Scottish koi club

With permission from Tim i will be adding some of his articles to the forum soon.

Tim with your permission can i use some of your articles from your web site on our forum. ( the scottish koi club.
[Tim Waddington]
No problem at all. A link to my site would be nice but feel free.
[You]
Thenks very much for that tim

Treatments & Parasites

This is always a problem discussing because there are hardly any treatments which are made for Koi.
It’s also a subject where everyone has different opinions on how to do things.
I want to cover the very basic methods of treating Koi, things you can do by yourself without having to call a professional out. I do not direct the term professional at Vets. They just don’t cover anything to do with Koi or fish for that matter. They can get the treatments but they really have no idea of how to use them. Most professional Koi dealers have a good knowledge of how to treat Koi because they are doing it all the time on their own fish. There are also treatment officers in Koi clubs all over the world so finding help shouldn’t be far away.

In my opinion 90% of problems with Koi are down to parasites. Caught early all parasites can be eradicated with ease and little discomfort to the fish. Microscopes can be the most important tool to a Koi Keeper; unfortunately they can also be the worst. I myself use them every day because I need to make sure Koi for Sale are sold parasite free. Many people are relaxed and experienced enough to take a mucus scrape if they notice anything different with their own fish. Koi care is different with each person, many Koi Keepers can tell straight away if they have a problem just with the reaction of their Koi, thats when they take a scrape. New Koi Keepers who have just bought a microscope can be very paranoid; they end up taking 5 scrapes and possibly doing damage to the Koi only to panic about seeing a few bubbles. My advice would be to buy a microscope and ask someone to come to who know exactly what they are doing and go through the basics.

There are ways to spot parasites or symptoms of parasites so you can look for the danger signs. These are not guarantees, more like guidelines or dangers to look out for. The most common thing to look for is ‘flicking’ or ‘flashing’ this is when a Koi will swim and turn on the bottom or sides of the pond, they really are scratching an itch. However water quality can also cause a Koi to do the same thing but I’d say that it’s probably parasites. Excess mucus appearing on and around the head can also be a sign there could be parasites in the pond. Koi produce excess mucus to combat problems. It’s like a natural defence they have, so when you see Koi producing excess mucus it’s a sure sign you must check them. Koi grouping at the bottom of the pond is another sign there could be parasites as is Koi acting lethargic at the surface of the pond. There are other reasons your Koi could show these symptoms but with a microscope you can easily find the problem.

With experience and knowledge of your own Koi will come the ability to spot when your fish are not happy. You feed them each and every day; you know how your own Koi act so any change from the ‘norm’ you will see and act upon.

Unfortunately there is not one magic medicine that will eradicate all parasites, I wish there was. We can group parasites into different treatment brackets though, which helps.
Let’s look at the most common parasites that effect Koi tod
argalus
argulus
chilodonella
costia
dactylogyrus
gill-fluke
lernea4
skin-fluke
trichodina
ich-with-horeshore-shaped-nucleus


Treatments to eradicate the above parasites come in all shapes and sizes but most do exactly what they say they will do.

Potassium Permanganate will kill Costia and Trichodina. A pond dose of 1.5 grams to 220gallons is normally sufficient to kill the parasites. Costia is a horrible parasite and in most cases will need a follow up dose 5 days apart. Trichodina isn’t as bad as Costia but there are no safe parasites. Ignore people who say “It won’t do any harm in small quantities” Just because it won’t physically hurt the Koi, the Koi will still itch! When a Koi does itch there is a good chance it can injure itself, which in turn can cause bacterial infections. Eradicating parasites fully can lower the chances of any further problems which parasites will cause.

Malachite Green and Formalin is an age old treatment. The problem we have with it now is that it dosent do the same job as it has always done. Its great for white spot, will kill it dead over night. Its also excellent for Chilodonella. It used to be great for flukes, however in recent years it does not seem to have an effect on them and other treatments are needed.

At the time of writing the best things to eradicate Skin/Gill flukes is a product called Flubanol. Re packaged by some places and sold as ‘Fluke M’. This is a very good way of getting rid of flukes, fast and efficient. There is also ‘Supaverm’ which is my personal choice of fluke treatment but some people don’t like using it and prefer Fluke M.

Argalus/Fish lice is a terrible parasite when it gets hold. Its quite rare these days in most Koi ponds but will get into many wildlife ponds. The main treatments in the UK are banned because they are Organophosphates which are now illegal. The best bet in the UK is to try and get hold of some snail treatment, Argalus have shells so the same treatment should work.

Anchor worm (Lernea) You shouldn’t really suffer much with Anchor worm. Its most commonly found on newly imported Koi. The best treatment is Dimilin. This will not kill the Anchor work but it will make them sterile. The worms will still need picking off the Koi.

That pretty much covers how to simply eradicate the parasites. The worst possible thing you can do is guess which parasite it is. Thats why you must either invest in a microscope or call out your local Koi Dealer who will have the microscope and the treatments needed to get rid of any nasty parasites.
Another important thing to remember is that none of the products I have listed for killing parasites are made for the Koi industry, none! Malachite green is a dye. Flubanol is a dog wormer…Supaverm is a sheep wormer…There are no remedies made specifically for our fish. These products have been tried and tested over the years just to get the correct dosage rates. It’s the same with antibiotics that people use, not one single one is made for Koi, the most common one being Baytril which is used for Cats and dogs.

The most important thing when we come to treating our ponds is this; YOU MUST KNOW THE EXACT GALLONAGE of your pond. There is no point guessing or trying to work out a pond which has a shelf in it and is deeper at one end than the other, this is crazy! Treatments used in the Koi industry have to be exact. Over dosing can cause major problems while under dosing will do nothing. No matter how much of a big job it would be to empty your system and refill it, its 100% worth doing. A simple flow metre can be bought/borrowed which will give you your exact volume to the gallon! No more guessing.

As I have said, Parasites can lead to the most common problems with our Koi, from ulcers to full bacterial infections. Killing the parasite is a must.

Mucus scrapes are pretty easy to do. Once you have done a few it will become like second nature. Its the same when spotting parasites, once your eye is ‘trained’ to the parasite then you will see them each time. Different people scrape in different places; I always take scrapes behind the gill plate and down the body. Some parasites will live around the gill areas such as Gill Flukes and Costia. A parasite like Costia can also only be in one place on the fish. I have seen this many times when scrapes have been taken on the body and found nothing at all but then when I have taken a scrape from somewhere else on the Koi, Costia has been all over the place.

Remember though, unless you think there is a problem on the Koi and are seeing symptoms which lead you to believe there are parasites, don’t take loads of scrapes from the same fish. If you are taking a scrape as a scheduled general scrape then just do a couple of scrapes on a couple of fish. I would recommend once every 2 weeks.
There are many arguments about how many parasites need to be seen before you add a treatment, while I agree that the treatments we use on our fish are very harsh and they do not like it one little bit, I also think that one parasite will make a fish ‘flash’ which in turn can be very harmful.
Random treating is never a good idea; only treat when you need to treat. If you think there is a problem in your pond then get someone to come and check them out.

Microscope.

Parasites are not the only problem when it comes to looking after our Koi.

One of the biggest problems to Koi Keepers in the dreaded bacterial infections! This can lead to terrible and lasting problems with our Koi.
All it takes is a single scale to be knocked off, a single ‘spook’ where the Koi suddenly dart away and knock a pipe or a pump or anything which could be in the pond. In then takes the smallest amount of bacteria to infect the small scratch and turn it into a big wound.

There are products on the market which help to combat bacteria and can be used as a general monthly treatment, they are inexpensive and effective! They can save you many problems.

If you treat as a preventative when it comes to bacterial infections then even if the Koi does suffer a tiny ‘knock’ in the pond, because you already treat the pond with an anti bacterial treatment then the pond will heal the Koi and in some cases you will never have even noticed. Keeping clean water is very important. It is important to remember when it comes to Anti Bacterial treatments that at large doses (not general treatment doses) they will knock your filter back. Unfortunately there isn’t a way to selectively kill good or bad bacteria. Treatments will affect both kinds. A strong mature filter will regenerate in a small amount of time. This will only happen when you are dealing with a major bacterial infection anyway. Preventative treatments will not have any affect.

Tim Waddington – 2009

Virkon Aquatic info

Biosecurity for Koi Systems.

Koi carp are normally kept in re-circulation systems and much of the skill of keeping them in good health relates to the ability of the hobbyist to maintain the filter system and thus the water quality.

Recently two very serious virus diseases have appeared in the UK, which are capable of causing very severe losses in Koi. These are Koi Herpes Virus disease and Spring Viraemia of Carp disease. As with all virus diseases there is no specific treatment and supportive husbandry coupled with biosecurity measures to ensure that they do not spread are all that can be achieved.

As a result many Koi owners and commercial dealers have become much more aware of the need for biosecurity, as this provides the only way to safeguard their often valuable stocks.

Biosecurity for Koi keepers applies exactly the same principles as those applying to any fish producing operation but with the added complication of the filter system, which can be a haven for infectious agents and which will be damaged or die out if disinfectants are used on it.

In an effort to help reduce the incidence of the Koi virus diseases and improve the general health and welfare of Koi, Bradan with the assistance of several experienced Koi hobbyists and dealers have developed a variation of the highly successful Biosecurity programmes used in commercial salmon farms. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the recirculation systems used, water sanitization procedures involving continuous dosing of the water with very low levels of Virkon® Aquatic, are not possible and a compromise system of regular intermittent dosing of the water which then recirculates until the virucidal components have broken down naturally has had to be used. This is not as effective as continuous usage, but is still of value in reducing viral levels.
Because of the variability inherent in Koi systems however, no responsibility can be accepted by either Bradan or the manufacturers, Dupont Animal Health Solutions, for the use of in- water sanitization in this way.
What is Virkon Aquatic?

Koi Herpes Virus and Carp Rhabdovirus are serious threats to Koi keepers. Many fish are carriers without showing any signs. When placed in contact with vulnerable fish, they may, especially if stressed, excrete virus into the water and this leads to infections and very high mortalities.

Virkon® Aquatic is independently proven highly effective against significant fish pathogens. In addition recent work has shown that if added to the water of fish farms on a continuous basis at 2parts per million (2ppm), Virkon® Aquatic breaks down in the water and has low environmental toxicity. This does not disinfect the water completely, like the concentrated disinfectant but sanitizes it and so reduces virus availability for infection. It also reduces levels of pathogenic bacteria and some protozoan parasites from the water column.

Studies with Koi carp in the USA have shown that the use of Virkon® Aquatic in carp water at up to 8 parts per million (ppm) on a continuous basis shows no detrimental effect on the health of the fish and Virkon® Aquatic is highly effective against Herpes and Rhabdoviruses.

Unlike farmed fish, Koi are kept in recirculation systems with biological filters. This makes continuous dosing of the incoming water impossible. Koi Herpes Virus is however potentially such a severe problem that DuPont Animal Health Solutions in conjunction with Bradan Biosecurity have developed a system which will normally still provide a degree of water sanitization for the Koi owner without rendering filters ineffective or causing Virkon® Aquatic concentration to rise to toxic levels.

Virkon® Aquatic is primarily a powerful complex formulated virucidal disinfectant for disinfecting aquatic equipment. It has now been used effectively, for in-water sanitization against Koi Herpes Virus and Carp Rhabdovirus, at up to 8ppm, in many Koi systems in Europe and USA. Because all Koi filter and pond systems and water chemistries are different, however, this leaflet can only be issued on an advisory basis.


Sanitizing Koi Pond Water with Virkon® Aquatic

Most Koi tanks and ponds are fitted with a recirculation pump, microbiological filter and a UV light source. As the sanitizing ‘Virkon® Aquatic’ is deactivated by UV it is essential that the UV source is fitted just before the point of disinfectant addition.

Routine Use
Provided there is no evidence of any illness in the fish, for normal sanitization, Virkon® Aquatic should be added at the rate of 5 grams per 5000 litres of water. (One tablet per 1000gallons of water). NEVER add the tablets direct to the pond. Add the required number of Virkon® Aquatic tablets to 10 litres of fresh water and allow the effervescent tablets to fully dissolve.
Once fully dissolved, add the water into a skimmer or settlement tank so that it can be gradually added to the pond water as it is filtered. A dosing system is easily made from a plastic bucket with a small hole in it to release the Virkon® Aquatic slowly.
Ensure the recirculating pump is running to aid dispersion of the disinfectant.

Dose once per week. Dosing can be increased to twice per week during
the main KHV risk periods in spring and autumn. At the point of weekly redosing it is important that 5-10% of the water volume be discarded and replaced with fresh dechlorinated water e.g. for a 1000 litre tank remove 50-100 litres. Virkon® Aquatic contains a small amount of a lipophilic surfactant, specifically active against the external envelope of viruses such as Koi Herpes Virus and this can build up over time to produce foams if such water changes are not made

New Introductions
All new fish should be held in isolation in a freshly washed and disinfected tank and filter system prior to introduction to the main pond. (The empty tank and pipework should have been sprayed and pumped through with Biosolve® Plus detergent, a specially formulated Virkon® Aquatic compatible detergent, left for 30 minutes, rinsed with chlorinated water, sprayed with Virkon Aquatic® at the disinfectant rate of one tablet in one litre of water, left for a further 30 minutes and rinsed again with chlorinated water).

In the isolation tank, water should be treated with Virkon® Aquatic at two tablets per 1000 gallons every three days. Fish should be closely observed while in the isolation tank for up to three weeks and fish only transferred to the main stock when the owner is satisfied they are in good health. The isolation tank water should then be emptied and the tank disinfected again

Suspected Disease Conditions
Where there is a suspicion of Koi Herpes Virus infection or Spring Viraemia Virus* infection, among a population of Koi carp, obviously affected fish should be immediately removed, killed, placed in Virkon® Aquatic solution at one tablet per litre and disposed of. A specialist veterinarian should be consulted at this stage.
The water of the remaining healthy fish should be immediately sanitized at a level of 4 tablets per 1000gallons (one tablet per 1250 litres) and this should be repeated daily for at least a week. At this sanitization level it is essential that at least 10% of the water is renewed weekly. Great care is necessary not to stress the fish in any way. If these fish appear to remain healthy then water sanitization can be reduced both in level and frequency. Any obviously sick fish should however be removed as above. REMEMBER Virkon® Aquatic does not treat fish. It sanitizes the water in order to reduce the infectious virus levels in the water. There is NO Point in trying to bath treat fish with Virkon® Aquatic.

Effects on Filters
Virkon® Aquatic, by its nature, is bactericidal and will have some effect on Koi filters. However, provided at routine maintenance each week, 5-10% of pond water is replaced before redosing, this should not materially affect filter effectiveness. If using at higher doses or more frequently, slight foaming may develop. This is not dangerous and the lipophilic surfactant which causes it is essential as part of the anti viral activity. If foaming does occur a lower dose may be applied accompanied by increased water changes until the water ceases to foam. Because of the variation in filter systems that exists and the variation in water chemistry, no responsibility can be accepted for any effect on fish or filter system.

Koi users have found that a good indicator of Virkon® Aquatic being used at the appropriate level is that the water in the pond takes on a clean and slightly crystalline appearance. This can be a useful guide but this effect will not necessarily occur with all water and pond chemistries. Unfortunately, at the very low concentrations of Virkon® Aquatic recommended, it has not proved possible to devise an accurate test kit for measurement of levels in water, but work on this is continuing.

WARNING. Although there is now wide experience of safe usage of Virkon® Aquatic tablets in Koi systems by many hobbyists, because of the great range of water and system variations that are used for Koi, this note is issued on an advisory basis only.

No responsibility can be taken for any possible loss associated with the use of ‘Virkon Aquatic’ as an in-water sanitizer.
Please note Spring Viraemia of Carp is a notifiable disease and you must, by law, report it to your veterinary surgeon or appropriate authority if you suspect this disease.

The Nitrogen Cycle

In it’s simplest definition, the Nitrogen Cycle occurs as follow:
1. Fish excrete ammonia from their gills and kidneys. Ammonia also is formed from decaying (leaves, uneaten food, etc.)
2. This ammonia is converted to Nitrite by Nitrosomonas type bacteria
3. Nitrite is converted to Nitrate by Nitrospira type bacteria
4. Nitrates, in most cases, are harmless unless at high levels and are consumed by algae, plants or through regular water changes.

Nitrosomonas type bacteria convert ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2)
Nitrospira bacteria convert nitrite (NO2) to nitrate (NO3)

One of the most important aspects of successful koi keeping or any fish keeping for that matter, is biological filtration and its function in the nitrogen cycle. I read recently, that the number one reason novice fish keepers become disillusioned with the hobby is the frequency in which they experience high death rates of their aquatic pets after setting up a new system. Statistically, as much as 75% of the fish sold to hobbyists will die within the first 30 days and 2 out of every 3 new hobbyist abandon the hobby within the first year. This data applies to all types of fish but nonetheless, they’re pretty staggering statistics.

One of the most common reason for these kill rates is known as ‘new tank syndrome’ or, the ‘nitrogen cycle.’ The fish are simply poisoned by high levels of ammonia (NH3) that is produced by the bacterial mineralization of fish wastes, excess food, the decomposition of animal and plant tissues and let’s not forget, the additional ammonia that is excreted directly into the water by the fish themselves. The effects of ammonia poisoning in fish include: extensive damage to tissues, especially the gills and kidney; physiological imbalances; impaired growth; decreased resistance to disease, and; death. Nitrite poisoning inhibits the uptake of oxygen by red blood cells. Known as brown blood disease, the hemoglobin in red blood cells is converted to methemoglobin. This problem is much more severe in fresh water fish than in other marine organisms and can easily cause death.

Nitrifying bacteria are classified as obligate chemolithotrophs. This simply means that they must use inorganic salts as an energy source and generally cannot utilize organic materials. They must oxidize ammonia and nitrites for their energy needs and fix inorganic carbon dioxide (CO2) to fulfill their carbon requirements. They are largely non-motile (can’t move around easily) and must colonize a surface (gravel, sand, synthetic biomedia, and the 1001 other filter materials out there) for optimum growth. They secrete a sticky slime matrix which they use to attach themselves. Species of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are gram negative, mostly rod-shaped, microbes ranging between 0.6-4.0 microns in length. They have evolved to become extremely efficient at converting ammonia and nitrite. One disadvantage is, they have a very slow reproductive rate. Nitrifying bacteria reproduce by binary division. Under optimal conditions, Nitrosomonas may double every 7 hours and Nitrobacter every 13 hours. More realistically, they will double every 15-20 hours.

Nitrospira and Nitrosomonas bacteria have limited tolerance ranges and are individually sensitive to pH, dissolved oxygen levels, salt, temperature, and most chemicals. They cannot survive any drying process without killing the organism. In water, they can survive short periods of adverse conditions by utilizing stored materials within the cell. When these materials are depleted, the bacteria die.

There are several species of Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira type bacteria and many strains among those species. Most of the following information can be applied to species of Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira in general., however, each strain may have specific tolerances to environmental factors and nutriment preferences not shared by other, very closely related, strains. This is why Genesyz (Lymnozyme) coexists with Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria, they don’t compete for the same food source.

Temperature

The temperature for optimum growth of nitrifying bacteria is between 77-86° F (25-30° C).

Growth rate is decreased by 50% at 64° F (18° C).
Growth rate is decreased by 75% at 46-50° F.
No activity will occur at 39° F (4° C).
Nitrifying bacteria will die at 32° F (0° C).
Nitrifying bacteria will die at 120° F (49° C).

Nitrospira is less tolerant of low temperatures than Nitrosomonas. In cold water systems, care must be taken to monitor the accumulation of nitrites.

pH

The optimum pH range for Nitrosomonas is between 7.2-8.0.
The optimum pH range for Nitrospira is between 7.4-8.2.

Nitrosomonas growth is inhibited at a pH of 6.5. All nitrification is inhibited if the pH drops to 6.0 or less. Care must be taken to monitor ammonia if the pH begins to drop close to 6.5. At this pH almost all of the ammonia present in the water will be in the mildly toxic, ionized NH3+ state.

Dissolved Oxygen

Maximum nitrification rates will exist if dissolved oxygen (DO) levels exceed 80% saturation. Nitrification will not occur if DO concentrations drop to 2.0 mg/l (ppm) or less. Nitrospira is more strongly affected by low DO than NITROSOMONAS.

Torazo

Torazo – Click here for Tim’s breeder interview published in Koi carp Magazine

Tsuyoshi Kawakami has always bred some spectacular koi over the years, and many famous koi aswell. His main breeding is Sanke, you can always tell the Torazo koi from the Sumi on his Sankes, always deep and well placed, making the big examples very impressive.

Also breeding superb Kohaku and Showa, for Go-Sanke fans its a must visit. Located at the bottom of the mountain in Urakawa, its the first stop on many peoples travels to the Yamakoshi mountains. Not having huge numbers of koi, but having good koi.

In 2007 Torazo took Grand Champion at the Nogyosai Koi show in Ojiya City with a stunning 82cm Sanke, which was only 6 years old, Showing what Tsuyoshi is aiming to do in the future. Torazo wil keep going from strength to strength in the coming years, His koi are excellent.

Toshio Sakai – INC

Matsunosuke – Click here for Tim’s breeder article published in Koi Carp Magazine and KOIUSA Magazine.

Not much can be said about this man that hasn’t been said already. He has produced over the last 30 years, probably the best and certainly most famous Sanke bloodline of all time. Matsunosuke bloodline is now in probably 70% of all sankes produced today, All Japan Champions, BKKS Champions, South Africa National Champions and numerous Champions in America, the best Sanke breeder in the world. Re-introducing magoi bloodline (Black carp) back into his own bloodline many years ago has since stabilised a huge growth rate, but over a steady amount of time. The very best examples of Toshio Sakai’s very best koi grow in length to about 4 years and then grow in bulk and body, amazing koi to watch. Other breeders have since tried to change the line so the koi bulk earlier, but they also finish earlier in age, where as the true Matsunosuke koi will not peak until they are upwards of 14years old, a true pleasure to watch and learn from.

Toshio Sakai is based out of Isawa, which is a 4 hour drive from Niigata, He does have a facility in Niigata because all his best Mudponds are situated in Niigata, so the koi are harvested, then taken to the Mushigame facility in Niigata and rested for 2 days, then trucked down to Isawa for public viewing, which if you catch Toshio on a good day can be the most amazing koi day you will ever spend. Now with his son ‘Toshi’ coming up fast, the company is due to change hands from father to son, and you couldn’t ask for better in Toshi, he is amazing to watch, his English is excellent and his eye is also fantastic. He worked for many years learning the commercial part of the trade at Sakai Fish Farms in Horoshima where he learnt vital experience of how huge koi operations work. The future of Isawa Nishikigoi is looking good, Im sure it will not be to long until another All Japan Grand Champion is supplied by this guys, the last one in 2002 where a 1.1Meter Sanke took the prize.

Hirasawa Marusei Koi Farm

One of the biggest koi breeders in the world, water space maybe the biggest. With over 300 mudponds and only 4 staff members including his 2 sons and 1 daughter in law, its a very busy place to visit. Hirasawa San breeds virtually all varieties, in all grades. It really is a one stop koi shop. He has 2 year old low class Beni Goi from £5.00 and he has 6 year old extremely High class Beni Goi for the price of a nice car! In most varieties this is the case.

I have been lucky enough to see his very best koi, not many people have seen them, he dosent really care if he sells them, the mass production to the wholesalers and dealers means he can enjoy his tategoi on his own without the stress of having to sell them, and looking in a pond of over 50 koi, all over 80cms in all varieties is an awesome experience. Unless you have seen the place, its hard to explain. He has stunning examples of all koi, and if they are not there he will go and bring one to you. He has produced over the years the best Hi Utsuri, Chagoi, Ki-Goi, Asagi, Aka/Ki Matsuba in the world and also include some Go-Sanke which have won Grand Champions all over the world. At the time of writing he has over 6 Koi Facilities and more in the planning, the space he needs is huge, shipping koi for 9 months a year in huge numbers, hundreds and hundreds of boxes per week. At Harvest time they start work at 3am, and they finish at 9pm. I was asking Hirsawa’s son about the operation, I asked how many mudponds they harvest in a day, he replied “When the truck is full, we come home”. With the biggest mudpond being 16hectres in size, and they have to use boats to drag the net, its a unbelievable operation. Unless looking for a specific koi, Marusei Koi farm is mostly a trade outlet, but still worth a look!

The knowledge you can learn from these guys is great, being one of the most respected and friendly koi breeders there is. He decided many years ago upon talking to his two sons the direction they wanted to take, they agreed to go for this huge scale operation, and thats what they have built.

Hirasawa Marusei Koi Farm

One of the biggest koi breeders in the world, water space maybe the biggest. With over 300 mudponds and only 4 staff members including his 2 sons and 1 daughter in law, its a very busy place to visit. Hirasawa San breeds virtually all varieties, in all grades. It really is a one stop koi shop. He has 2 year old low class Beni Goi from £5.00 and he has 6 year old extremely High class Beni Goi for the price of a nice car! In most varieties this is the case.

I have been lucky enough to see his very best koi, not many people have seen them, he dosent really care if he sells them, the mass production to the wholesalers and dealers means he can enjoy his tategoi on his own without the stress of having to sell them, and looking in a pond of over 50 koi, all over 80cms in all varieties is an awesome experience. Unless you have seen the place, its hard to explain. He has stunning examples of all koi, and if they are not there he will go and bring one to you. He has produced over the years the best Hi Utsuri, Chagoi, Ki-Goi, Asagi, Aka/Ki Matsuba in the world and also include some Go-Sanke which have won Grand Champions all over the world. At the time of writing he has over 6 Koi Facilities and more in the planning, the space he needs is huge, shipping koi for 9 months a year in huge numbers, hundreds and hundreds of boxes per week. At Harvest time they start work at 3am, and they finish at 9pm. I was asking Hirsawa’s son about the operation, I asked how many mudponds they harvest in a day, he replied “When the truck is full, we come home”. With the biggest mudpond being 16hectres in size, and they have to use boats to drag the net, its a unbelievable operation. Unless looking for a specific koi, Marusei Koi farm is mostly a trade outlet, but still worth a look!

The knowledge you can learn from these guys is great, being one of the most respected and friendly koi breeders there is. He decided many years ago upon talking to his two sons the direction they wanted to take, they agreed to go for this huge scale operation, and thats what they have built.

Dainichi Koi Farm

Dainichi is one of the most famous names in koi. Many current breeders did their training at The Dainichi Koi Farm, breeders such as Nogami and Marudo who are very high end breeders now in their own rights. They concentrate heavily on body shape, the original Dainichi body shape was huge and very impressive, It isn’t used as much today but when seen its an incredible sight to see. When Minoru Mano died the three sons were left to manage the company which today thrives as one of the busiest and professional Koi outlets in the world. Still using parent koi left to them by their father which stood them in excellent stead for carrying on breeding the worlds best koi. Winning The All Japan in 2007 with a stunning Showa, and also winning the ZNA and Nogyosai Koi shows in recent years. Dainichi koi are very big in Japan, with Japanese hobbiests and dealers getting there as soon as the harvests are brought in, meaning that they are not seen that much overseas winning major prizes, I have a feeling this will soon change.

They have 3 state of the art facilities in Niigata, one where they have the bigger stocks including sold koi, one where they grow on fry and one where they grade tateshita and also pack for export, they are huge units.

Today Futoshi Mano runs the company accompanied by his younger brother Shigeru who studied in America and speaks
almost perfect English. Breeding Kohaku, Sanke and Showa. The brothers are very involved with the entire industry in Japan and are featured in most magazines every month. The company employs around 10 people with an army of trucks which are always seen buzzing around the area. The company is run very different to most Niigata breeders, they are very modern in their business ways, slowly turning into a huge cooperate giant in todays koi world.

Ponds & Filtration

Building a Koi pond does NOT have to be a difficult project. They really are quite simple to build.
With the technology now on the market, pond filtration has been made much smaller than its predecessors and they have become far more efficient and easy to install than ever before.
It’s the old cliché which is used in every industry the world over. ‘Do it once, do it right’ I can imagine a lot of people reading this article who are now on their 3/4th pond project and wishing they had done it the first time.

Research is the key to building a good pond. We now have a wealth of knowledge coming from the Internet and magazine’s…but most importantly your local Koi dealer. See what they are using on their own systems. After all the health of the fish and quality of the water is their most important business tool.

I am not going to preach to you on what filter you should buy or which is the best filter on the market. There are many designs all which will do a job, it’s just some will do it better than others. Its no great secret that I am a big fan of nexus filters.

The most important thing when building a new pond is a bottom drain. It’s so easy to add one when you build a pond, and it’s vital to your Koi pond. In fact your bottom drain is as important as the type of filter you will add to the system. Just step back and think about it. If you have a pond and you ‘bench’ the base of the pond so everything falls into one spot in the middle, it makes sense to have a drain there to take away all the debris. This way there are no pipes or pumps in the pond, Koi will find anything in there to rub against which will cause damage. Using the bottom drain will make your pond into a gravity system which means the water level in the filter will be the same as the water level in the pond, when you attach a pump to the outlet on the filter to pump water back then this will cause the pull through the bottom drain, which means the force on the external pump will pull all the debris from the pond floor into the filter where it belongs.

Tim Waddington 2009