Got my first yellow koi today

[Shdwdrgn]

I've been checking out the weekly intake at PetSmart, trying to find a solid yellow koi with some strong black patterns. Tall order, but they do get some interesting fish now and then. Today I got ahold of my first koi with yellow features. While not what I was looking for, this one was interesting enough on its own to warrant the purchase. It has a solid yellow head, with a mixture of yellow/black along the backside, and yellow/white through the sides. The yellow color continues into some of the fins.

Besides the bright yellow color, this one stood out because of the very large scales down its side. I've seen these before, but forget what they're called, however the overall combination of colors and scales immediately caught my eye.

The poor thing hadn't been out of its shipping box more than an hour or two, and got plopped right back into a bag. NOT a happy fish! It was splashing around the bag all the way home. I got it set out to acclimate to the pond temperature, and had poured in the first cup of pond water into the bag, but when I went back out to add another cup of water, the fish was gone! I guess it just couldn't wait any more, as it had managed to jump up over the edge of the bag and into the pond. I've been checking on it through the evening, and it appears to be just fine, swimming around with the smaller goldfish. I really can't wait to see how this one looks as it grows!

All right, picture time... Sorry they're not that great, but grabbing pictures while it was still in the bag was the best I could do without stressing it even more.

 

[j.w]

The yellow really stands out. Will be interesting to see how it changes. How big is it? It's hard to tell in the bag. Hope he settles down nicely in his new home tonight w/ his new buddies :goldfish:

 

[fishin4cars]

The scale pattern is a doitsu, as for the yellow, I wouldn't get my hopes up to high that it will stay yellow. Probabilities it will not have yellow when full grown. yellow is one of the most unstable colors and with that much broken pattern and the overall effects I would be surprised if that yellow is still there by this time next year. I hate to tell you that but I have seen a bunch of yellows and very few will stay that way. On another note, Beware, your doing a big no no when it comes to koi, I REALLY recommend isolationg new fish for 3-4 weeks before releasing them with the rest of your fish. You'll get away with it most of the time but when it bites it bites hard! Petsmart is notorious already for having just about every know parasite, bacteria and fungal infection known to come from there stores, they move massive quanities of fish and they can't steralize each tank before the next shipment. I used to do it too! NOT ANY MORE! Wipe out a whole pond and it will make you think twice, wipe out a Prized 15" or larger koi and your going to be sick and kicking yourself. Good luck, I hope nothing happens and I hope it stays bright yellow and your happy with it for many years to come, But I am posting the truthful facts.

 

[addy1]

Pretty fish, good find, fingers crossed it will stay the color you want............

 

[koidaddy]

He looks similiar to one I picked up a few weeks ago. Nice find.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Erg the new forum doesn't automatically subscribe me to my own threads!

j.w - its about 3" long. Most of the ones I've gotten have been from their 'small' tank, just because they have a higher turnover so I find more new ones that I like.

fishin - yeah we've been bit a couple times by the camalanus worms (in our aquariums), and let me tell you, when those things come in, 3-4 weeks of QT is NOT enough time! They have a 6-12 week incubation period, and none of your regular meds will treat it. On top of that, even if you surpass the incubation period, it can still take even longer before the affected fish show any visible signs. I know I've been pushing my luck with that sort of thing, but I simply don't have a QT tank that I can hold a koi in for 3 months. At this point, though, the only other addition I am looking for is a solid yellow - otherwise I think the pond is well stocked with some good variety.

 

[fishin4cars]

If you go to the top of the page right above your sign in name you'll see follow this topic, click it and it will update you to post like the old site did. Your right on the incubation time to camalanus. This is a rare infection in most cases but then again KHV is too but it's deadly and once introduced you Can't treat it, I just wanted to make sure your aware of the risk. Even with a hospital tank here I still add fish to fish but I keep my new fish away from my big guys for the first few months, I usually add the new fish to the main pond once or twice a year and remove my unwanteds for going to sale or to be adopted at that time as well. I'm fully stocked as well but every once in a while I find one that is just I HAVE TO HAVE. I picked up a Tanco gin rin Sanke this last weekend. As soon as I saw it it was a must have fish, I've already picked out at least four fish that could be removed so that this one can grow out! Oh and a solid yellow, Doitsu mettalic yellow! Mine is still one of my favorite koi in the pond, and it's not a butterfly! LOL

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Well wonders never cease, I actually ran across another yellow koi today! We were getting shrimp at PetCo, when I spotted this one across the row of tanks. A yellow butterfly koi with just a bit of white on the bottom of its belly. It has beautiful flowing fins, possibly longer than the two butterflies I already have, and the yellow color seems pretty strong throughout the body. I wasn't expecting to get any more this season, but I liked the looks of it.

Sorry for the bad focus, but this is the best shot I got of the full body..

This one at least was in focus, but I got some bad distortions through the bag...

 

[fishin4cars]

That's a good looking fish! LOT"S better chance that one might stay yellow, great find!

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Thanks! I'm hopeful. At the very least, maybe there will be some good genes present to produce a solid yellow baby at some point. Of course I have no clue how to sex them, except for the obvious behaviors when they are spawning, but this brings me to a total of 6 new koi I have gotten this year, so there has to be a good mix of male and female.

By the way fishin, I sent you an email awhile back about the plants, but it was right after the forum changed, so I'm not sure it you ever got it?

 

[fishin4cars]

Don't think I did. I went and looked don't see anything. They doing good? I hope!

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Just that at least one of the marsh hibiscus survived. Most of the plants are doing well. The fish seem to have eaten the dark taro and the thalia. I still have a green taro that I keep replanting... they really seem to like pulling it up. I was hoping that feeding them the zucchini would help their appetite for plant destruction, but unfortunately it hasn't. At least they don't bother the irises, and those are doing great. Lots of strong new leaves, most of them are standing around 18" tall already. I'll be getting more pictures before the plants die back at the end of Summer, but I'm expecting a massive amount of plant growth next Spring.

 

[fishin4cars]

Sounds good, had to give the others a try. They may still grab a good hold before winter. You might could try some spirillina pellets to see if that will get them more of there veggies, Cut up canned green beans work pretty good too.

 

[addy1]

The plants you sent me are doing great fishin, the thalia is huge, it is in the bog, when reading about overwintering it, I think I need to pull and put in the pond. Not sure, It is rooted so well I may just see how it does.

 

[j.w]

All my little Hibiscus seeds are sprouted and doing good. Thalia seeds haven't sprouted yet but don't know how long it takes.