How many of you QT your fish from Japan instead of the your dealer doing it?

[Bob Winkler]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori That's what I dont understand why people would QT their fish from Japan and not let the dealer do it for them. Why would you want a headache when someone else could have it for you.

Great input by several people. I have a hypothetic question related to above that may help. Let's say u give money to a dealer to handpick your koi in japan, or go with a dealer. Either way, there is usually a % of the purchase price charge the dealer adds to the koi, but it doesn't come close to the purchase price. Let's say you pay all the costs associated with said koi, so dealer truly has no other hardcosts involved. Now let's say the dealer agrees to quarantine your koi because you have been a fairly good customer, but did it as a favor. Dealer didn't insist on quarantining the koi, which is important as some dealers do before releasing the koi to any hobbyist. Even if the hobbyists' preference is to do it themselves. Note. this is why I prefer to do it my self because of this scenario and some losses that occurred there.

During quarantine, the koi gets sick and either gets a disfiguring ulcer or dies
from KHV or anything really. Not much different to me. Does the dealer owe the purchase price of the koi or to replace it? I think not. Neither the dealer nor the breeder owe anything, but if the koi came in sick perhaps good business for the breeder to help out? But certainly not owed. If one receives it themselves, easier to know that.

If the dealer insisted on quarantining themselves, we have a potential problem however. And so many questions, probably not able to prove or find out. What if the KHV source is different than where you bought your koi from? And the koi "sources" were mixed during the quarantine. Or what if the KHV source is your koi and killed alot of other peoples koi. Can you see where this is headed? It's like your kid made a stupid decision and hurt somebody they come and sue you for whatever you have.

We should control what we can and minimize the risks. If one is lucky like Nancy to be able to see the koi day after day and get the testing, then i can understand and support that. But for me, it is less risky to have the "bird in the hand". I am thankful for the role the dealer plays and understand how for some people there is no substitute. But can't see the sense in the extra risk for our koi. The only downside being the short term risk early during the flight. This being in the face of having lost one koi (out of 38) imported this way due to weakness upon arrival and my own lesser ability to help it. I think if it was quarantined at the dealer it might have lived. His koi from the same breeder, age, and display tank did live, but not without extra help. We have lost 3 (out of 8 this way) others in a dealer quarantine, so by average it has been better to get them sent on directly to us.