Tosai kohaku with one year of dealer care!

[mynamy1]

This tosai Maruyama kohaku arrived at a local dealer around March/April 2004 as a "jambo" tosai at 12" (the sign said jambo!). Now, almost a year later, she grows only about an inch or so. Dealers feed minimum just enough to survive and that is to nobody's suprise.

When this smallish ,now, nisai goes to a good koi pond:

1. Her growth would catch up quickly within 2 or 3 years as if nothing happened.
2. Her growth would accelerate at first but ultimately not as big as fish with normal pond growth as nisai.
3. The one year bonzai during the second year of life has done this kohaku real good! Good water and food of a normal pond only helping her gets potty belly and funny tail tube.

I would think answer 2 is somewhat correct, but not very sure! Would anybody has the experience and would like to share? MA Le

[kingkong]

It is the potential of growing a koi into a jumbo (jambo) fish that often draws people into buying or keeping koi for the first time. 4. my guess the poor fish is stunted and will never develop to its potential.

[mynamy1]

Alright KingKong, so your answer is #3. Err ... how sure are you? :0 MA Le

[PapaBear]

If you malnourish a child you will undoubtdedly stunt the musculoskeletal development with permanent damage. Although I do think the "potty belly funny tailtube" you mention is a strong possibility.

Quote: Originally Posted by mynamy1 This tosai Maruyama kohaku arrived at a local dealer around March/April 2004 as a "jambo" tosai at 12" (the sign said jambo!). Now, almost a year later, she grows only about an inch or so. Dealers feed minimum just enough to survive and that is to nobody's suprise. When this smallish ,now, nisai goes to a good koi pond: 1. Her growth would catch up quickly within 2 or 3 years as if nothing happened. 2. Her growth would accelerate at first but ultimately not as big as fish with normal pond growth as nisai. 3. The one year bonzai during the second year of life has done this kohaku real good! Good water and food of a normal pond only helping her gets potty belly and funny tail tube. I would think answer 2 is somewhat correct, but not very sure! Would anybody has the experience and would like to share? MA Le

[Brady Brandwood]

We also need to keep in mind beni here. Often the conditions that will "stunt" a Koi will also cause a premature maturing, or finishing of the coloration.

In this respect a Koi can be a little like flash paper or film,... once its "exposed" its done. A quality Koi needs proper pampering every minute of every day for the first 4 years or so, in order to have any chance of reaching its genetic potential!

I think Option #2 would be accurate,... but the color quality down the road can be an issue,... might be best to keep the Koi relatively small in the case you're mentioning.

Best Wishes,
Brady Brandwood

[Regenmeneer]

Brady, did you breed those? They look wonderfull!!!

As for the jumbo Maruyama, it will not recapture the lost year of growth if you ask me. Just a shame it was not put up for sale at a lower price after half a year or so, or kept in better conditions.

Regenmeneer

[MikeM]

Ma le: I'd say Brady is right, but you may think #1 is more accurate since the true potential can never be known. I've posted before on my experience with a Torazo Showa male left in a dealer's inventory his nisai year because reserved for a buyer that did not pick him up. I acquired the fish in March 2004 at 10". He grew very rapidly over his third season, reaching 20"; by last October he was over 23" following his fourth season. He just went to a new home this past week, measuring 24". Could he have been 27" if his nisai year had not been in an inventory tank? ... Can't ever know.

[mynamy1]

The arrival of the kohaku was March/April 2005, not 2004 as mentioned.

Hi Brady, you're absolutely correct about early beni development. Something that important and I missed it! Do you see any truth in option #3?

Hi MikeM, your Torazo showa story is so interesting! Shall I give this Maruyama kohaku a fighting chance? MA Le

[MikeM]

Ma le: If you have room, and the price is fair for what you see, do give her a chance. I'll give you a measuring guideline: I got a Maruyama Kohaku in March 2005 when it was 8" - 10" in length. She (wishful thinking?) was over 18" in mid-October. I'd estimate that she (he?) will be 20" or maybe a little more by March 2006. Let's see how long it takes for "Jambo" to catch up.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by mynamy1 This tosai Maruyama kohaku arrived at a local dealer around March/April 2004 as a "jambo" tosai at 12" (the sign said jambo!). Now, almost a year later, she grows only about an inch or so. Dealers feed minimum just enough to survive and that is to nobody's suprise. When this smallish ,now, nisai goes to a good koi pond: 1. Her growth would catch up quickly within 2 or 3 years as if nothing happened. 2. Her growth would accelerate at first but ultimately not as big as fish with normal pond growth as nisai. 3. The one year bonzai during the second year of life has done this kohaku real good! Good water and food of a normal pond only helping her gets potty belly and funny tail tube. I would think answer 2 is somewhat correct, but not very sure! Would anybody has the experience and would like to share? MA Le

A good experiment would be to place the Kohak in a pond of koi the same size and see if it grows bigger. Usually if this fish didn't grow at the dealers the expectation of it growing big because it was labelled "Jambo" Tosai is very slim. But I have been known to by tosai later on goin into fall and they all grew, but I have to note they were of Matsunosuke bloodline.