Couple of questions for the Koi breeders out there

[Bob Hart]

I recently assisted Duncan Griffith's with breeding some Shir Utsuri's and took away with me a spawning rope full of eggs. I was prepared for what was to come and to be able to rear the small amount of fry that I would get.

Dick Benbow has made some comments on 2 separate threads on Koi-Unleashed, links below, but I have a couple of questions for you Shiro breeders. Please feel free to add to the posts on Koi-Unleashed, any valuable information is appreciated.

1. From what I've read, culling the white/yellow fry starts after 2-weeks. Dick indicated it could be done earlier to reduce the numbers. The pictures below show that the white/yellow fry can be clearly seen, so why wait the 2-Weeks? Will some turn black? or are they born white/yellow and stay that way? These fry are 4-5-days old now.

2. I'm feeding with Liquifry at present, Duncan is already using brine shrimp. He had indicated to me that brine shrimp feeding again started at 2-weeks, but he says the fry will take them now. Any thoughts on this, can I ditch the Liquifry and go straight onto the brine shrimp?

http://11.freebb.com/viewtopic.php?t...oiunleashedcou

http://11.freebb.com/viewtopic.php?t...oiunleashedcou

For some reason these photo's wont appear. They are loaded onto another website, so the url link should just mean they appear in the body of the post - sorry

http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums...l_DSCN1118.JPG

http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums...l_DSCN1119.JPG

[MikeM]

Bob: On culling, I'll defer to Dick, Maurice and the others who know they are doing. As to feeding, as soon as the fry are big enough to eat baby brine shrimp, start using it.



BTW, even I can see the black ones in those photos! Looks like a nice bunch to pamper.

[GazKoi]

Hi Bob,

After being lucky enough to pop over to Bobs today to see the fry i must say it amazing.I had never before seen the little buggers and there are thousands of em dashing around and you have your hands full in the cull !!!!

I was astonished that you can clearly see the yellow ones from the black and how you can see there eyes....great to see for a novice.

It will be great to watch yours and Duncs fry progress and to see what you end up with because between the two of you thats some koi lol so you better get culling.

Bob thanks for you time today and for looking after my little ones for me if i can get similar growth to you i will be very happy with them.

Cheers

[bekko]

Remember, the most important part of the diet is variety. Brine shrimp are lacking a few things so it won't hurt to add a little Liquidfry as well - if you can keep up with the water quality. Brine shrimp are most nutritious during the first few hours after they hatch when they still have their yolk reserves. Older bring shrimp cam be made more nutritious by enriching them with one of the commercial products like Selcon or Selco. Better yet, feed the brine shrimp first with green water or paste algae.

I think that once a black fry, always a black fry.

Are there "new style" shiro utsuri like there are new-style showa? Can you make a good utsuri from a white fry or do you only get bekko and shiro muji?

-steve hopkins

[gregbickal]

I jump right to the Brine Shrimp at day 5. Here are some of my fry (17 days old)

[Maurice]

Bob and Duncan, it is normal to cull showa/shiro utsuri fry at 3 days. The sooner you get the numbers down the better the remainder will develope.


Don't be too excited about the shiro utsuri thing, you have showa babies on your hands!!

The parents of your parents are showa, so the chances of shiro utsuri babies is limited.

Keep feeding the brine shrimp, but also add some powered koi pellets after a week or two. Very small amounts, it takes a while for the babies to get used to it. When I have tank reared koi, I feed powder food before a feed of brine shrimp. Catch them when they are really hungry and they will try anything.

I know Bob is coming to my open weekend, if you come down Duncan, I'll send you both away with a variety of different grade foods to raise you babies.

Maurice.

[Bob Hart]

Thanks you all for your replies, I appreciate your knowledge.

A brine shrimp hatchery will be built and running tomorrow!

Culling will also be carried out, I know Duncan started today. I have to do this while my Kids are at School, they are horrified about what happens to the culls.

Maurice - thanks for your generosity. I will look out for Showa once they start growing on a bit. I have another indoor pond being constructed at the weekend to grow them on further. I'm not sure if Duncan is free that weekend, think he was going away.