Tips for Buying Koi
Author: Barry Goodwin
Tips for Buying Koi carp
Tips on purchasing healthy Koi carp, Barry Goodwin looks at buying Koi carp and points out some pitfalls along the way.
It is always a very pleasant experience, buying a new Koi that is, but this event does not always have the pleasant outcome that we hoped for.
For the newcomer it makes for a nice day out, down at the Koi dealer or the garden centre with his or her spouse. They look at the plants, perhaps having lunch out and going home at the end of the day with a new Koi or two which are put straight into the pond they soon make friends with the other inhabitants and everything is tickety boo! A few days later a different picture emerges, the new Koi cease feeding and start to hang around near the surface of the pond and soon they are in real trouble - one of them dies. A few days later they notice that some of their existing Koi also go off feeding and start to hang around in a similar manner to the newly introduced Koi and soon two of them are dead also.
Acclimatisation and Quarantine
What had gone wrong? Well, the biggest mistake of all was that the Koi were purchased and taken straight home and put into the pond without any period of acclimatisation or quarantine having been observed and this must be the main reason for the largest amount of Koi deaths shortly after their purchase. A period of acclimatisation, with the Koi segregated in a separate system is essential to prevent the stressful effects of purchase, transportation and introduction to a new environment from adversely affecting the new fish. It will also prevent any disease or infection that they might be carrying from being passed on to the pond. This period can be observed as quarantine during which the Koi are observed to see if they exhibit any symptoms of parasites being present and if noted, the system should be treated with a proprietary antiparasite remedy. They should also be observed for signs of disease and the appropriate action taken if this is noted.
In our hypothetical pond the new small Koi could have died from several things:
* They could have succumbed to a pH difference between the dealers holding quarters and the home pond. Small Koi will not readily adjust to large pH swings and develop conditions known as acidosis or alkalosis, which can be fatal.
* They could have been stressed by the change of water chemistry or even a change in temperature which encouraged any parasites present to multiply out of control. This can trigger infection by the White Spot parasite that can be rapidly fatal, or Trichodina, Costia, or even Chilodonella, which is becoming more and more evident.
* They could have been carrying disease, which was triggered into action by the environmental changes mentioned above. The existing Koi then contracted the new Koi brought in and suffered a similar fate.
Therefore, rule number one is when you are bringing in new Koi Always acclimatise and quarantine them for a suitable period of time. This must apply whether or
not your dealer tells you that he has already quarantined the Koi. The handling at your dealer's premises, the subsequent journey to your pond, coupled with the introduction to different water conditions will all create stress. Stress is a very large trigger factor for disease and parasites.
However life is never as simple as that, and there are many things to look out for when contemplating a buying expedition and if you are to have success then you must
heed them all.
Koi for your garden pond
If you are just looking for Koi for your garden pond with no thoughts as to showing them your task is a little simpler but certain ground rules still apply. You must look for traits that will tell you whether or not the Koi is well bred such as does it have a large head and thin body? If it does then this could indicate a couple of things to you:
* The Koi could be diseased in some way or it could be harbouring parasites.
* The Koi could be genetically imperfect and the shape will just get worse and worse as it grows older. Always look for a Koi that is well proportioned - don't let a pretty pattern and colour blind you to this more important aspect - and you should get a better, healthier Koi.
* Beware of a Koi that sulks in a corner of the vat, this one could be harbouring just the problems that we spoke of earlier with our small Koi that died. Even a Koi that is not actually sulking but swims apart from the others could be nursing problems.
* Koi that show signs of physical damage are also to be passed by. Many injuries that Koi sustain in transit from their foreign destinations will not readily heal because of the adverse circumstances and stress of transit. What seems small in the dealers vat could very soon develop into a major problem when you get it home. Even split fins come into this category, for you do not know the history of the Koi, which could govern its stress level and its chances of recovery.
* Beware of pectoral fins that are not the same size or shape as each other, they could have been damaged or infected and have been trimmed by the dealer. This could so easily break out into infection again, so pass these by as soon as you notice them.
* Raised scales are another danger they may be due to a knock and will recover easily or they could be infection that is setting in from earlier parasite damage to the body. This is then a lot more serious and very possibly beyond your prowess to recover.
* Damage around the eyes is also a danger signal for there are strains of bacteria which specifically infect the Koi here and recovery is a very precise task for the keeper.
* Noses can get rubbed during transit, usually known as 'bag injury' and once again very hard to recover for the hobbyist.
Condition of the Koi
In general you should also look at the overall condition of the Koi:
* Does it go for its food in a ravenous manner?
* Does it swim normally with use of all its fins? Clamped fins could be an indication that the Koi is infested with parasites, which as they are microscopic means you would not see them.
* The dorsal fin in particular is the fin which will give you the best indication of health or similar - is it erect and not clamped down to the body?
* Look at the eyes, they should be clear and not sunken into the head the eyes of a well-bred Koi are always slightly proud of the sides of the head. Also eyes can be greatly protruding which can be the condition of exopthalmia or 'Popeye' which can have many causes. It is sometimes a precursor of something more drastic and such Koi are to be avoided.
* In general the shape should be good, like a plump torpedo and it should be even about an imaginary centre line drawn down the Koi with no bulges or incursions into the smooth line of the shape.
* Watch the way in which the Koi swims it should 'glide' through the water using all its fins for stabilisation and mainly its tail for propulsion. Beware of the Koi that swims with its fins clamped and exaggerated whole body movements to achieve it.
Competition Koi
If you are selecting a Koi for competition purposes then there is a little more to know and here you could be entering the realm of the 'tategoi'. A tategoi is a Koi (of any size or age) that has good potential, but which has not yet been achieved. Taking the Showa for instance this is a black fish which develops white and red patterns. A young Showa that displays a good 'finished' pattern of red and white will in all probability only deteriorate as it matures with the result that it would never be any good (later) for showing. Ask yourself why you only ever see a grand champion Koi that is a big one? Well that is because it has only reached the potential for grand champions at that age and size. It has been building up to it for years, will probably stay at its peak for a couple of years and then will be 'over the hill' and no longer fit for showing.
Of course if you wish to show a small finished Koi such as the Showa of which we speak then by all means do so, there is great competition amongst the size one and two classes. If however you wish to buy a Showa for growing on, then to be shown, you will need quite some expertise. Bearing in mind that this Koi is developing red and white patterns, the white will tend to be greyish and marbled, the reds will also be poor but they are only developing at this point. The trick is guessing right - how will they develop?
All of the other Koi varieties have things to look for in selection at a younger age and only years of experience will put you on the right road here. Some dealers now run 'tategoi' weekends, where Koi with such potential as I have described are imported for sale. Hobbyists can buy these Koi, take them home and rear them, bringing them back one year hence to be judged. The Koi with the most realisation of its potential is then awarded a prize.
pH at purchase
Once you have purchased your new Koi, be it garden pond or show quality, the most important part of the task is in safely transporting it home and introducing it to your quarantine quarters. As mentioned earlier a very important parameter is pH, especially if the Koi are small. You should know the pH of your quarantine quarters and if you check the pH of the water the Koi is in at the time of purchase then you should have some indication whether or not it is safe to buy. However beware if you are at a show, the Koi you seek to purchase could already be suffering
pH shock from the vat water always check what the pH at the dealers' home base is. With a small Koi, I would not recommend that you put it through any pH change at
all. With a larger Koi if your pH was 7.5 then you should only buy from pH 7.0 to pH 8.0. Then, still be very careful about slow acclimatisation when you get them home. However if your pH was 7.0 then you should only purchase from pH 7.0 to pH 7.5 - you should not go lower as a Koi at pH6.5 to 6.8 could be in distress already as it is outside the recommended limits for Koi.
The range of habitable pH for Koi is - pH 7.5 to pH 8.3, or if there are mitigating circumstances from pH 7.0 to pH 8.5 as long as it is stable. At all times the stability of pH is of more importance than the actual pH reading provided that it is within the stated limits. Larger Koi will withstand greater pH shifts than the smaller Koi, but you still need to be careful.
Temperature at purchase
After pH, the next parameter to heed is temperature and here the buying of Koi from shows holds the greatest risk. If your Koi is displayed in a vat in a marquee then the temperature could soar very high indeed. You purchase the Koi and it may then wait in your car for a couple of hours where the temperature could climb even higher. On the way home as the car cools with the windows open, the Koi will cool but still could be 6°C above your quarantine tank when
you get it home. When you 'float' the Koi in its plastic bag for a period its temperature will drop too fast causing stress and inevitably you are inviting attack by the White Spot parasite (ichthyopthirius multifilis) which is ever present in the water awaiting its opportunity.
Generally, 'floating' the Koi in its transport bag is very important as it not only allows the temperature (within limits) to equalise over a period to the new water temperature, but the bag should also be opened and small amounts of the new water introduced from time to time. This allows pH and chemical stabilisation to take place also, thus combining two precautions into one. When the Koi is eventually released into its quarantine vat, only the Koi
should be transferred. The koi should be lifted out with (cold wet) hands into the new water to which it has now been gently acclimatised. Do not release the water in the transport bag into the vat water. The Koi should then be left to settle for two days without food to allow stress to subside.
Packing for transportation
Transport in the car, which has already been mentioned, can also lead to 'bag injury' if the Koi is not packed or positioned properly. The Koi should be 'double bagged' (two bags - one inside the other and secured separately) in just enough water to cover the dorsal area. The remainder of the air should then be squeezed out of the bag and it should be inflated with oxygen. The transparent plastic package should then be enclosed in a black bin liner (this will reduce stress during transit) and then put into a polystyrene fish transport box which should have its lid taped on. This will stabilise temperature during transit. The box should then be placed in the car boot in a transverse position, if it is a big Koi, so that its nose will not be rubbed due to braking and acceleration or its tail damaged in a like manner. Small Koi should not suffer this to any great extent whatever position they are transported in.
Finally on the journey home, don't pretend that you are on the Brands Hatch circuit remember your new Koi purchase in the boot won't be at all impressed by this. It will reward you with many hours of pleasure if you have taken care of all the points that we have mentioned in the preceding article.
However you as hobbyists take care of your Koi, one big complaint that comes from uninformed hobbyists is how expensive they are. When you consider how complicated the breeding of Koi is from the outset - how many are culled for unsatisfactory shape, pattern and colour, this escalates the initial price. You should then further consider that they have to be raised to about a year old, usually in heated quarters, and fed during this period another price escalation. They may have several moves in Japan before being exported, an expensive long distance flight to the UK, and then further transportation costs when they get there more price increase. The dealer in the UK (if he is worth his salt) will then further quarantine them to safeguard his own reputation yet more on the price. Your dealer has probably suffered one or two losses during transit - a loss he has to bear himself are you feeling better about that £15.00 Japanese Koi now? Isn't it a bargain?
Bigger, top quality, Koi are a different ball game, as for each of those that gets to your dealers vats, thousands will have been culled out or fallen by the wayside. It will have been raised to its present fine appearance in the finest of quarters, and been selectively handled. Its price tag may deter you, but then it is the same with all hobbies. It is also the same whatever else you are buying, and the executive model car will always be thousands more expensive than the LX model - that is life. The big, good quality Koi may not be such a bargain, but wow - they are a joy to possess.
Copyright Pets Parade Ltd. 2000