How Often Do You Bowl Your Koi?

[Steve E]

Thanks Bob. As a follow-up to the original question...How do you apply the results of your annual check-ups? Do you evaluate the progress of your show quality koi and either continue or change any of your husbandry routines? Like feeding...type of feed, feeding schedules, etc? Do you have a pre-set ideal of what type of progress you expect from a particular fish? Do you also use this examination as a culling technique for any koi who are not progressing as you would hope?

I think where I am going with this thread is to try and learn how others use their evaluation skills to determine how they are going to continue to raise their koi. A lot has been said here about what folks are looking for in a koi, but I have not been able to pick out how they continue the evaluation process.

Thanks for all of the responses so far. Even those who are not regularly bowling their koi is a helpful piece of the answer for me.
Steve

[schildkoi]

Every Koi get's bowled, measured and photo'd in the spring and the fall, typically around the first and last shows that I exibit the Koi in. Since not all Koi go to all shows (max of 2 per year at least 4 months apart), there may be a third bowling during mid season.

Rarely will I bowl a Koi for other reasons. Yes, if I see something that concerns me, I will bowl, examinne, scrape and scope but those circumstances are few and very far between. Occasionally a Koi may be netted and bowled to show a visitor as well.

Steve

[gregbickal]

Twice a year here. In Fall I measure and photograph them as they are transfered to the indoor tanks. Spring they tubbed up and taken outside.

[Regenmeneer]

Normally twice a year, once going from the winterpond to the bog pond in spring, and vice versa somewhere in Octeber. Other than that, just if there is a problem, if one gets sold, or showing.

Regenmeneer

[Bob Winkler]

Quote: Originally Posted by Steve E Thanks Bob. As a follow-up to the original question...How do you apply the results of your annual check-ups? Do you evaluate the progress of your show quality koi and either continue or change any of your husbandry routines? Like feeding...type of feed, feeding schedules, etc? Do you have a pre-set ideal of what type of progress you expect from a particular fish? Do you also use this examination as a culling technique for any koi who are not progressing as you would hope? I think where I am going with this thread is to try and learn how others use their evaluation skills to determine how they are going to continue to raise their koi. A lot has been said here about what folks are looking for in a koi, but I have not been able to pick out how they continue the evaluation process.

Hi Steve,

What Steve C said.

But also, I have a mental, and written, "ranking" of the koi we have, with always one or more "on the bubble". Shila would never want to get rid of any, but at times have done so. There definately is a "sentimentality" factor. The ranking changes a bit year by year, mostly in the bottom half. Most definately, the results we see can affect our koi husbandry practices. An example, we used to use Hikari Excel food alot of the year as I had heard "it's the best". Well, for us, it is the best only in short doses. The heads were pink when I fed it too much, which upon further research is to be expected. So now we use it as part of our show prep routine. 4 months b4 a show we feed excel for about 6 weeks and then a 6 week period of heavy refresh clay and Hi-Silk to help the whites.

Absolutely, like many people we have a "picture" in our minds of how we hope the koi will develop, but of course they do not always live up to that. Sometimes it is pattern, sometimes body, sometimes skin, but those are the things always evaluated, not just at "bowling time". The standards are the same as when we buy koi, with the added sentimental factor