best time to moving fry to mud pond?

[kgt1223]

What is the general concensus on the best time to move koi fry to mud pond?

Thanx, Kiefer

[kgt1223]

bump. Come on u guys. I need some advice from the pro's

[Arthur]

The most probable reason you are not getting answers is that it depend where the ponds are in the world.

In most temperate conditions, it would be 5-8 days after filling and fertilizing the pond. Anything longer would have larger critters in the food chain that are too big for the fry.

What are your weather conditions?

[luke frisbee]

last week?

[bekko]

I think they should be in the mud pond by the time they are ready to begin feeding (+/- 3 to 7 days post spawn depending on temperature). My preference is to let them hatch in the fry pond so they do not have to be handled until they are rugged enough to take it.

Others say they like to start feeding them in tanks and move them later. The only rational would be a mud pond which is impossible to manage and do predator control. Even when culturing rotifers, in a tank the fry will never get the quality and diversity of prey that is available in a well-prepared pond.

If the mud pond is full of dragonfly nymphs, predaceous beetles, top minnows, etcetera, then you would want to wait until they are about 3/4 inch, 18 mm.

-steve hopkins

[jacovors]

Hi Kiefer,

When I spawned last year I moved the eggs to the mud pond the same day after spawning and let them hatch in the mud pond.
Is it better to hatch them outside or indide a mud pond?

[gregbickal]

Best time to move them to the mud pond ? Depends on if I own the mud pond or not

Im just worried if my fry will survive this freak cold weather we just got. Water temp went from 70F one night to 58F next morning. Poor things still huttled in their eggs waiting to hatch.

[kgt1223]

Thanx everyone,

I generally give them a week or so to get their legs under them before dumping them in. Was interested to see other views on subject. Think they will go in Sat morning. Thanx for the feedback.

Kiefer

[estanque_koi]

Hi Kiefer,
you are lucky if you have a pond in which the plancton is allright and THERE ARE NOT PREDATORS! If so, I think you can take your fry to the pond as soon as possible. The only reservation is that will be more labour intensive to cacht them later for culling purposes.
I'm having some trouble keeping all the fry in the pools inside the greenhouse. Density is very high in one of them. Water temperature has reached 25 celsius degrees already. I have had filtration stoped in previous days, but today nitrite was rising in the high fry density pool and had to swicht on the filtration system. Besides, tt takes time to get enough live food for the fry.
Anyway, the fry are too small, and there are maybe three black bass in the big pond introduced by some fool in late summer! Today I managed to catch one of them while harvesting live food for the fry. Still can't believe it!
In the other two smaller ponds there are water snakes!
I definitely will wait and let them grow in the greenhouse as much as possible. Will be easier to start culling there. Hopefully they will start feeding dried food soon. Next week I hope all the remaining bass will be history, let see.
Good luck,
Diego

[kgt1223]

Hello Diego,

I am glad to hear that youre projects are on schedule. My fry are already taking interest in powdered foods but am still feeding them heavily on artemia.

I will be sending them to the mud ponds Monday. It will be nice not to have to
cultivate brine shrimp for a while!

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