Males, females, or both

[Tom C]

I know it's been talked about many times. Some say never have males with females and other say it doesn't matter. Let's leave out the spawning part of it and talk about why some people say female's only in a pond.

[aquitori]

Well you can put males with females if keep the water very cold or use quick cure...Me personally, I have 98% male...So it doesn't matter to me.

[TategoiKohaku]

Tom,
If you have females with males and during spawning season, the males will chase the females and make them stressed. In the case that you have sick female, it's better off without males in the pond.
TK

[Mike T]

Tom:

We built a pond exclusively for males because we wanted more koi in a smaller space...

We started out with good intensions ordering Nisai males only, unfortunately one of the male showas is looking and probably is a female... Then we purchased two more tosai koi in Dec of 03 at 6 & 7"... Because they're now 16" I have a feeling that they're females also... Just bought another koi this weekend because it was such a great koi, but again a female...

So all the good intensions went out the window... I don't know how you can seperate the two unless you have two to three ponds or buy only ni or sansais and even then mistakes can be made... Our first pond is filled to capacity with females so I'd have to build a third pond...

Aloha! Mike

[Tom C]

Mike it's time to make that first pond bigger.

Right now I have all females but one. I think we have about 15 koi in the pond (9000 gallons). Do I get rid of my wifes male koi or keep it? I know at spawning time this can cause damage to my other koi. That's the last thing I want. On my old pond I don't think we ever had a spawn in 8 years.

Do males also slow the growth of females?

[andrewn15]

You have to select koi base on their sex too?
I never paid too much attention about it at all. I think to just get the koi you want base on the type, color, body conformation and most important of all affordability is already hard enough. We are trying to copy mother nature and provide the best condition we can for them, I think both sexes can coexist in the pond, maybe we can put a net in to separate them only during spawning season other wise let them live in harmony.
Andrew

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by andrewn15 You have to select koi base on their sex too? I never paid too much attention about it at all. I think to just get the koi you want base on the type, color, body conformation and most important of all affordability is already hard enough. We are trying to copy mother nature and provide the best condition we can for them, I think both sexes can coexist in the pond, maybe we can put a net in to separate them only during spawning season other wise let them live in harmony. Andrew

Your at a level were you'll be more confused...So don't worry about males or females just yet. First hone your water quality skills and work from there...

[woodyaht]

I was really lucky that when my fish did spawn unexpectedly, not a scale was lost, didn't notice a thing different other than my biggest female got her sexy body back.

[ChrisC]

A male only pond strikes me as a good notion for most hobbyists. Males often look better at an earlier age. Males are smaller, and fit better in the average pond. Males can be cheaper for better looks.

Since most of us don't have a pond the size of a lake for a really big girl to excercise in (note to the Koi Unit: I am talking about FISH here) and therefore get the GC body that people strive for, a male pond could be strategically wise.

Having said that, it is hard to only pick one gender of fish (who knows!) sometimes the fish change sexes from one year to the next (I think I read something like that in Koi-Bito) and sometimes you just really like a certain fish--and the plan goes by the wayside.

[dick benbow]

I think any koi kichii needs to have experienced both and know the strength and weakness of both genders.

I would not want to influence the education process other than I think it's important for a well rounded understanding to get to know both before deciding to go exclusive or remain mixed.

I do like the female body shape but I have seen a few males that are equally as impressive. Right now I have just girls!