How to prepare koi for show ?

[dimashp]

Dear all,
I'm planning to enter 3 of my koi to National Show next April. All of the koi now are inside my own mud pond (6 koi inside around 10mx15m with depthf range from 60cm to 1.5m). I feed them Ogata Wheatgerm twice a day with and extra vegetable twice a week. My question is, how to prepare them properly for a show ? As in, when i should take them out from the pond at put them inside a concrete one ? I have a concrete pond which i just finished built for the sole purpose of preparation and quarantine (it's 3mx2mx1m). It is not too deep because, it is not a main pond. Water supply is directly from the springwater (just flow in and out). I measured the gH (less than 1) and pH which is hovering around 6.5-7 (kinda a little bit acid but i guess it is allrite since 6.5-7 is considered normal).

Well, the koi are Bekko (now is 44cm-which i believed will touch 50 easily-it is male-but i just checked out with Ogata, he has a good male posture), Sanke (37cm, which i predict will be 45plus plus later on)and Yamabuki Ogon (now is 28cm and i bet gonna reach just below 40).

What should i do with them ? I do not believe in COlour Enhancing food as i just nurture them in natural way. But, the food that are available here are Hikari (almost all kind), Saki (quite rare), Ogata Wheatgerm and Performance, Sakai Colour, Nozomi. So any idea what should i do ?

Thankx alottt !!!

Dimas

[HEADACHE6]

I have heard you would want to remove salt from the water . This helps remove any extra slim coat caused from the salt . The length of time for this I'm not sure .

[Bob Winkler]

Hi Dimas and welcome to Bito ..... Here is an outline of what has worked fairly well for us preparing our koi for a koi show and the process afterwards for safety and health...Hope it will help your koi.

Before the Show

1) Deciding to take your koi is a personal choice
A) True quality evaluation by competition and judge’s insight
B) Getting involved in a show opens up a new “world”
C) A teaching opportunity for potential koi keepers.
D) Pride in your “babies”.
E) Why not show?
Transporting difficulties and risks to koi

2) Preparing Koi takes effort and planning
A) The payoff is healthy koi
B) Have to have consistently excellent water quality
C) Can be a lot of fun
D) Possible show winner with less money spent
E) Takes several months to do it right

3) Walk around the Show tanks and see what captures your “eye”.
What is this person doing different?

3) Select a “potential” group of candidates
A) It’s hard to know exactly which koi will improve the most under this plan
B) Can plan for a few shows if not too close together
C) Which classes to leave home and which to take (always have the tiebreakers)

4) 4 months before the Show
A) Feed 6-10 x/day Hikari Excel, Hi Growth (Wheat Germ), Paste food recipe borrowed from JR- (Izeki Paste Food, one catfish fillet, collared greens, Uncooked, unshelled shrimp, frozen green peas, one red bell pepper, whole wheat germ, baby vitamins, orange juice, and non flavored gelatin mixed in a food processor and poured out onto cookie sheet. Refrigerate this for one day, then cut into squares and into Tupperware)
B) Treats of Prawns, watermelon, grapefruit.
C) Pond Temp 75-80F
D) Refresh Brand montmorillionite clay at a rate of one cup/week/10,000 gallons
E) Water change 10-15%/week

5) 2 ½ months before the Show
A) Eliminate Excel/Spirulina and Paste food over next two weeks
B) Feed Hi-Silk and Hi-Growth (wheat germ) 50/50% 6-10x/day
C) Pond Temp 75-80F
D) Refresh powder 1 ½ cups/week/10,000 gallons
E) Water Change 20-25%/week


6) 1 month before Show
A) Feed only Hi-Silk, but less times per day
B) Pond Temp 70-75F
C) Refresh Powder 1 ½ cups/week/10,000 gallons
D) Water Change 20-25% per week
E) Find out water parameters at show if possible

7) 2 weeks before the Show
A) Reduce Hi-Silk to once/day
B) Pond Temp 70F or Ambient
C) Water Change 10%/day
D) Bowl and photograph all koi (helps verify how many tanks needed, and if extra help will be necessary)
E) Refresh 1 ½ cups/week/10,000 gallons

8) 1 week before the Show
A) Stop all food
B) Water quality at show levels
C) Water Change 10% every other day
D) Refresh 1 cup/10,000 gallons every other day

9) Show Day
A) Final decision on which koi make the trip at final viewing
B) Double or triple bag and box with O2, Elbagin, pond water
C) Bring extra supplies of each of the above to the show
D) Load boxes sideways in transport vehicle
E) Relax, you are almost there

After the Show

1) Quarantine show koi just like any new arrival
2) Quarantine pond water at show temp, with 0.3% salt, and Elbagin (1g per 236 gallons), Mature filter and possible “canary” koi
3) Low to no light, with majority of “well secured” surface covered with strips of Styrofoam.
4) 1st week
A) No food for 1 week
B) 1st microscope exam at 3 days for parasites, and treat for any found.
C) Temp adjusted up to 72-75F
D) Lights on, and half of Styrofoam removed at end of week

5) Weekly Refresh powder added at 1 cup/10,000 gallons and microscope exams for next 3 months and treat as needed for any parasites
6) Minimum Quarantine time is 3 months.

[Russell Peters]

Thanks Bob,

I don't think you could have given a more complete answer.

I think this will be very helpful to a lot of people.

[aquitori]

There's a "National Koi Show" again?

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori There's a "National Koi Show" again?

Must be a mistake?

[KoiCCAPW]

Well we don't know where dimashp lives we can't speculate.
Mr/Ms dimashp, I'll be playing the part of Mickey and ask you please could you fill out your profile, and tell us where you live? It really does help with good answers.
Although in this case it's about as good as you can get.
Thank's Bob!
Since dimashp measures in cc's perhaps it's a different nation than the good ol' USA. Some countries that are smaller could very well have a national show.

[aquitori]

I also want to add is keep it simple...if this is your first show bring 2-3 fish. Once you get your feet wet so to speak, then start bringing more.

[keokoi]

I think this is an Aussie National show.. I think?

Joe

[dimashp]

Bob Winkler ! Thankz alot ! That's was superb explanation !

Anyway, before i go on...I'm from Indonesia...And usually there are 2 National shows a year which i believe have some connection with ZNA...1 Local Show (which is basically, all the locally bred koi are fighting against each other)...and few small competition amongst the koi community...However, my target is the fist one...the national show...

http://www.apki.info/

That's the official site of Indonesian Koi Asscociation...Just drag on the Koi Show (sorry it's in Indonesian...but Koi it indeed a language!)

Actually i entered my Bekko last year and won 3rd in Shiro-Bekko (Utsuri Class)...And my koi supllier guy actually asked me to enter it again last year Decemberm, but i was very busy...and he allowed me to buy his best stock (which is sanke) for super low price...i have no pictures sory, i forgot to bring camera before i released it to my mudpond...but, i was in state of shocked, coz it is the first time i saw a locally bred tategoi...the sumi are not there yet...and with perfect body and orange in colour...usually, at her size, all the local fishes are already finished...

Anyway, i think four months preparation is kinda too long, as my objectives is to reach their potential at mudpond...so my plan is, mid March...I will take them out from the mudpond, and put it inside the concrete pond...I still have about a month (4 weeks) for them to be prepared...But, the problem is...I will mix Bekko and Sanke together...so I am scared if i feed my Sanke with colour enhancing food, my Bekko will be enhanced too (kiddin, scared will effect his Shiroji)...and actualy, i'm a believer of nature law....i won't feed any food which contains any colour enhancer untul he/she reaches 50cm...hmmm...yeah...anyway...

from my own experiences, i've been using Hikari, Nozomi, Ogata-All Wheatgerm...and...Ogata comes as a winner ! in short spell of one month...my koi's body (not just 3 of them, but all) improve tremendously...the best example is my Bekko, he was super male in body, but with Ogata...He is gaining strength in body size (shoudler area)...Well, he is still a Male no matter what...and does anyone heard about Sakai Colour ? Is it that good ? coz, i heard from my friends...It is the best for Colour and the most expensive here !

Thanks alot all !!!