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Hello Koi Enthusiasts!
This blog is here to provide a spot for various things that do or might pertain to Koi. This stuff is intended for your entertainment, and is not meant to meet the stricter standards of our ebooks and courses, so use this info carefully and at your own risk. The short articles here may be descriptions of techniques that have proved effective, an introduction to new fish research, facts, graphs or just something FUN about fish! This information can be a springboard for your imagination and an entertaining place to learn something new. Information that was first published in Question of the Week can be found here.
The more we learn about Koi, the more FUN this hobby is - and we always say - if you're not havin' FUN, you're not doin' it right!
This is a wonderful article about ways to beautify your pond by concealing all the plumbing and filtration required to keep it healthy.
This article suggests some features and symbolism taking from Japanese Gardens that you can use to beautify your pond surroundings.
In many parts of the country, the weather fluctuates wildly, and changes of more than 5 degrees higher or 2 degrees lower in a pond during a 24 hour cycle can be very stressful on the Koi! Here are some suggestions to help Koi though periods with fluctuating pond temps, by Fish Vet Richmond Loh of Australia.
If you've ever had to deal with sick fish in cooler water temps, you will find this video helpful! It outlines a simple plan for making a section of the pond warmer to promote healing, and was done by Fish Vet Richmond Loh of Australia.
Another group speaks out against the release of KHV in Australia to control invasive carp.
Koi fish is a significant symbol in Chinese culture, representing wealth and prosperity.
In the USA, KHV affects our pets, but in other parts of the world, carp are an important food source...
Around half of all fish today come from aquaculture, since the overfishing of the oceans has caused this market to grow steadily. For fishery yield, the health of the fish is crucial. After the trout, the carp is the most important aquaculture fish in Germany.
Spreading disease is another problem with people dumping fish in public places...
Did you know that Koi frequently become buddies with other creatures? This time - it's a French Bulldog named Daisy...
Ever found a predator in your Koi pond? A woman in Montana got a HUGE surprise! Luckily, the visitor seemed more interested in eating the vegetation... You gotta watch this video!
If you are lucky enough to live near Detroit, MI - you can enjoy a Japanese festival featuring Koi!
We need your help! Please spread the word - Koi should NEVER be released into the wild! Here's what happened in one community...
Public Koi ponds in malls have always been very popular, and a very big problem as well...
Someone asked that question to the Fish Vet - Dr. Richmond Loh in Australia. The answer may surprise you!
This is an excellent short article on the challenges of treating for parasites, and why sometimes, alternative methods are more effective than increasing the doses of chemical to kill the parasites. While this article is about farmed fish - salmon - the parallels to Koi keeping are obvious, and the lessons to be learned may help us in more effective parasite treatment for Koi. Note that Koi suffer from lice also - albeit a slightly different species...
Murray-Darling carp herpes deemed safe for swimmers, but locals fear 'toxic swirl."
European carp infected with a strain of herpes will not pass the virus — or any other diseases — on to water users who come into contact with them.
This article is by Syd Mitchell - K.O.I.'s Water Quality Instructor - often nominated for Sainthood by his students... Syd discusses chemicals used to treat a wide variety of problems...
This article is by Syd Mitchell, our Water Quality instructor extraordinaire! In this article, Syd discusses various techniques that work with different predators.
Everyone is always asking me to post articles on Koi judging. For many Koi keepers, being able to produce show quality Koi and get recognized for doing so is the epitomy of the hobby. Many others prefer to just enjoy their Koi at home, but all of us are affected by the Koi judging considerations, because they are the same considerations that dealers use to put a value on the Koi we buy. So - we need to understand as much as we can bout how Koi are valued. I have omitted parts of this article that are unique to the UK, but what is included should be of interest to all!
If you are all tracking the story, the Australia government is about to release KHV as an agent to destroy unwanted wild carp in the Murry-Darling basin in Australia. Below is a copy of the actual Phase 3 Final report for the KHV project and comments, all of which were posted on the PetSmart web site.
I wanted to find a gift for a Koi buddy - and you know how it is - they have EVERYTHING related to Koi! I found these great little salt and pepper shakers, and they are both beautiful and practical! The person just loved them and uses them every day - and suggested I tell everyone! Just look at the others I found - all on Ebay - search for "Koi Salt Pepper."
In late 2016, the Australian Government commissioned a two-year research and planning process to determine the feasibility of using a virus (known as Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 or CyHV-3) to control invasive European carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia [1,2].
This is an excellent article written by 3 vets (Roberts, Palmeiro and Weber) that covers:
Stress has all sorts of consequences for fish, some of which we are just beginning to understand.
If you are one of the millions of proud owners of freshwater angelfish, you might be surprised to find out how simple it can be to calm the often feisty fish: Change their water less often.
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!If you're not havin' FUN, you're not doin' it right
