GreatDanesDad
Electro-Mechanical Engineer
Sad news this weekend. I have had 2 large yellow butterfly Koi, one male and one female, that I purchased from a friend last spring. The fish were hand fed when I bought them and full of personality. I have two Great Danes that spend much time in the pond area with me, and have never shown any aggression towards the fish, and actually act very well to keep birds and other predators out of the yard.
Sadly I watched my parents Boxer over the weekend and he is not so un-interested in the fish. As my son was feeding the fish, the boxer snuck up and grabbed my large male by the head. With a single shake of the head, the fish was injured beyond recovery.
His name was Tiger Dragon. I have attached the best pictures I have in his memory. He was officially 25” long and 11.6 lbs.
So now is where I need your guys advice and experience. He was my only mature male. He and my large female “Dragon Lilly” who is about 3 inches longer an at least one and a half times his girth, spawned twice last year and produced some beautiful babies.
I want more babies this summer and need to know if I should try to find a new male or if you think the other fish in my pond will spawn. My other Koi (not last year’s spawn), were fingerlings when I put them in the pond. That was last May. I read that they usually don’t spawn till about two years or more, but these fish grew at an excessive rate due to the heat here and I had them on a timed feeding every 4 hours 24 hours a day. All 8 of the fingerlings are 12 inches or longer and have good body shape.
So my question is, do Koi spawn based on age or size? Do you think it is possible that year old foot long Koi would produce milt, or do you think I need to find another male Koi if I want a successful spawn next spring?
Thank you in advance for your concern.
Sadly I watched my parents Boxer over the weekend and he is not so un-interested in the fish. As my son was feeding the fish, the boxer snuck up and grabbed my large male by the head. With a single shake of the head, the fish was injured beyond recovery.
His name was Tiger Dragon. I have attached the best pictures I have in his memory. He was officially 25” long and 11.6 lbs.
So now is where I need your guys advice and experience. He was my only mature male. He and my large female “Dragon Lilly” who is about 3 inches longer an at least one and a half times his girth, spawned twice last year and produced some beautiful babies.
I want more babies this summer and need to know if I should try to find a new male or if you think the other fish in my pond will spawn. My other Koi (not last year’s spawn), were fingerlings when I put them in the pond. That was last May. I read that they usually don’t spawn till about two years or more, but these fish grew at an excessive rate due to the heat here and I had them on a timed feeding every 4 hours 24 hours a day. All 8 of the fingerlings are 12 inches or longer and have good body shape.
So my question is, do Koi spawn based on age or size? Do you think it is possible that year old foot long Koi would produce milt, or do you think I need to find another male Koi if I want a successful spawn next spring?
Thank you in advance for your concern.