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Growths on a Koi... "Beauty in the
eye of..." 8/19/08
Mr. Fenner: I am somewhat familiar with the different varieties of
Koi because my mother in law, father in law and brother in law all have
rather large, well stocked Koi ponds, but I was recently at Hopeland
Gardens in Aiken, South Carolina and saw some of the largest and most
beautiful koi, carp and butterfly koi I have ever seen. I was however,
shocked when I saw these LARGE fleshy flaps protruding out of the
nostril area of a butterfly koi – we actually thought he had a bad eye
deformity at first until we were able to see the eye (perfectly fine)
below.
<Ah yes>
From my research I have determined that these must be “pom pom nostrils”
– but I can’t find any images online that show anything similar to what
this fish had… and all of the butterfly koi online and what my in laws
have do not have this feature…. Is this fish sick? If so I would like to
let the Garden know. I have attached some pictures.
Thank you,
Amanda Douglas Hilley
<Have seen these... "hybrids" that capitalize on a sometimes over-growth
of these nares areas... Not beautiful to me, but... neither were
"butterfly" koi to me initially... Am beginning to understand my parents
misgivings re the Beatles and Dave Clark Five's music... Cheers, Bob
Fenner> |
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Koi/Goldfish Hybrid... Orfes 9/2/06
Hello, I have a 500-600 gallon pond in my backyard and was buying fish for
it from my local Koi Farm, a home run operation with much experience and many
giant Koi in even more unusually giant ponds.
I decided that my pond was not deep enough to be ideal for Koi, (only 2 feet at
deepest) so I would buy large comet goldfish instead.
<Okay>
At the Koi farm they had a very dark grey-black school of fish, about 3-4 inches
in length, with silvery undersides. According to the koi farm owners, they are
a Koi Goldfish hybrid, and the owners did not know how large they would grow.
<About two feet maximum... much more likely about eight-ten inches in your
system>
The farm was giving them away for free, and as they are in good health and very
natural, nice looking fish (i prefer them to bright unnatural colored fish), I
bought two, along with three similar sized comet goldfish.
I then researched Koi Goldfish hybrids on the internet. The only information
that I could find about them is that they are apparently sterile (fine by me, I
do not intend to breed them) but are colored much like wild carp.
<Most often, yes... though can be golden... other colors>
I do not have experience of wild carp, but the color is definitely a greyish
black, and could change as they mature (I only got them yesterday). They also
seemed to school much more actively and disciplined than the goldfish and koi
at the farm.
I was wondering if you have had any experience of hybrids such as these, and how
large they potentially might grow.
<Mmm, could be that these are crosses... might be that they're other variety of
Nishikigoi/common carp (Chagoi...) Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/koivarieties.htm
and the link at bottom. Bob Fenner>
What kind of (koi?)
I was wanting to know what the difference is between chagoi, saragoi, and common
carp? I have about ten brownish (koi?) some with golden bellies, some
with bluish silver scales on the sides. I am trying to figure out exactly
what there name/type are. I can send a photo if that will help. Thank you for
any help on this!
<Mmm... well, all Nishikigoi/koi are the same species as the common carp
(Cyprinus carpio)... Chagoi (brown to olive drab all over) are very close to the
wild type... and are favored by some folk (me included) as a great pet to have
with more fancy varieties in a collection. Soragoi/Saragoi are more
shiny/metallic grey and are popular as well... to have one to a pond... though
not spectacular in their own right. Here is a very good site for such a
discussion:
http://www.ponddoc.com/WhatsUpDoc/Koi/NEEsheegoi.htm
Bob Fenner>
I think I have a true blue koi 6/4/06
good morning,
I am Hope and I am from Virginia,
<I'm Bob in S. Cal.>
last year my neighbor gave to me a very large Koi female, and a medium male...
my female she said was black... but in my water she looks a deep bluish,
however when she spawned and the babies hatched they are a mid day sky blue with
a darker blue running down the dorsal. right now each of these are 1 year old, a
few have orange fins and a speck or two of either orange or red,
<Hard to rid this in Shusuis, Asagis...>
although most are solid blues.. some have yellow heads and fins... but on the
ones that are blue, they have a metallic ring on the heads and it
is turning almost teal green... they are absolutely beautiful this year,
however last year I was angry that I had them since they overtook my pond , I
have a 45000 in ground old pool that I turned into my pond, ( I was trying to
raise blue gills and catfish but now I have koi)
<You understand why folks (particularly fisherfolk) are adamant about
disallowing carp (same species, Cyprinus carpio) into lakes, ponds...>
I can try to picture these if you would like... please help me to figure out
what type of koi these are
Hope Brickey
<Please insert the terms above and read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/koivarieties.htm
and the linked file... Bob Fenner>
Butterfly Koi repro. mostly 5/21/06
Hi, Bob et al.
<Leigh>
My husband and I have a large outdoor pond with 11 Butterfly Koi (2 to 5
years-10" to 15") down here in Texas. Queenie and George (I couldn't tell males
from females when naming them) spawned this year, and yesterday we noticed
several (about seven or eight) babies. They're only about 1 1/2" long. I'm
worried that the big ones will eat the little ones. Is this a possibility?
<Very unlikely. Koi/Carp don't eat their young, or small fishes... unless very
small, incidental>
I bought a little mesh cage to move the little ones into to get them away from
the 11, but the pond is too big and they are too fast. Should I just accept the
inevitable, or is there hope that these babies will not end up as breakfast?
<These will likely not be eaten... will develop, grow here>
I have finally come to grips with the fact that the adults ate most of the
eggs...
<Yes, this is common>
Also, are there varieties of Butterfly Koi?
<There are a few varieties/types, though they are all the same species (Cyprinus
carpio), as are all "regular-finned" Nishikigoi/koi>
Ours have very long, flowing silky fins and tails, and don't really resemble the
pictures of Butterfly Koi on your site. Could we have something other than
Butterfly?
Thanks!
Leigh from Houston
<Mmmm, yours are probably just a bit older, nicer... Bob Fenner>
Silver Back Koi 7/28/05
I know you are a very busy man and I don't want to take up a lot of time but
I have a question that was not spoken of in your article.
I bought a Koi today for my father but I cant really find any information
regarding the variety of the Koi.
<There are many "undescribed", otherwise beautiful "varieties"... like dogs, koi
are all the same species...>
The Koi is snow white BUT the whole back and belly area is silver.
Is there something special about the Koi or is that something common found
in Koi's.
<The hikari (or metallic, shiny) properties of koi are prized... in some
varieties purposely bred for, sought.>
I have never seen one like that as to where my inquiry comes from.
If you could find it possible to reply I would really appreciate it.
Thank You
Heini Falk
<Mmm, the "value" of living beings is a subjective evaluation to some... I do
hope you prize and enjoy this animal. Bob Fenner>
Brown Shusui? 7/17/05
I hope you can help me. I have a three year old Butterfly Koi. When I got
him last spring he was black. This year he has grown quite a bit and now has
the markings of a Shusui but in tones of black to brown. Is this common?
<Not uncommon... koi do change color, markings>
Does it have a name?
<Mmm, am wondering...>
All the other koi in the pond are normal beautiful koi but he stands out as a
true beauty...to me anyway.
Thanks for anything you can fill me in on. I can't seem to find any information
on this coloring in this pattern.
Suzanne Koglin
Illinois
<Well, this is actually how new "varieties" arise. Bob Fenner>
X-files (Space fishes)...
Hi Bob,
<Nicole>
I don't know if you guys have already seen this video, but if not, take a look
at this!
What do you think of it ? Is it a trick or what?
http://www.koreus.com/media/poisson-tete-humaine.html
<Did see this a while back... just a naturally occurring coincidence of
bilateral markings on koi-carp heads that look something like a human face...
Hey I saw Jesus, or was it Elvis (?) in my toast this very AM! Bob Fenner>
Why is the Kin Rin Koi so Rare?
Hello,
I was hoping you could tell me what makes the Kin Rin koi so rare. How much do they cost?
Thank you
Casey
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/koivarieties.htm.
Good ones just rarely occur... price when small... let's say 10 cm., about forty dollars U.S. Bob Fenner>
Distinguishing koi from any other gold fish
Dear Robert
I have a stocked pond. Over the past three years I have noticed new young fish appearing. These young fish are brown at first changing
color over a few years. The larger fish in the pond were bought as koi. I am not a koi
enthusiast and now wonder if, as they have bred so readily the fish are actually all koi. Can you tell me how to
distinguish a koi please? One of the fish is approx 12" long and is light grey in
color with the barbels.
<Ah! If you have just Koi (Cyprinus carpio, which is the same species as the common carp) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus...) in the system there are three possibilities of offspring. The two above and a dihybrid cross, often termed a Golden Orfe. But, considering the size of the individual you mention, this is almost certainly a Carp... and a "throw-back"... or less than attractive more natural colored individual. In culture it would likely be culled>
I think it might be a ghost koi. The others are yellow, orange and mixed
colors but not all the fish have barbels. I thought initially that if they did not have
barbels, then they weren't koi. Is this correct?
<Good question. Actually, if observed closely, you will find the Goldfish possess these barbels at the corners of their mouths as well. Bob Fenner>
Thanks for your advice.
Carolyn
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