my koi ....

[CountryEscape]

Wow, Koiguy, I didn't remember you had them inside since September! My "babies" are doing swell in my basement "pool". Now that I have found a use for the kiddie pool, if I ever get any koi to spawn, I could put babies in the indoor pool if I wanted to. Thanks again for telling all of is it's possible to have our koi in the basement, if we have the room, for the winter.

 

[koiguy1969]

CountryEscape.... i'm glad its working out for you. now you make some spawn mops and use it as a hatchery / nursery.....give the fry a fighting chance.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

I was wondering how often to feed my fishies since they are inside (well the back porch which is somewhat heated) for the winter. They do like to hang around on the bottom of their winter tub but come a runnin when I give em food about twice a week. They are still fat so I'm guessing they are not starving, yet I have no vegatation in the tub. I just have 5 goldfish biggest being bout 6" down to 4 1/2. Any suggestions?

 

[addy1]

If your water is below 50 you can stop feeding them until it warms again. Mine have not been fed since 12/1 or so. I do see them nibbling on the plants that are still alive in the pond.

 

[koiguy1969]

for water temps of 60* f or less wheatgerm food is the way to go..that is down to 50* , then stop feeding all together, untl spring and the water hits back up to 55*, consistantly for atleast several days straight. and start them on wheatgerm food again until 65*or higher.

 

[sissy]

I put garlic in the food to help them feed better and it supposed to help there immune system .I use it for the koi but the goldfish like it also

 

[koiguy1969]

Garlic has some natural antibiotic properties....it doesnt improve immune systems,as i understand it, with prolonged use it can actually weaken or slow them. a short term use in the spring can aid in the fish coming out of torpor with any "bugs" they may be carrying in their gut.

 

[taherrmann4]

Might help keep the spawning down with all that garlic breath. :razz:

 

[CountryEscape]

Koi Guy, if I use a spawn mop, then I really need to bring it inside to let them grow up, before putting them back in the pond, right? Or at least I assume that is the idea. Then I will have far too many koi, so I'm tempted to let nature take it's course and see if ANY fry survive spawnings. My goldfish spawned at least 3 times that I spotted, and there were babies of at least 3 different sizes. Only about 10 of them survived, but that was with 11 koi and 11 goldfish in the pond, so I figured that was pretty good. Of course now I need to think out my goldies. Planning on keeping the long-finned ones, and letting the short tail babies go. That will thin it down to about 10 again. Local pet shop said he will buy them from me as long as they are longer than 1.5". Well, they were ALL longer than that at the end of the year, so that's no problem. Even my smallest baby, which I will keep as I'm hoping it is a long-fin, it's a Shubunkin and really prettily marked, was 2" come winter, and it is my smallest baby. I went so far as to write down descriptions of all of the fish individually on paper. That way I will know who changed their color over winter. Every single fish I have is identifiable, even the solid orange/red goldies, as there were different sizes of them.
Oh, and what is the best spawn mop? I think people make them, just wondering what works best and is easiest to make. Also, I have lots of lilies around the pond, and the babies tend to hide in that area, but what other pond plants work well for hiding the fry?
Thanks!
Patti

 

[addy1]

lol good for you country, you are very detailed. I can pick out a few among the masses due to their coloring and shape.

 

[sissy]

Hey they may like sucking face with that garlic breathe also ..I found out also that fresh fruit and veggies help the koi also .I guess they are like humans in a way .I guess thats why aggie and bert like blueberries and strawberries .I have only kept 3 babes out of all the babes I got the rest went to neighbors and freinds starting ponds .Last year I only had one baby and he got stuck in the filter .

 

[koiguy1969]

CountryEscape ...for fry...you may want to put the pool setup outdoors...you want to keep the water above 63*f or the eggs may not hatch,65*- 70* degrees IS OPTIMAL for growth in newly hatched fry...the warmer the water the faster they will grow...dont want to go over 70* for the first few weeks tho. the higher water temps can cause defects, especially in the first week. after 4 - 5 weeks they should be of sufficient size (1" +) to introduce them to the pond..i usually do after a month. the adult fish usually will only pose a threat until they recognise the fry as fish not some type of larvae.
spawning mops are an easy make...theres a thread in the DIY section from koikeepr on how...i do basically the same but more yarn for a thicker mop.

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks, Mark. I will check out koikeeper's DIY on the spawning mop. Not sure how I could keep the water temps at 70 or so in the baby pool, as that would change a lot with the air temps. But, if they spawn early, maybe that would be the best thing. I appreciate the details about water temps posing defect possibilities, as I wondered why some have defects and some not. I'm sure there are other reasons, but this is at least something a person could watch for and try to regulate.

 

[koiguy1969]

i'm in michigan....our climates are quite similar... i use totes and baby pools and simply shading them keeps them under control.....the first week is most important. you will also want to look at this thread for raising healthy fry.
http://www.gardenpon...-own-fry-foods/
i feed live brine shrimp for 2 weeks, then over a week i switch them to freeze dried brine shrimp...cheap on ebay...even 1/2 lb goes along way!...you'll be hand feeding at less than a month old.
oh...on the spawn mops ...make several

 

[sissy]

anyone ever see a purple fantail or here of it .Koi farm e-mailed me from NC and said he will be getting them in and he will also be getting in the garra pingi pingi cold water algae eater I asked for .Algae eater is 7 dollars and fantails he said i could have one for 2 dollars /figure someone here must know of them