How wud you grow your koi

[hwong]

If you have summer all year round , how wud you grow your kois?

[PapaBear]

Interesting question. Having spent a lot of time on the Malaysian forum I've become somewhat familiar with the problems many Koi Keepers have with finding that "happy medium" of growth without compromising the health and lifespan of their pricey pets.
Having read and seen much over the past few years I am a believer in the benefits of a seasonal feeding/fasting regimen, but with the year around temperatures you guys have it would take a very expensive chiller to replicate that scenario so it must go out the window.
I think instead I might try an experiment in seasonal feeding both in quantity and content, possibly breaking the year up into trimesters or quarters, with show preparation getting it's own separate "mini season".
Using "show time" as the starting point, after the show and minimal feeding in quarantine I would begin feeding a high protein diet at 1.5-2% bodyweight per day, spread out over many small feedings throughout the day. Since you are wanting to build muscle and not fat, I would utilize foods ranging from 40-50% protein, as Koi will metabolize protein both for growth and energy. During this high growth season I would use feeds that are high in spirulina, fishmeal, crustaceans, vegetables, fruits, and grains, with a modest inclusion of silkworm powder.
After that I would switch to a diet more heavily oriented toward cleansing and purifying the skin and pigments. Reduce or eliminate the levels of spirulina, crustaceans, and veggies, with a heavier grain, and fishmeal content, and less if any silkworm. Keep the basic protein levels about the same, but feed only 1-1.5% bodyweight. Hopefully this would slow growth a bit, while allowing the fatty tissues to cleanse themselves and the skin to consolidate color into the hi and sumi plates.
For the next season, I would return to the original diet, to bulk up and strengthen color once again, until about 6 weeks before show-time. For show prep, I would slowly reduce quantities to less than 1% body weight, then .5%, and one full week of fasting. Eliminate all color enhancing food sources (spirulina, shrimp, fruit, veggies, etc...) and go with a bit more silkworm powder as a percentage of total feed. This should serve to whiten shiroji and brighten the color contrast just before the show.
Ok, I've tossed my 2 cents worth in. I'm ready to hear from some "REAL" experts now

[hwong]

Thanks Larry for your 2 cents woth I would really love to hear from more of the Gurus here. Perhaps I should be more specific a bit..

Lets say you have purchased a Nisai Kohaku (of potential show quality) and with the intention of showing her in the future. Lets target her for the 75cm category. You have Summer all year round. How would you raise her good and healthy so that she will have a good chance of winning.

I have read Duke Nguyen piece on how he raised his GC in Nichiren MAgazine. His weather conditions is closer to those in Japan with the 4 seasons. His koi has a cycle of growth and hibernation. In a one season environment, can we achieve the same kind of development?

[dick benbow]

I think Larry did a fine job of covering explicit details on a solid program to accomplish your agenda.

Keep in mind that the first two years of a tosai's life, prior to sexual maturity can be pushed very hard for growth. Depending on the quality and NOT outgrowing the Beni layers, this is the time to really push the koi for length.
Once a female begins to produce eggs at age 3-4, then the concern of feeding too much at the wrong time comes into play. Now would be a good time to use an all season's food mix for the majority of the year. Keep in mind that one program does not fit all individuals so close observation is important.

Those of us with seasons have it made over what some parts of the world have to deal with. As Larry indicated chillers are a costly albeit effective way to deal with it. But I would think tying in to the coldest temperatures as a time of abstenence from food would also work especially if they have a good algea growth on the pond to sustain them.

[MikeM]

I think koikeepers in Florida are still learning what is best, and we do not have the challenges of Malaysian "seasons". This is an important topic for the hobby. So much of the growth is in Southeast Asia, Indonesia and southern China.

Last evening at 7pm, my pond water was 82F. The koi were ravenous.

[dick benbow]

Mike, how's that beautiful yamabuki you got last fall at the quality koi harvest? Growing?

[hwong]

Hi all, thks for your comments thus far.

While most think that we are lucky to have ambient day temps of between 30~36 degrees C and our kois get to eat all year round, we generally dont get the kind of results we see in Japan with kois of similar quality. We find that our kois generally start to go downhill at 6 years.. We also seldom see kois with the good girth unless she is fed intensively all year round.

Our average day water temps are between 26 to 28 degrees C.

Would appreciate more inputs.

Cheers

[MikeM]

Well, Dick, I'll not be catching her to measure for a while. I'm guessing that she is around 24" now. A soft butter yellow. The sheen is still very nice. But, she is a glutton, and has a bit too much of a tummy. I'm thinking/hoping that resolves itself as she lengthens. It is good to have a Yamabuki again. She adds a cheerful note.

...back to topic, I think the metallics are not as adversely affected by warm climates as other varieties.

[JasPR]

Good morning. As you all know, I have sent a lot of time preaching on the Japanese view of koi as a four season fish and done my best to include hard science to highlight the normal hormonal shifts koi go through and how the science 'dovetails' nicely with Japanese observations on the common carp.
The funny thing is I find I usually get into heated debates with those who live in tropical and sub-tropical areas as they insist that 'warm' 365 days a year is a good thing. And at the same time, I am doing battle with someone on another board from the Great frozen north who insists that their koi flourish and love living under ice 4 months of the year!
Like all things, the truth is usually somewhere in-between! Koi are carp and carp have evolved to live in four seasons and now their physiology is pretty much stuck with that reality. What causes the confusion however is the carp's remarkable ability to survive and adapt. BUT please note, this does not mean they will respond over a life time in an optimal way to environments that so not allow for natural physiological function.
Here is a photo of the band of seasonal temperate areas that carp flourish in. They can exist far outside these ranges. But the challenges are in the areas of SIZE ( smaller in northern climes), WEIGHT ( chubby in the extreme north but short , lean in the south unless compensated for but then the life is shortened). LONGEVITY ( shorter life spans in general). DISEASE RESISTANCE ( less in the extreme north or extreme south).
So everyome can enjoy koi thanks to their survivability. But not everyone can expect long term results like the Japanese get. Not without paying homage to the koi's physiology and it's need to cycle hormones.

[PapaBear]

OK JR.
You're the one to blame for solidifying my belief in the 4 season benefits... so step up to HWONG's plate here.

Does my approach of using manipulated food seasons to achieve his goal hold water (year 'round warm water that is) or is there a better way? The balancing act confronted by hobbiests in those always warm climates is difficult to say the least. How do you build length and girth with such a high caloric burn rate without sacrificing health, longevity, and overall quality of color?