plans to improve your existing pond

[dick benbow]

My camera went in the home robbery so it'll be awhile before the new one is purchased. I will get some pics to post when things are up and running. promise.

I did some culling today at the blueberry farm. Wish i'd have done some picture shooting there. Sanke's and kohaku's much better this year. new pairs are working. found some killer showa as well. the shiros as always are dynamite.
was too happy with the asagi. found two killer ones. surprised myself with the
ochiba's. Lester from this board came down and helped me ( so he disappeared with an ochiba he took a fancy to. ) Don't tell anyone but i bred a pair of yamabuki long fins and they are really really nice. A few nice cha goi and kigoi.
was a good day! sunny and high's in low 60's!

[Tom C]

Dick what are you breeding koi to sell now? If so, add me to the list for some longfins. I know a lot of people talk them down, but you would be shocked how many are in ponds. I have one in our pond, that I keep telling my wife it has to go. We got another koi today and one will have to go to make more room for it. I'm hoping the longfin.

Tom

[dick benbow]

I have donated my time to a local koi business where I do the breeding as a teaching tool. I don't sell them. I also put on (free) seminars for beginners
and advanced and have two schedules tosai selection clinics in may. I have 6 people sign up and we do hands on with the koi available. discussing merits. Most books videos etc don't quite get it as well as small groups with the koi right there. Ran across a third year student today while I was down at the blueberry farm and he shared with me his new filter system. It's very gratifying to see people learning and benefiting from the lessons. he's done a wonderful job.
I did have a suggestion to improve the present system. If i know him it will be in place this summer!

back to the longfins. they have their place in koi keeping. To me even an avid wagoi man ( or women) should have one just to share the difference with visitors. It's amazing how quick they pick them out because they are so different from the rest.

(just for the record, I love this chat board and it's people. The koi i discuss as bred by me is for educational purposes only. I will not sell to anyone as i don't wish to have anyone thinking I'm doing this for commercial gain. I share because I love the hobby and being an educator at heart, i love to share what I've learned over the years with others. this comment is in no way meant to offend anyone)

[Tom C]

Thanks for all the great info Dick. I didn't think you sold koi, but some do start from time to time selling them.

I think this hobby needs more people like you. To bad you're not closer, our small koi club would love to have you out as a speaker.

Tom

[Tom C]

As for longfins I think they can add a little something to a pond. But at this point not my pond. Here's a picture of the lingfin that is in our pond right now. I can do one of two thing. Just add one more koi to the pond, or move this koi out of the pond, so I don't have to bring the number of koi up by one. The problem if I bring the number up by one is, I would want another koi than this one.

Tom

[dick benbow]

your delema of what to do with your longfin reminds me back to the days when my young family was all into koi. My daughter loved tancho kohaku's, my son loved ginrin hariwake and my wife goromo. As my skill and interest improved i systematically began a program of replacement of the koi they loved for "better ones" of the show variety. slowly over the next few years, their interest faded
as mine took off. Finally I ended up with a hobby that had nice show fish but no other family participants.
from my persepctive I urge you to reconsider the fate of the long fin.

if you or any of your club members are up to seattle for vacation or business,
know they are welcome.