Fish Growth

[Peppy]

Measured the koi yesterday. I don't know what the koi I've had for a while measured last year because I haven't measured them for years. But the new ones, I went by the ebay ads. I thought the ebay fish were great when I got them but since buying two koi from Nissai Koi Farm this summer, I see a difference in the quality--the NKF koi of course being the better quality. I can't even put my finger on what the difference is but it's so obvious--that's all I can tell you.


fish growth.gif

I think it's interesting that the Hariwake has a small mouth and finds it difficult to get the big pellets inside and the Matsukawabake has a hard time seeing the pellets. I think he's near sighted.

Not the growth of experts but a huge improvement for me. The climate in PA isn't a long growing season. Not as short as some but certainly not as long as the southern growing season. And then I'm still learning and working on my fishkeeping skills.

I know it's nearly 2 years for a couple of the above koi but they never grow good for me in quarantine. I'd like to change that in the future with a better and bigger quarantine setup.

Anyway, anybody else want to chime in with their growth? I'm sure more than one of you guys will put me to shame, LOL.

[koikeepr]

They're like people, Peppy. Have many of the same afflictions we have. Poor eyesight, picky with pellet size, picky about food, etc.

I think you're growth number are amazing in a short period. I confess I never bowl my fish to measure 'em, I just guess by eyesight. I can't stand catching 'em and I know they don't like to be caught. But, of course, there is value in the data.

[Kntry]

You're getting good growth. In a mud pond, fry will grow to 12-15" the first summer. The next summer it's possible to put another 8-10".

In my pond, my fish were growing about 4-5" a year and that's at 3-4 years old. It's all about water quality and stocking levels. At 3-4 years old, most of my fish were 19-25". Chagoi, Ogon and Soragoi will usually grow faster than other koi.

[Peppy]

Kntry, maybe some day I'll do as good as you! My oldest koi, the black koi, will soon be my smallest at 19 inches. Poor girl spent her first couple years in a 300 gallon, above-ground pond made from utility pole crossarms and a swimming pool liner. I have to keep her. She paid high dues. And I do love her anyway.

I bought seven fish last year from 6 to 8 inches. Was that their first or second year do you think?

[Kntry]

I would hope it was their first year.

The most important years for koi to grow are the first 3. They can catch up later but will never be as large as genetically possible, by maybe 2-3". They continue to grow, just not as fast.

Don't over crowd the fish. My mud pond is approx. 70,000 gallons and I have 7 fish in it. When I had my pond set up, it was 5600 gallons with 8 big girls (24-30") and 4 Nisai at about 16". It was overstocked but I had it set up on flow through so it was constantly exchanging 200-300 gallons a day plus 20% water changes on the weekend. They grew very well in that pond.

[Peppy]

So I guess mine were Nisai this year then? The six new ones from last year I mean. And they're 14 to 17.5 inches so I guess I'm happy with that. I'd better be happy since this is the first year I had fish that grew more than a couple inches.

The pond is 5500 gallons with a constant trickle of 5% daily (275 gallons) which replaces the backwash and then overflows until the next backwash.

Now that I think about it, my home-made babies were Nisai this year too and they're only 11 and 12 inches but I was surprised they got even that big. They spent last year in the 300 gallon stock tank and overwintered in it.

I hope somebody gets to 24" next year. I can't imagine it. If that happens, I'll be thrilled.

70,000 gallons? That is HUGE! Is that like an acre of water? Wow, that's like a dozen times my pond. Hard to imagine. And only 7 koi? That would KILL me! How do you do it??? Don't you want just one more and then just one more ad infinitum?

[Kntry]

It's a mud pond so I really can't see them. I can't wait to build my pond.

Yes, I always want more koi but I also want them big and in great shape so it's a trade off. If I get another koi, I have to rehome one that I have. At least now that I have a 5000 QT and the mud pond, once I get my pond built I can rotate the fish between the pond and the mud pond.

[Peppy]

I'm smiling here because you QT pond is about the size of my pond! Are you from Texas??? LOL!

[Kntry]

No, Louisiana. I spend a lot of money on fish so I need to do it right. This is just an above ground swimming pool, 4x16', that I buried in the ground. Nothing special. It cost $280 at Sam's a few years ago. I did all the filtration so it didn't cost an arm and leg.

[Coach]

When I used to go to japan, I'd see dealer's display ponds just packed with koi
and i'd wonder how the heck they ever crammed so many into one place without issues. now a days, I do the same thing with mine. I've got a dozen "lunkers" in my tiny 2,000 gallon inside pond. They're all just basking around looking for food. 36% of the gallonage is in filtration alone and that seems to have been the key.

I'll be off with sandy and a few dozen others here soon to find some tosai at purdin to add to my tategoi. Always room for a "few" more