Koi Hobby Burn Out

[Ruth Rice]

Oh dear jnorth! Sounds like you've had a trying time of it. Nice that you still have a good attitude.
We think we had a small tornado come over our house on Sat morning at about 1:15. There are some trees broken off in the neighbor hood, it blew our travel trailer over and moved it about 10ft. This thing weighs about 7K lbs. We have some roof damage etc. two of our bushes were broken/ uprooted. (They are headed in the other direction though and we see this as evidence of twisting action). We know it could have been much worse.......
When I was telling my Mom about it one of the first things she asked was "Is the pond alright?" and I was so happy that I could tell her it is. We cover it with a substantial frame and if it would have take a direct hit we probably would have been scooping up fish and putting them in the q-tank.
jnorth I hope you get things straightened out before we get some freezing percip. I don't think moving to a warmer place is the answer either, look at the hurricanes they have to put up with.
Tornados or really strong winds don't usually happen here but I guess if conditions are right they can happen just about anywhere.

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by jnorth A showa I've been struggling with to treat for the last few weeks died friday night. Last night (saturday) we had incredibly strong winds (60+mph gusts) that sent a swing chair into one of ponds three times before I gave up and left it there. Then one of neighbors trees came down and caused the neighborhood to blackout for about 5 hours which was really bad because it knocked out my 700 gallon q-tank that is quite full with koi right now. My old generator was a no start and I didn't really think I had time to take it apart and fix it in the dark so it was off to Home Depot to get a new one. While I was out doing that the wind shredded my plastic and pvc cover for one of my other ponds dumping alot of that right into the pond. So the last two days have been really crappy. But quit? I don't think so. But moving somewhere where it is warmer might be a good idea.

Damm Jim, sounds like you have had 1 disaster after another. Glad to hear you have a strong backbone. Shit happens in this hobby, and we have to strive to continue on.. I think that is what makes us appriciate this hobby more. Anything can happen to our ponds and are babies. All we can do is our best to make a healthy and happy enviroment for them. The rest is in Gods hands. I am sorry about the showa, but you did everythig in your power to try and save her. Thank god your family and you were not injured and that your home is still, home sweet home.

[jnorth]

Thanks Ruth and Nancy. Really though it does seem like disastor after disastor at my place sometimes but when I think of all the enjoyment my family and I get out of keeping them and all the good times I've had with fellow hobbyist the thoughts of the bad times just seem to fade away.....

[Brutuscz]

This is the first (and last) time I bring in my koi for winter!!! They are getting ulcers, mouth, fin and tail rot. I am doing water changes every few days...but it is too much work. Definitely taking the enjoyment out of the hobby. I have been giving injections, dips with tricide neo, feeding medicated food,and using koizyme to stop the infections. Next season, they stay outside. I am definitely getting burnout!!!! I cannot wait for spring!!!

[joe bauer]

have you ever left your koi outside for the winter?

if so, how cold does the bottom of your pond get?

[Brutuscz]

I usually leave them out for winter...this is the first time in 6 yrs I brought them in. I have never measured the temperature at the bottom in winter.

I once had a total wipeout of my koi when a floating heater shorted out ( a mouse chewed through the line). I thought that indoors would be easier, but I was definitely wrong. I have already lost 4 koi to infections...and about 4 others have ulcers right now. This has definitely been non stop work and worrying. Never going to try this again.

[melanie]

I am late to this thread, however, reading Jnorth and Nancy made me reflect on why I stay in this hobby after 5 years and lots of grief. Two summers ago, I lost a third of my collection to a mean bacteria that killed my babies before I could begin dipping them in tri/neocide (whatever). And then Mac came over every other day to give injections to save half of what remained. Ultimately many lived, but were disfigured.

All that happened after the one and only time I showed. My fault, I didn't put my winner in a Qtank long enough when he came home.

This year it was Hurricane Rita that killed every koi I had. And some were damn nice from the San Antonio sales and Mr. Yoshida.

But I have started over thanks to Brett' Fish Farm and Vance. And believe me, living in Rita's aftermath is alot like New Orleans without the media. But having those living jewels in my backyard to see after driving through my hometown each day changes my whole outlook from sad to glad.

[melanie]

As a 5 year hobbiest, and only posting for the first time today, I want to hear from someone else that loves Asagis. You, Mr. Benbow, like the same coloration I do and you like to teach. I want to know more about what makes these koi top quality. I have been a lurker on the NI site, where you answered a post querry about a red matsuba looking koi with only a small patch of blue on the shoulder as an asagi. I get the humor. and I know you like this classification. But where can I learn about how to select them?

I am red green color blind, which may account for why Ochibas and Kujakus are a challenge. My favorite type is a goromo, but so expensive that I buy asagis to quench my appetite.

I am on this thread because I lost a third of my collection to a horrible bacteria two years ago, and then Hurricane Rita got the rest. But I can't imagine quitting the hobby. The challenge of koi keeping is still there for me. Instead of bonsai, I want to learn to paint thes guys!

[aquitori]

Melanie welcome to the board. I too have been through that road of losing alot of fish. At one point I lost eveything in my pond but the Domestics...and I had probably 25 fish and 6 were left...I had stopped for a couple of months and revaluated my hobby, but didn't give up.

Quote: Originally Posted by melanie I am late to this thread, however, reading Jnorth and Nancy made me reflect on why I stay in this hobby after 5 years and lots of grief. Two summers ago, I lost a third of my collection to a mean bacteria that killed my babies before I could begin dipping them in tri/neocide (whatever). And then Mac came over every other day to give injections to save half of what remained. Ultimately many lived, but were disfigured. All that happened after the one and only time I showed. My fault, I didn't put my winner in a Qtank long enough when he came home. This year it was Hurricane Rita that killed every koi I had. And some were damn nice from the San Antonio sales and Mr. Yoshida. But I have started over thanks to Brett' Fish Farm and Vance. And believe me, living in Rita's aftermath is alot like New Orleans without the media. But having those living jewels in my backyard to see after driving through my hometown each day changes my whole outlook from sad to glad.

[mulberryjen]

I think of myself as having gotten burned by the koi hobby more than getting burned out - there is always something going awry when you least expect it! Just when you get settled into the whole zen art of it all and sit back and relax by the pond, a raccoon in wet suit pops up with your prize showa in it's nasty little paws.......or that demonic otter from Dick B.'s koi bedtime story awhile back

It's certainly a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs: the highs of buying new koi, meeting new koi kichi friends, and learning new things, to the lows of a pond pumping itself dry, outbreaks of disease, or getting caught up in silly politics. Time (and the occasional sabbatical from koi boards and clubs when tempers are high) heals the burnout from whatever disappointments and frustrations ail me and I always end up back out at the pond again, happily fooling with the fish.