Koi babies

[Terri]

So we sort of pulled a Bickel move :frisbee:
We have a smallish pond (about 2000gals) with apporximately 100 fry growing very happily. Pretty much all are from flock spawnings which occured the last week of May/first week of June. Our females are:
ginrin kohaku (Kanuck)
showa (SheDevil)
soragoi (Sora)
goshiki(not sure if she spawned?)
yamabuki(not sure if she spawned?)
ginrin sanke (Marilyn)

Our males are:
showa
aigoromo
doistu ochiba
sanke

At first we planned to pair up the soragoi with 2 sanke and the ginrin kohaku - well the ginrin turned out to be female!! S0 we had now 2 females and 2 males going at it in the pond we supplied for them. We have a few of those babies mixed in with the following flock spawns. Anyways, they were the first to spawn. Our mistake was placing the soragoi and ginrin kohaku into the koi pond after the spawn was (what we thought) finished... Oh boy! With in minutes the males in that pond were all over them and now more eggs! This set off the chain reaction for spawning over the next several (long) days. well ya live, ya learn... :roll:

Here's some pics from this past weekend...
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/images/Fry2005-7-9_09_jpg.jpg
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/images/Fry2005-7-9_13_jpg.jpg
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/images/Fry2005-7-9_26_jpg.jpg http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/images/Fry2005-7-9_32_jpg.jpg
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/images/Fry2005-7-9_46_jpg.jpg
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/images/Fry2005-7-9_51_jpg.jpg

[Jackie Ramo]

Lots of cute babies there and some ginrin as well.

I really like the guy in the bottom of the second pic.

[GregBickal]

SWEET !!! Oh yeah. Grow babies, grow.....

[luke frisbee]

the ginrin kohaku in the pic by itself...treat it special...Kill the rest :frisbee:

[Terri]

You come help cull Lukie :frisbee: And I agree, that's a nice little baby there, we have a few more like it. We're just hoping to learn a little, reading does not do much but going through the experience sure does :-)

After seeing Maurice's babies on Bito I couldn't help but compare his to a couple of our's - more for body shape and colour at this stage than anything else... interesting that's for sure.

[Terri]

I don't have any recent pics of the fry in the 2000 gallon pond but they are doing very well!! :grin: They have really put on some growth since we took those picture's just over a week ago... the two doistu ochiba have REALLY grown! Been feeding them crushed up pellets, frozen blood worm, freeze dried tubiflex, and earth worm flake as well as some live daphina when I can catch them from the drainage ditch. Water has gone quite green again with this heat. I put a bunch of water hyacinth into the fry pond and they really like hanging out and rooting through the roots for tasty morsels. On a sad note, the ginrin soragoi above is no where to to seen... haven't caught a glimps of it since last Friday :(

Now here's a "funny"... I have just a few smallish butterfly (6-8") in a 150 gal stock tank. They were moved there temporarily last weekend,.. anyways, I did a waterchange on the tank I think last Tuesday. To do this I syphon the water out of the 55 gallon DIY filter along with the waste(pump fed/gravity return) into a 55 gallon bucket. Usually I use this waste water to feed the gardens and potted annuals.. for whatever reason this time I did not though - I left the water in the bucket and dragged the bucket to just outside the fish house door and forgot about it. Yesterday afternoon I grabbed the watering can and went to get water out of the bucket. I was about to stir up the waste to take some water for the garden when I noticed these little white things! OMG there were FRY!!!! I don't know if they hatched in the bucket but they seemed to be doing pretty good :-? I called Ian over to have a look and he couldn't believe it either. So we carried the bucket with the fry to the new pond in the front yard and dumped the whole lot in, waste, fry, and water.

Here's a couple of pics of them in the bucket,...
http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/07-2005_fry_01.jpg http://backyardpuddle.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/07-2005_fry_02.jpg

[Jackie Ramo]

So do you think these are butterfly babies or babies from one of the other ponds?

[Terri]

Butterfly babies as this water in the bucket was directly from their tank and was not mixed with water from elsewhere.

[Jackie Ramo]

OK, didn't know if you used a cycled filter and the eggs were in there or not. Just what you need, more babies. At least in the big fry pond you don't have to do much for them. Mine in the tank wil have to live off the weekend feeder tabs next week.

[Terri]

Pulled the pond Sunday, didn't manage to get them all even with four trys. We did get 4 7" goldfish out but a few evaded the net.

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_01_jpg.jpg
This kohaku is the same as the second photo in my 1st post, disappointed it lost the beni on the head.... but the Ochiba - it's amost 6"!
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_02_JPG.jpg

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_05_jpg.jpg
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_06_jpg.jpg
A Showa and the Ginrin Kohaku from my 1st post. Really liking this kohaku, it's shape resembles Kanuck who I assume is it's mom.

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_07_jpg.jpg http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_15_jpg.jpg

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_12_jpg.jpg
Ginrin Sanke, little over 5". We like it so it's a keeper.

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_14_jpg.jpg
Ginrin Shiro Utsuri ... just a little one but pretty.

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_18_jpg.jpg http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_17_jpg.jpg

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_16_jpg.jpg
Doitsu Ki Utsuri in the mix....

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_11_jpg.jpg
The one with the large red spot, check out the underlaying sumi.. goshiki? Goromo? Cull :twisted: ?

In another couple weeks well do this again, hopefully we will catch the others that have been eluding us - there some cool looking sanke and showa some ginrin some not, and a few doitsu Ochiba as well.

[Cinnamon]

Okay Terri I am sitting here with KOI Envy! One of these years I will get some babies. But yet again if I have too many for my pond!! :lol: It is looking like I have a lot of females. At least as I can tell me being a Newbie and all.

[Jackie Ramo]

They look great Terri. parent stock wll tell. Most of mine look like the mutts they came from or bass and goldfish :roll:

[Terri]

We pulled them all this past weekend. Those chosen to stay are comfy in the fish house for the next several long months.

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_10_jpg.jpg

Ochiba 8"
http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_11_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_13_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_20_jpg.jpg

Ginrin Kohaku
http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_23_jpg.jpg

9" of Benigoi
http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_27_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_30_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_31_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_32_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_35_jpg.jpg

http://backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_39_jpg.jpg

[TASSAJARA]

YEP, I saw some very nice fish. I think I just caught the new fish feaver also.

[Jackie Ramo]

How come yours are called benigoi, and mine are baitagoi??? :lol:

[luke frisbee]

YES....good fish...can all the bekkos except that one showing the really good Shiro.
And of course keep the "what the hell is this I have no clue" koi...

But watch the bellies...
that gin rin Kohaku..is till can't say if that beni is stable...the Showas are worth watching but things gotta change for any of them to be above a real good pond grade...which I am SURE would d :-) elight you

[Terri]

Out of the 51 babies we had left we are down to 43. Ian and I disagreed on several in which we should keep - for various reasons we see this differently.... I give in to easy I guess because if it were up to me we would have much less baby koi to focus on. (don't hate me because I can be harsh when it comes to culling :-? )

Luke the Shiro Bekko with the snow white shiro ground is scaleless, the only one I wished to keep. I believe the beni on the ginrin kohaku is solid, you can see it in layers and the kiwa is sharp.

I won't speak for Ian, but for myself I want more out of the breeding experience... confirmation is #1, colour and pattern come next... I really would like to venture into breeding some nice scaleless(doitsu) and ginrin varities.... we have some good parent stock so we'll see how it goes next year.

[Terri]

those longfin babies
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_47.jpg

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_48.jpg

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/oct05/images/FryOct2005_46_jpg.jpg

[Busy B]

Like you don't have enough to do!

Did I miss it...where are you keeping these?

When all else fails...read entire thread:roll:

Like the chagoi and the ginrin kohaku...

Had to be hard to decide for some..

Babies in a bucket:-P

[luke frisbee]

breed koi with as many of the following as you can possibly get, the most important is at the top and they go in decending order...

Long fin, Mettalic, doitsu, ginrin, yellow, platinum, red, bekko

and you will be able to sell them all to the general public

[Terri]

Busy, we split the babies we kept into two groups. They are in the fish house(garage). One set went into one tank and the "better" set went into a larger tank with some resident fish. The longfin I just threw into a small 500 gallon tank with some goldfish(no I'm not a longfin snob but they were very tiny and would most likely have been sucked into the pipe work or worse LOL)

Picking through them was not easy,... I can only imagine the time and effort it takes for breeders (like Brady and Brett) to go through 1,000's!! It's an interesting process and we've learned a few things and will change a few things next year.

[Terri]

Long fin, Mettalic, doitsu, ginrin, yellow, platinum, red, bekko
Luke, in a small way you scare me !rofl

Longin are one the agenda for next year. Doitsu and Ginrin are priority - longfin and standard fin. Would be nice to get a good base for metallic's, they are popular - solid or patterned(even crappy patterned).

Bekko do not sell well Luke, at least not here. I have several Shiro Bekko (longfin and standard) sitting in a few tanks. Shiro Utsuri on the other hand do sell. I have a couple Aka Bekko's that are wonderful but here they sit, just growing. Couldn't keep Hi Utsuri if I wanted too that's how fast they go out the door.

Believe it or not, I hear this often... "no more red, we have enough red" :-?

Mix of colour is important to me, meaning balance. Solid colour metallics are a good seller... and when it comes to longfin I prefer solid colour to bi-colour or tri-colour.

For me, this whole breeding experience is an adventure... there is no real pay-off other than seeing those little fry develop into "who knows what". It's a challenge to produce healthy good quality koi... right now, that's my goal in the end along with having the experience. It's not my intention to produce goi for a crap-a-goi,... not worth the effort in my humble opinion and anyone can do that - besides you can't keep 'em all. Hats off to those who are in the know and work hard at rearing/breeding koi, it's hard work.

[luke frisbee]

the Bekko Dimension HAS TO BE ON A METALLIC and is the extent of a "pattern" for longfins.....
And do not try and breed a non-metallic longfin.....metallic longfins with a bekko pattern...or solid are eye mgnets...i would really try and keep as many of the good ones back as long as i could as long fins appreciate much greater than regular koi with an increase in size....

[Terri]

long fins appreciate much greater than regular koi with an increase in size....
.... that much I can agree with :grin:

[BonnieIN]

You've got some beauties there. I especially like the Ginrin Shiro Utsuri and Kohaku! :-?

[GregBickal]

That Doitsu Ochiba is very nice !!

[Busy B]

So how many tanks do you have setup in the garage now? :grin:

[Terri]

Same amount of tanks, 5. Need to build another me thinks :grin:

[Jackie Ramo]

Terri, I think they need to build another you, never mind the tanks. Don't get spread too thin girlfriend.

[Merlin]

First of all I know I need to study more , but I am going with what I like here not with what is a good Koi. The Koi in picture 8 from the top of this thread would be the Koi of my choice . So the question is, is this a good or bad choice as far as breeders go ??, secondly what is it. ? :wink:

[Jackie Ramo]

When I count the pictures the 8th one is a bunch of fry. Which post number is it?

[Merlin]

Sory Jackie , if you count the pics it is pic 16.

[Jackie Ramo]

This one? This is a sparkly cow fish:grin:

http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/aug05/images/2005-08-14_14_jpg.jpg

[Tom C]

the ginrin kohaku in the pic by itself...treat it special...Kill the rest

Come on Luke, you know they are all better then the ones you posted. :lol: Most of us use nicer works like cull over kill also.

Tell me Luke you would have culled the Ginrin Shiro Utsuri and the Ochiba? If so, I hope you never go into business. :grin:

Terri, for a spawn like this you got some wonderful koi. I would be happy to add a lot of them to my pond. That Ginrin Shiro Utsuri and the Ochiba stand out a lot to me. I think it's time to work on breeding your own koi, if you can do this well from a flock spawning. Please post some pictures of these koi next year. I would love to see how the Ginrin Shiro Utsuri and the Ochiba turn out.

Tom

[Ian]

Quick update on a few. October pics are on post#13.
6"
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/dec05/images/Koi2005-12-10_09_jpg.jpg

7"
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/dec05/images/Koi2005-12-10_04_jpg.jpg

9"
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/dec05/images/Koi2005-12-10_10_jpg.jpg


7.5"
http://www.backyardpuddle.com/images/2005fry/dec05/images/Koi2005-12-10_05_jpg.jpg

Thanks Tom for the compliment. Breeding is something we will be playing with... time will tell how well it goes.

[Jackie Ramo]

I see I have been starving my poor inside ones as they have not put on much growth at all. Still a later spawning so they have some time to catch up.

Ian the pics are wonderful. One always wishes you posted more of them.

[Elizardbreath]

Today I was messing with the pond and there were two fry on the side. One was a gold koi baby and I think the other is an ochiba fry. I am like SOOO excited.
Time will tell.
Beth

[Jackie Ramo]

Where there are two there is usually more... as you said time will tell :)

[Busy B]

Like that dark doitsu...

drool..spittle...

[Ian]

What is the closest airport to you Busy?

[Elizardbreath]

Like that dark doitsu...

drool..spittle...
Me too Busy. I like fish that are strangely interesting. I like darker guys.
One of my fish is just too dark. He is almost impossible to see. I am so hoping my pond stays clear next summer so I can see him and watch him grow. I think he is a showa.
Koromo's are seriously beginning to catch my interest too.
It is hard when you start getting some really nice fish. The others do seem less spectacular. I only have three that I am not all that wild about and only one of those I would consider finding a home. I guess that is good.
Beth

[Jackie Ramo]

Finding a home for them is the hardest part. I always get attached to my fish. Even the ugly ones. I do my best to find new owners who seem to at least try to provide good homes. As with all things sometimes it doesnt work out and sometimes it does. Although some pets have been lost in their new homes if I'd tried to keep them all, all would be lost - including probably the marriage !rofl

Got any fish and pond pics Beth?

[Busy B]

What is the closest airport to you Busy?
Anchorage altho there is a little hub close by...trick is how long it sits on the tarmac and when they decide to put it on the plane:roll:

So far all I can do is drool...I'm on fish restriction!rofl Placed myself there a couple years ago. Until the pond is expanded and things are set 'just right'..I can't have more. But that gives me time to dream and maybe give up growing so I can have just fish instead of plants:-P

[Elizardbreath]

Finding a home for them is the hardest part. I always get attached to my fish. Even the ugly ones. I do my best to find new owners who seem to at least try to provide good homes. As with all things sometimes it doesnt work out and sometimes it does. Although some pets have been lost in their new homes if I'd tried to keep them all, all would be lost - including probably the marriage !rofl

Got any fish and pond pics Beth?

I found a home for about 25 of my goldfish and felt horribly guilty.
Today the temps outside were in the upper 40s and for the evening it was 50. I started circulation back through my ponds. If we have any dry spells tomorrow I will take some pics. My pond out front with my lovely tosoi is very clear. The pond out back needs some help which I plan on giving it. In three days due to warmer weather the pond temp went from about 37 degrees to almost 43 degrees. The solar blankets help a bunch too even though it is cloudy out.
It was so nice to see my fish again!
LBeth

[Jackie Ramo]

Where would one place 25 goldfish? I usually place 2-4 fish in one home. Never placed them with a fish store although I admit trying this year but no fish store would take them because of KHV... or so the said. Yes, it is sad to see them go.

My guys are under ice now for the duration... wish I could get a peak at them but the inside ones are fine so I hope for the others.

[Elizardbreath]

Where would one place 25 goldfish? I usually place 2-4 fish in one home. Never placed them with a fish store although I admit trying this year but no fish store would take them because of KHV... or so the said. Yes, it is sad to see them go.

My guys are under ice now for the duration... wish I could get a peak at them but the inside ones are fine so I hope for the others.

They were pretty little fish and a friend of mine has a pond that is 12 feet long and three feet deep in the middle. She wanted them all. I still have some in my pond anyway. I have two ponds and both have a fair number of goldfish in with the koi.
I think it is time to drop by and visit them....
Beth

[Jackie Ramo]

Lucky you to have a friend that could take them all. Always nice to visit the babies at their new home. I have to keep reminding myself that the inside babies are not going back to the pond... some are so cute though and they are just starting to get friendly. Need to spend more time with them.