Site for beginners?

[MikeM]

Tamus: It is all a question of what you want. If you want koi, get koi. Given your winters, a shallow pond will be tough on them, so do not invest in expensive koi. Get some inexpensive ones ... ones that you can afford even if they die over the winter. There are millions of very ordinary koi (which I deprecatingly refer to as crapagoi) placed on the market each year. They are great pets, even if they are not show fish. Make sure you include a Gold Ogon (which on this board we call Yamabuki Ogon), and maybe a nice metallic orange. Enjoy them. They are beautiful. No matter how "ordinary" they are, I cannot imagine not having a Yamabuki in my pond ... their beauty is extraordinary at a very cheap price.


...... but beware. This is like the smoker who took the first cigarette offered by a friend. In a year or two you may be addicted. A 4 foot deep pond will seem too shallow. Been there.

It is cheapest to do it "right" the first time, but it takes a couple of ponds and a lot of "learner koi" to be ready to spend the money. And, don't worry over killing a crapagoi. They will all be killed unless someone gives them a home and a chance. Enjoy the addiction.

[Mike T]

Tamus:

I think the "Soroso" are actually Sarasa, the Japanese term for veil...I think they're an offshoot or high breed of the common comet... I had them in my shallow fountain pond and they did well... They're usually red bodied with long gracefull tail fins like a veil, hence the name...

As I mentioned in my other post, we renovated our pond in 03, what I didn't tell you was that it was built in 1968, for koi...However, it was too shallow and I didn't have the proper filtration that is available today... Knocked the bottom out in the mid 70's, and waited until I retired in 1998 to look around for a easy to maintain filter system...Still took 5 more years before I got it up and running... So you see, there's no rush...Enjoy what you have, and someday you'll build that proper pond, perhaps when the kids get older and can help you...

Our new ponds (2) have been a great retirement project...Here's another incentive, when the kids are out of school and out of the house and on their own, you'll be surprised how much "extra" money you'll have...But enjoy um while you can, they grow fast...

Aloha! Mike

[Tamus]

Yes all I have ever bought I would guess would be carpagoi I am not up on the Japanesse names for the different colors I have an all yellow metalic, an all orange, an orange with black, a murky white one with orange on the sides and bluish color on the top, and the one that was sick is whitish yellow with the edges of its large scales deep grey/blue. We picked them just because they looked neat and I am sure are carpagoi since none of them were more than 25 dollars.

I had already bought all the stuff for to add an above ground portion to the pond that is planned to pour into the lower portion so I will go ahead and do that since its already paid for The question is would it be better to keep the koi in the in ground portion ( 6 x 7 x 2) and move all the plants to the upper or make the upper portion deeper (4 x 6 x 4) and move the fish to it even though there will be a little less area for the to move about?
The upper area will have more water in it but if all the water is the same would it matter?
I guess my final desision will be to keep what I have in the way of fish and work with the setup I do have and gain knowledge from reading and learning until I have the ability to go all out and start looking to the big time. I will not buy anymore fish of course since that is just setting the rest up for a harder time.
I think of it this way it will be a challenge and if I can keep them alive with the undoubtably poor setup I have I should be able to learn all about fixing the constant problems I will have with water quality and be able to apply it later. I have already fought bloat, fish lice, cats, lbait minnows (neighbor thought that keeping his minnows in my pond between fishing trips would be a great way to save money don't worry I cussed him so I figure when/if I encounter those things again I will have a jump on them.

[Anne]

Tamus-Thanks for saving my interest by reminding me how I started out in this hobby years ago. I lost my favorite koi today, she jumped out and I didn't find her until is was too late to save her. I was about ready to call it quits because of that and some other stuff.
Here's what I would do if I were you. You're paid for the stuff-make the pond larger, but especially deeper. You can buy tape that will seam liner together if needed to join a little bigger piece of liner to what you have, but make the new part as close to 4 feet deep as possible. Use your existing pond as a veggie filter, pump your water from the deep pond into the veggie filter and let it run back into the deep pond.Or let one pump put water in the veggie filter and the other pump spit it back through the frog. The plants will be safe from the koi, and the plants will help keep the water quaility up. Get a 55 gallon drum or a large rubbermaid garbage can and make yourself a filter. The internet is full of DIY plans. Go to www.akca.org and order a couple of books on pond/koi keeping. Great reading.There is a list of koi clubs there too and many have web sites. You can learn a lot from reading their club newsletter articles. An inexpensive fence made of about anything can keep the young children away from your deeper pond area. Do some internet surfing using, pond, koi, water gardens, pond filters, etc. This is a great hobby even if you never have a 25,000 + gallon pond or raise a grand Champion Koi. You'll learn the names and how to say them too. In a couple of years all the lingo will roll off your tongue. And you'll have a great time doing it. Start learning and then don't ever stop learning. Keep with cheap koi for several years, once they've been in your pond 2-3 years and are still living, start to upgrade. By then you'll have another larger pond for the new koi. Ah, the adventure begins!

[Tamus]

I am very sorry to hear of you losing your favorite koi. Koi keeping being a japanesse hobby/tradition I wish I had some old witty Japanesse proverb to make you feel better, but I am not that witty post a picture of your favorite koi and we can all remember him.

[Anne]

I will try and attach a picture, never have done this before. Ahe was a two year old ginrin akame kigoi 20 inches in length. A truely beautiful koi.

[Anne]

She was a first place winner at the Orlando Central Florida Koi Show just this past weekend. I had other winners, but of course she was special and has left a huge hole in the pond.

[Tamus]

That is a very nice looking fish of course I can just say that on astetics since I am not a pro, but a very attractive fish indeed. My longest lasting koi in my little mud hole has been there for almost 9 months (I know not long at all) is somewhat like yours only I think its a he since he has a more slender body and is only 10 - 12 inches long. We all pick "our fish: when we get them and that one is my 3 year old daughter's choice fish while he is no where near the quality of yours we would all be very sad to lose that one.

You said you have other koi that have won awards? That is awesome it just tells of the care and love you give to all your fish friends.

[Kathryn Barton]

Tamus, I see you are in OK. If you can possibly attend the upcoming AKCA annual seminar this year in Tulsa OK June 23-26, you will learn a great deal. There will be seminars and a vendor show. A great opportunityto make new koi pals face to face and have a lot of fun. I agree with the advice I've seen previously. Learn all you can before you commit time and money to a new pond or pond remodeling. The link to the AKCA is http://www.akca.org/ for more information. My first AKCA seminar was over 8 years ago in Orlando FL. I was like a kid in a candy store and had a fantastic time.

Kathryn

[Hilary]

Hi

There is a site currently under construction which while it is not specifically for beginners might suit you. It is www.koi-ireland.co.uk