikeM,

This show that from 1994 till now over a period of 11 years, breeders have improved their koi tremendously. Of course I will not take what is written in an article as a fixed truth. It is just another opinion from a very experience koi-kichi. Even if it is true during this time it is still subject to change in the near future for all the reasons we know.

SF