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| Koi Grow Out Your experiences from the koi grow-out competition |
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02-01-2008
| #21 (permalink) |
| Oyagoi  Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,414
| 31 January 2008 Horrid stormy day today and FedEx was running late. What had been a tentative arrival time of 9am ended up being over 3 hours late sometime around noon-thirty. Donning my farmer's rubber boots and pink pleather rain jacket with hood, I slogged down a quarter mile of muddy road that FedEx drivers fear to tread to wait near my mailbox on the highway. The wind was whipping in impatient gusts, pelting me with wave after wave of stinging rain. I'll tell you what, 30 pounds of box, fish and water feels like a ton when you're slipping, sliding and sloshing along, bucking a headwind back to the house with the whirling gusts strong enough to nearly pitch this sillywoman and her fish into the ditch along the starboard side of the road. It all flashed before my eyes the future headlines of the local rag, "Dairyville woman found expired in ditch, clutching box of exotic carp in a death grip..." *LOL*  As you can see, the box was pretty sodden. Even with the layers of thermals, sweats and cammies, my legs, unprotected by my pink pleather rain coat, were soaked to the skin. But at least I had my fish in...  Mystic Koi pack their koi very well--the temp of the shipping water was 55 degrees, just 5 degrees less than the QT at 60 degrees. I pulled the fish from the box and removed the outer bag so I could float them in the QT for about 45 minutes while temps equalized. The rubber band securing the inner bag had come unwound, releasing some water as well as oxygen into the outer bag but the fish seemed lively enough though well pinked up.  It only took about 30 minutes for the temps to stabilize and the fish took the transition well... (I will continue later this evening)
__________________ Marie http://www.koi-bito.com/forum/koi-gr...wout-form.html "Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." --Henry Ward Beecher |
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02-01-2008
| #23 (permalink) |
| Sansai  Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Redlands, California
Posts: 287
| Photo in Pink Raincoat........ I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time but it will be something to smile and laugh about in the future! I would be priceless to have a picture of you in your pink raincoat, soaking wet yet clutching a box of fish like your life depended on it!  I'm so fortunate that I live close by Mystic Koi only 20 minutes away! I hope to even get nice crisp photos of my Shiros before I toss em' in the new pond!  We're all looking forward to some nice clean pics of your new girls! The Pond Digger The Pond Digger Grow Out Stats
__________________ "Doubt sees the obstacles, Faith sees the way!" |
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02-01-2008
| #24 (permalink) | |
| Oyagoi Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,414
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02-01-2008
| #25 (permalink) | |
| Oyagoi Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,414
| Quote:
If I'm ever down that way we're gonna hafta visit Mystic together. I owe Bill one big bear hug for his attention and efforts to get these fish to me the best way possible. New pics coming from the topside QT as I finish my story.... | |
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02-01-2008
| #27 (permalink) |
| Oyagoi Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,414
| 1 February 2008 After I floated the kids and their temp stabilized to that of the Q, I hand picked them from the bag and put them in the bowl for viewing.     All of them were sensible fish, no crazy darting or trying to jump out, just a natural apprehension. I measured them with a tape held above them and they fairly patiently let me. Mikado was the largest of the group, 6 1/2", with the Tancho measuring in at 6" and the little Mystery Shiro at 5-5 1/2". I took a few hurried pics and released them into the Topside Q with my Longfins. The Longfins are all in-your-pocket tame koi--8"-14" in length if you count the tail--and the Omosakos immediately dove for cover beneath their voluminous fins. But it was only a matter of minutes before they rose curiously up to check out their new digs.   Mikado is the bravest of the bunch. The first to rise, the first to lead the whole Longfin/Omosako contingent around the Q and the first to the pellets I sprinkled in there to loosen everyone up. I don't know how, but that girl managed to suck down medium sized pellets with that tiny mouth of hers when the others couldn't. I'm having to mix sizes so everyone gets some--at least until I move them to the Glass Q where I can isolate and observe them all better. Amazing koi, Mikado...      |
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02-01-2008
| #29 (permalink) |
| Oyagoi  Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Davenport, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,763
| Never doubted it for a second I like the looks of them. Still a bit pinked up, but who wouldn't be all things considered  The bit o' black behind the right gill plate is just what I was hoping for on Mikado. Hopefully it will expand down to form motoguro on that pec and upward to wrap toward the shoulder The rest of the sumi pretty well speaks for itself already... |
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02-01-2008
| #30 (permalink) | |
| Oyagoi Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,414
| Quote:
 I can also see subcutaneous sumi creeping forward from her dorsal towards her shoulder a bit underneath the skin. I hope, though, that she keeps nice white shoulders with maybe only a little meandering of sumi stripes if at all. There's a lot of "we'll see" in this, huh.  They're still a little pinked up, but nowhere near as livid as yesterday. They're already outcompeting the longfins for food. Mikado is the leader of the Q-school now--the longfins and the others follow her almost everywhere. It's truly funny. As soon as I transfer them to the glass Q I'll be able to get some close ups of her sides and front to get a fuller look at her. From the topside it ain't hardly happening... | |
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