Astral Health

Koi Farming is a culling and sorting process, which separates the serious breeders from the recreational breeders. Breeding Koi are kept in dirt ponds until early spring. Then they take them out and separate the males from the females, inject the females with a special hormone that makes them fertile. The strip the eggs from the females and the sperm from the males and put them into an indoor hatchery. The fry are born in 4-7 weeks and after one more week they are put into a “grow out” pond to grow for another 6-8 weeks. Then the culling or sorting begins.

  

In the first cull they keep 25-50 % of the best quality Koi and sell the rest at reduced prices to other hatcheries. During the next 2 months they grow to between 4 -6 inches long. The best 10-40% is kept grown 2 more months to between 6-8 inches long. The final group of select thoroughbreds will be cultivated for another season until they reach 12-18 inches long and are ready for sale. Consequently, the larger the fish, the higher the quality. The truly expensive fish will be 12-18 inches long before being sold.

  

Peace Be Still, Sam

How do you know if you have bought a valuable koi?

  

Size counts. -The most important factor in determining the value of Koi is in its size. The bigger, the more valuable. Some Koi can get to be a 3 feet long. It appears that depending on their age and under optimum conditions Koi can grow almost an inch per month or faster.

  

Conformation – The next most important factor is shape. The most valuable shape is “torpedo-like”.

  

Skin, color intensity and clarity are also very important in evaluating the value of Koi. There should be no flaws or blemishes in the skin; next intensity, balance and clarity of color pattern will be judged. The more intense, balanced and clear the colors are the higher the value.

  

Peace Be Still, Sam

Ornamental quality Koi will have been breed from good quality parents, have bloodlines, good conformation, and beautiful coloration. Ornamental Koi however, have unbalanced patterns, with flaws in their skin and coloring. Unless one of your nosy neighbors is an expert, no one will be able to detect the imperfections.

  

Show quality Koi are expected to have good bloodlines, good body conformation, shiny and unflawed skin, sharp edges and balance in their patterns. These Koi come from show quality parents.

  

Most of us will stock our ponds with pond or ornamental quality Koi but it is interesting to become familiar with the varieties which make up 95% of Japanese Show quality Koi.

  

Peace Be Still Sam