The dangers in showing koi....

[aquitori]

I was wondering how some of you who show fish, would feel after the show and found out one of your competitors showed a fish infected with KHV?

I for one, would be pissed!!!

[MCA]

Not a question of how you feel.....it would be what are you going to do about it.

First all shows should have rules against knowingly showing KHV fish. If you find out someone has knowingly done that...turn them into the show committee. Also, ask hosting organizaton in advance to use splash guards between tanks. They are relatively cheap and easy to make from pvc and rolls of plastic.

[Brutuscz]

The shows that I have done...and am doing this season, use good methods. We all have our own bowls, nets, etc. Disinfecting station with fluids and all. I would still be really angry if someone knowingly brought in an infected fish. Not a very nice, or intelligent thing to do!!!

[Fishbreeder]

In all my years I have never heard a story of somebody that brought KHV home from a koi show just by showing koi.

Buying from a vendor at a koi show, another matter.

I understand that in California there are at least some hobbiests with "heat treated and saved" koi that take them and enter them into shows. Rumors only. But, where there is smoke....

Brett

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fishbreeder In all my years I have never heard a story of somebody that brought KHV home from a koi show just by showing koi. Buying from a vendor at a koi show, another matter. I understand that in California there are at least some hobbiests with "heat treated and saved" koi that take them and enter them into shows. Rumors only. But, where there is smoke.... Brett

Brett

I live in California, and I have heard that same rumor, survivors from KHV... Being entered in a koi show. Either the person is stupid or has no morals, ethics etc....

[dick benbow]

now that the main reaction to a situation has been aired, what can we do about it?

I think all affiliated clubs be they AKCA or ZNA need to incorporate on their show release forms that get signed, that the owner of all koi entered, does so knowing his koi are free from and not carriers of KHV. Any infraction will result in being barred for life from any furthur participation in shows with said affiliation. ( or something to that effect )

Maybe you don't agree with my suggestion, but I think something Pro Active needs to be done to act as a deterent for such a possible situation where other's collections are put at risk.
So what might that be?

[JasPR]

Yes, I KNOW for a fact that some fish entered in a California koi were KHV survivors. How do I know that? Because the owner TOLD me so. But this was a long while ago now. Before the current awareness of the general public was in place.

The boo birds will always kick at the hobby from the sidelines. It doesn't matter if is about competition issues, health issues or judging issues- it is human nature that a percentage of people on the side lines will take pot shots at organizations and their shows.

So if that is not going to change, then we simply all need to do our part in protecting the fish at the show. It begins with the breeder, then the dealer, then the exhibitor and then the benching team and water quality people. 99 plus percent of the people that entter koi in koi shows never have a problem at or after shows. I know MORE people who have lost fish from using the wrong water source during packing to go home than have ever lost koi AT the show or as a result of the show.
There are enough precautions in place now that the 'sky is not falling' no matter how much noise is made on the internet.
Koi are kept separate
'In Show' protection is practiced between tanks and equipment
most exhibitors are responsible.

The sky is not falling. JR

[koiczar]

Question for ALL who have posted on this thread - HAS ANYONE HAD A KHV RELATED PROBLEM IF THEY SHOWED FISH IN A SHOW WHERE KNOWN KHV EXPOSED FISH WERE ENTERED?

JR

Thanks for slowing down the fire storm. While it is a VERY important issue, I do believe all the California shows have protocols in place using splash guards and the standard long time rules of individual nets/tubs, etc to be relatively safe. If you think there is/was a problem at a particular show, let the managing organization know about it.

Some hobbyist's don't know whether they have KHV exposed/survivor fish or not. So, suppose someone unknowingly brings these fish to a show - are they any less guilty than the person who "knows it" and thinks it's safe because they are immune/survivors?

Mike

[JasPR]

Interesting question. The boo birds are very close to the chicken littles in their outlook on things. I see these folks a lot like PETA, you just can't make them happy. If the fur coats get lost , they complain about the treatment of live beef. If the industry comes up with cloned synthetic beef, they are still not happy because it is still not vegaterian? So the issue was never the fur, never the treatment of cattle and never source of animal flesh, it was that we are not all eating nuts and berries! I know, crazy example. But it does point to the futility of appeasing emotionally driven personalities.

Personally, I think that so much has to be in place FOR serious problems at a koi show that the odds are remote of having a problem. The carrier must be a show fish, the carrier must be owned by an exhibitor who never heard of KHV, just bought a KHV carrier or doesn't care. The fish in question then somehow has to get to the show with having killed the exhibitors collection and then be in the transmission mode where it is actively shedding virus, then that virus needs to jump to another tank , through all the various protocol barriers, without having killed it's own tank mates???

Listen, we keep out koi OUTDOORS. Yet every week someone in the USA looses their koi to predators. Otters, herons, kingfishers, turtles, snakes, raccoons , eagles, alligators and even domestic cats. Still we leave our koi outside at risk.
Every week thousands of koi hobbyists do water changes. Yet a percentage will kill their fish doing this as the chlorine, chloramine content will be just too high. But we still 'recklessly' keep doing water changes.
Every day, a percentage of hobbyists overfeed their fish. As a result we have ovarian tumors, early deaths, disease and bacterial infections. But we still feed our fish.

KHV carriers are a risk. I would suggest that facts and statistics since 1995 suggest it is a very small risk. The boo birds and chicken littles would have you believe it is a great risk. The facts do not favor their point of view.
Only precautions can reduce risk- not eliminate it . JR

[aquitori]

It seems that some are okay with it, given a protocal is in place. Now let's look at it in the eyes of the hobbyist and not from one who has his hands working the show.

I for one regardless how safe the situation might be at a koi show, would just not enter my fish knowing there were or are fish entered with KHV. I thought the whole thing about koi shows was to have fun and learn. To learn someone has entered fish with KHV at a show months after having your fish there would bother the crap out of me.

Maybe, I am seeing things differently since I know some havent shown in awhile, but from one who loves to show I would be extremely pissed off at the hobbyist who would do or consider doing that type of crap and even more so to the show persons involved for allowing it. JMHO.....