Your opinion on this Momotaro Shiro Utsuri

[aquitori]

Your Shiro is developing nicely, the pattern is goin to look nice when it comes up. Keep us up to date with the development.

[hwong]

Hi all, Trust you had a great new year celebration with lots to eat, drink and merry about. Here is an update on my Momotaro Shiro to kick my year off. In the 3.5 months since the last pic, she has grown another 2 cm only to 68cm; a slower growth rate than previously. The sumi has thickened in all areas and the shiro remains unchanged although the picture says otherwise. Body shape renains same. What do you guys think of her?

I am putting my kois on a heavier feeding program hoping to bulk them up for the May 2006 koi show. However, I dont feel very confident considering the quality of kois are getting better at every show. This year's show will see more and better kois, I am told.

[GCSpyder]

Hi Hwong,

The shiro looks to be progressing just fine. If you are getting it ready for May2006, then it should be competiting in the 75bu. As you have mentioned, the sumi are coming up really nicely and skin looks to be clearing up too. Looks there there is nothing that can be done on the broomstick strips on the pecs. Will be interesting to get ready this koi for the show. Good luck! Lovely shiro..

Cheers..

[PapaBear]

It looks like you're doing great. The Sumi consolodating very nicely. Are you sure the body isn't improving? It appears from the pic that the tail tube is a bit fuller, flowing very smoothly into the midsection. Post more when showtime gets here

[James P]

Koi metabolism will determine how to process/store food based on their biological clock. So you can't say how fat and protein will be stored based strictly on temperatures. Steve H, the same mechanism that causes those corals out your way to put out sperm and egg is at work. Temperature and light as triggers but biological clock as conductor.
Koi will store glycogen and fatty acids. But reproductive state, season and temperature all influence this action and its direction. This gets complicated but even GH ( growth hormone) is effected and, to some degree, regulated by glucose levels in the fish's plasma.

[junglegeorge12]

Tell us more about glucose levels JR, what affects it, how do we maintain healthy levels, etc etc?

[hwong]

Hi Spyder, Papabear,

Thanks for the comments mate. Honestly speaking, she will not be ready for the show. Going by the quality of ShiroUtsuri entries last year, the Sumi will not stack up well against the compettion.

The tail tube appears to have thicken but I think its only by a bit. The body is more proportionat though, not too heavy at the front like before.

I plan to place her in a dealer's 700 ton concrete pond for a year. Is 80cm an unreasonable target with a feeding program of 12 times per day? Aahh Nishikigoi dreams....

[GCSpyder]

Ah... Hwong, you are teasing me

I do know some sinking pellets will definitely help. Anyway, with warm water and 700ton of water is not going to help the sumi to finish. You might want to bring it earlier to a proven pond to help it to finish in that department, as you probably know.

cheers..

[hwong]

Spyder,

From the photo, the sumi look deceptively thick but it is not. Knowing that the sumi will take quite a while to finish, I better grow her big first and then put her back in my little pond to build on the sumi. So I will be patient for 2 years.

[hwong]

Quote: Originally Posted by hwong I plan to place her in a dealer's 700 ton concrete pond for a year. Is 80cm an unreasonable target with a feeding program of 12 times per day? Aahh Nishikigoi dreams....

Sad news folks..... I was informed today that my Shiro died a fews days ago in the 700 ton pond. She went in at 69cm but I dont know how much she grew in that pond. I am devastated. I had so much hope for her but my nishikigoi dream for her have to continue in the pond in the sky.