MrSnowball wrote:

This is true but i just want to learn more about the koi and what makes it good or bad.
no i never but thats a real good price. are u going 2 come for the baby show??

Maybe if all is well here and I finish the new pond...and I dont feel lazy...
Darling that Koi in america is called crapagoi...I ahd them and still have them...all beginners do...U will learn...
There is nothing good about that koi in therms of quality...
I was just the same like U...I sent Neville pictures of the most horrible Koi and bugged him until he had to say one nice word about my koi...I had to pull it out with a hook from his mouth.
I have one just like yours...i bred in my pond...it lost its mouth to mouth ulcer...But I love it...and I will keep it as long as it is alive...

forgot, Your Koi has helicopter shape...and it will never grow big...

even the yamotanishiki ?? well if you come hopefully u can show me one or 2 beter koi??

MrSnowball wrote:

even the yamotanishiki ?? well if you come hopefully u can show me one or 2 beter koi??

The samke u have there is nice!
Which yamatonishiki...
I was talking only about the last yellow Koi U posted...

no its orange ill take a beta photo for you so u can c. but i was told its a yamotanishiki. i really liked the orange with the black spots. shes a very nice personalityed fish even after i handel her she comes up to the top when im at my pond i c what u mean about the helicopter shape though i thought mayb its cos im feeling her summer food in winter.... but she is very pretty even if shes not a great fish

is yours a male or female?? mine is a female so if u have a male we can breed them and make beutiful rubish fish

MrSnowball wrote:

is yours a male or female?? mine is a female so if u have a male we can breed them and make beutiful rubish fish

He he he!
Darling,
That is not a yamatonishiki!
Yama is a doitsu metallic sanke...Have a look here:http://www.google.com/search?q=Yamatonishiki+picture&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=gFHhT9bbGoXRhAfSsbS7Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CEMQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=643
Helicopter shape is just genes...a bit food influence but mostly bad genes...
Stop feeding when the temperature goes bellow 10*C....not good for your fish...dont feed for the next 2-3 month until T* goes above 10...
I know what U mean about koi personality...Mine are very tame...
I think mine is a boy....but never checked it...He he he!
We can breed crapagoi any time....It is such a fun to breed and watch them grow and change...I have around 100 crapagoi in the pond...
This fish Looks a bit like doitsu Ki bekko but not too sure...Just call it crapagoi...

Hi Snowball.
Don't think this fish comes from Japan but maybe from Israel in a bulk box. Guys that import quality fish from Japan go there and select it them self, so they should be able to tell you the breeder and the age of the fish. Hang on to these for a while to learn from and when you are ready you can buy from reputable dealers like Sakura koi farms where you know what you get, or from local breeders like: Paul from Koi Online, Jaco from Welkom and Wayne on the forum breed nice Shiro Utsuri to mention a few.

just a quick question i know its bad 2 feed koi in winter. but now people are selling food as winter food? is it beta just 2 leave the koi 2 eat whatever they find in the pond or give them winter food?? and why? i know it has 2 do with there digestion but what effect does it have on the fish?

MrSnowball wrote:

just a quick question i know its bad 2 feed koi in winter. but now people are selling food as winter food? is it beta just 2 leave the koi 2 eat whatever they find in the pond or give them winter food?? and why? i know it has 2 do with there digestion but what effect does it have on the fish?

Found your fish...looks like toro ogon...google it...
Winter food is meant to transition them to hunger and back to food IMHO.
It helps the colors to consolidate and promotes good digestive system...

I am feeding my fish wheat germ and manda fu as it's easily digestible.

Some people prefer to sop feeding altogether once the water temp hits below 10 degree.

Some of my fish are lying down and some are continuously in the feeding area.

My water is averaging between 6 - 7degrees and is f'ing cold.

However if they are in the feeding area they want food, I give them a little bit of foot and they are eating.

I do however feed the smallest of pellets now so that they digest easier as the mada fu is also somethying like 90% or something like that digestible.

My thoughts are if they want to feed and will feed it keeps them active which is better than lying about doing nothing.....so trying to keep their metabolisms going as much as possible.

Feeding is very light.......cannot be more than 20g, but they are still wanting to feed twice a day

what about feeding them things like peas and frut in winter?? i also read that feeding them colour enhancers in winter might be good because the dont grow as much it gives the colour a chance to thicken??

As longs they are willing to eat, I feed, but if the water temperature goes below 10 degrees, I lower the protein. If there are food left after 5 min, it indicates that they were given to much, and then I go slow again.