carolyn22. congratulations on your spawn.
snapple.. waiting in anticipation for your arrivals. Hope it is soon for the fish and your sake. Must be nerve racking!
Koi Spawn?
I'm off from work this week - I think I'll just keep an eye on here and see what happens.
I am hoping for another spawning. I don't really have anybody I can call if the eggs become impacted - perhaps I should look at that video..... Snapple - my fish is not as big as yours - perhaps 16-18 inches.
How old/large do they have to be to have babies? 1/2 of mine are three years old (approx) and about 12" long? Curious.
I was speaking to the Japanese Fish importer that is working on my pond and he said the fish have to be at least 3 years old - both male and female. My fish were acting "different" - kinda jumpy and playful in their holding tank and I asked him why and discussed the spawning stuff in this post and he said the koi are different like people and that they were too young to spawn. He thought they were just having fun. I had to laugh at his very basic answer of my "why" question. . . LOL!
Wait until you see the pictures of the destruction of my yard . . . The pond seems way deep now. My kids were in the hole and I couldn't see them unless I was above the hole. It is that deep right now. It is supposed to be done mid next week if the weather agrees.
How is the spawning going for you all now? My water is not very warm yet. The weather isn't very warm either. Barely 70 degrees each day.
Blah....been 100 degrees here all week, so the water temps are extremely high. Not even considering a spawn at this point. Actually lost a couple of fish due to the high temps, very sad indeedy...2 of my beautiful 25 inch butterflies, and a 28-ish inch sanke (and a few 18 inch fish)
Wishing all the best to the rest of you!
:)
Oh No!!! No! No! No! That's awful. Just plain awful. I can't contemplate losing fish that large.
I'm so, so sorry.
No spawn here. I've got females with bigger bellies than a 747. I'm going to do a 50% water change tomorrow to see if I can't trigger something.
major activity in my pond this morning,flapping and chasing around.I wonder if these lousy cold ( 60-65--degrees)and rainy days(3 weeks)make them spawn again?This would make it then a second spawning for my goldfish.
Oh, my gold fish have spawned nearly daily for the last week or so. It's the big fat old koi that just won't their game on.
Any spawning yet? I wondered if the long sunshine of June 21st would have an effect on the fish and the spawn. It was wicked hot here today. I couldn't handle the humidity-it was too big a change for me. Sorry to hear about your fish Merry Mary. What do fish look like when they are struggling in the heat? Do they gasp at the water surface? With living in Florida that must be a common problem in the summers. What can you do to keep the fish cool? My water is well (and has nothing in it to harm the fish) and I would probably just over-run the auto-matic refill on hot days-let it spill over the edge of the pond. Today being so hot I did do a major water change and clean out of my hospital tank. The fish really seem to enjoy the hose running in their tank. They swim into the heavy stream and let it take them to the end of the tank and start all over again.
Merry Mary
I am so sorry to hear about your fish. I cannot imagine - it is hard enough to lose them when they are small, but when they are big like that - oh how upsetting! I find that I get emotionally attached the longer I have them. I am so sorry for your loss......
I have some of the same questions that Linda had - I have always wondered about pond keeping in Florida - some of your problems would be the same as ours, however with the temps I can see a whole new set of problems. Is it the heat or the lack of oxygen in the warmer water that is the culprit? I hope you don't find my questions ghoulish.
No questions here are ever a problem, we all learn from everyone else! The water always gets warm during certain streaks of summer sun here in Florida. We don't deal with de-icers like the rest of you, but do occasionally have to deal with the heat. Usually the surface water will get warm, but the fish usually go to the lower depths and keep cool for the few hours it's overly hot. However, this week has been abnormally hot, even for us. The water temps really went up, even with hoses trying to cool down the lower depths. We added extra oxygen when we saw them gasping for air by all the hose releases, but it seemed to be too late. I know it sounds silly, but just like a dog who has been a part of the family, the loss of the big ones who have been around for years and would eat out of your hand, are still sad losses. The one was gorgeous, I had been offered bigggg money for many times, but just loved her and her jumbo full egg belly. She was a beautiful gin rin platinum with a solid intense orange head. Being so large and sparkly, she lit up the whole pond. I was hoping for a billion gin rin baby butterflies....
Poo.....
:(
MerryMary, I am so sorry for your loss as well. I had to give up over 100 of my fish last year to koi rescue (AZ Koi Club, thank God for them)... it broke my heart. Losing any fish is heartbreaking... it's amazing how attached we get to them.
I was wondering about the heat... in AZ, our temps were over 105 degrees almost all summer, sometimes 114, yet the heat didn't bother our fish (nor any of my AZ ponding friends' fish)... is it a common concern in Florida when it gets very hot? Is it because it's an unusual fluctuation?
Anyway, again, I am so, so sorry for the loss of your babies.
Brenda
My ponds are not deep (2 1/2 foot), so usually with the water flow, even on hot days, the fish can handle the temps by moving under the shaded areas. I have trees that provide shade when the sun comes up...and again later in the afternoon, There's a small window of time when the pond gets direct sun. I have large plants in the water that provide shaded areas (elephant ears and umbrella palm) This week though, the temps never dropped below 90 at night, so the water never really got the "nightime cool-down". The other night at 11:00pm, it was still 91 degrees. Going up to over 100 during the day I think was just too much. I think they just simply poached.
So sad...
Merry Mary
If the temps are like that now, what happens in July, August and September?
Usually we max out in the mid 90's, but the night time temps go down to 75-80, which cools the water off before the next day. This week, we just didn't have the night time break in tempurature. I haven't had to deal with this in the 5 years I've had ponds.
Another lesson learned, I'll figure out something to prevent it from happening again....
If you put an umbrella or a sunsail over the pond to reduce the direct sunlight would it help reduce the heat much? I am sorry to hear what overheating entails.
Are you sure it was temps, not anything else? I know you are an experienced ponder and you've given me great advice in the past, and you have great insight into raising fish. But, I'm wondering, is there any chance that someone sprayed insecticide or weed killer near your pond? (Having had ponds in much hotter AZ I'm still having trouble with the idea that heat did it...). Once, one of our gardeners sprayed weed killer on the grass near our small pond here in Colorado and it killed several fish.
Still feeling sad with you...
Brenda
I had a tree company accidentally overspray my front goldfish pond two weeks ago. I only lost one fish as a result. BUT.....It was a pretty serious problem. I went out to clean the pond about an hr after the company left. I noticed some of the fish swimming erratically - not gasping - but out of control rapid zig zags. It took me a few minutes to realize what the problem must have been. I grabbed buckets from the garage and filled them with uncontaminated water from the koi pond that was nowhere near this one. My DH and I netted all the fish and put them in the buckets of uncontaminated pond water and drained the pond. I vacuumed the bottom. I never worked so fast in my life. Then we put a pump in the clean koi pond, hooked endless hoses together and pumped clean pond water 140 ft into the drained goldfish pond. While we were doing this we were periodicallly changing the water in the buckets holding the fish because I didn't have enough bubblers to keep them all oxygenated. Most of the affected fish improved within minutes of being in clean water. Two of them looked bad and one was really bad. We got the fish back into pond as it was refilling as soon as there was enough water to run the filter. All of the fish, but one, recovered ovenight. I havn't recovered yet.
OMG, so glad you were able to save most of them, Snapple!
Nope, no spray, just heat.....all water testings came out clean.....(amonias, ph, nitrate/nitrite, etc)
I have a privacy fence all along my backyard, with a huge layer of jungle plantings, so literally nothing can even consider getting close. .
I've considered the shade sails in the past, I probably will have to crack and get some, or at least the party tents for temporary shading on desperately hot days.
The difference can be all in the depth of the pond in hot conditions. Do you remember as a kid jumping into a deep end of a pool on a hot day and finding the water at the bottom refreshing and "lighter" in the way it felt and the upper depth and surface of the pool the water is warmer and "heavier" feeling. Maybe only people who swim a lot would notice that (or crazy Moles. . .) but there is a definite difference in water quality from hot to cool days as well as after a rainfall. Some of you know I was a swimmer in college and competed all over the world and there are big differences in the way water "feels". I can't imagine being a fish and having to depend on others to keep the water feeling good.
MM: What do you recommend for those stinking hot days-weeks to keep the fish cool? We're having a week of 90's to almost 100 degrees each day?
Linda
I've moved a few males around to different ponds to see if there will be any excitement by the new view? lol, do male fish prefer blondes or.....?
No male koi prefer utsuri's . . . LMAO!
and I thought shusui's had more fun........ ^_^
OK- The 50% water change is done. The water lilies have been cleaned up of yellowing leaves. I pushed the pump that I use for water changes around the bottom for a quickie vacuum. It wasn't really necessary but, hey, as long as you're up to your armpits in the pond yourself you might as well. The fish are really enjoying the fresh water. They're pretty frisky with some males chasing the females. Maybe there's hope? The water temp dropped from a high of 91° yesterday to 74.4° just a few moments ago. Due in part to the fresh water and due in part to the fact that it's coolling off here. Thank Heaven!
However, as good as all this sounds, I discovered a problem. Before I changed the water I took a sample for testing. Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, okey dokey so far..........but Nitrate's 40ppm. It's the first time ever I've had a reading over 10ppm. It would seem I've over reached the pond capacity for fish load. Bummer. It also explains why I've had more suspended algae than usual. High temps promote algae growth too, but Nitrates really fuel it. So now I gotta make some changes. Like find a home for a koi or two. Or do regular 500 gallon weekly water changes. Something. Any suggestions?
Yeah, I'll d-mail you my address for my new koi . . . LOL!
You can always add another pond...
snapple,lol....now you understand why I'm adding my 4th pond! :)
mm If I could figure out how to get a 28" to ya I would. bsavage & MM - There's no place to dig another hole. What I wish I could do is double this one. I went to the pond store and got 20 bunches of submerged oxygenators. Hornwort. They'll help eat up the nitrates. How much I don't know.
But here's some good news, wierd, but good. At about 9:00 pm tonight the koi were spawning!!!!! They're chasing around and the males are knocking the dickens out of the females. There's thrashing and flapping going on everywhere. At night! They seem to be using the spawning rope. I'll get up at dawn and try to rescue some eggs. I plan on moving the spawning rope to the small goldfish pond where I can keep it separated from the goldfish and let the fry hatch. At night!! What the heck?
Edited to add: At 5:30 next morning there were no signs of spawning activity and no eggs. I do have foamy water though. I give up.
This message was edited Jun 28, 2009 8:31 AM
Never surrender! :)
I know in the past I've only had about an hour to get the eggs out before being completely devoured. Not much time at all.
Did you check to see what the water temp was last night (just out of curiousity)?
Snapple, I'd be happy to trade you your jumbo for a group of smaller koi!
Do your perimeter plants have roots in the water? I know my large elephant ears and umbrella palms have done a great job keeping my water balanced. They're not planted in any type of soil or clay, just bare roots in 1/2 cement block "vases" weighted down with some rock.
I do need more plants with roots in the water. You're absolutely right on that point. I'm working on it. I have cement blocks that have sat outside for several years so I should be fine using them for vases.
Tha water temp was 71 when it got too dark to see. All the females still look big in the belly. :(
I'd gladly get you one of the big ones but you know the shipping problem, plus yours were/are a much higher quality than mine. You'd be probably be disappointed. I think a neighbor with a new pond might be interested in one. He has a 3000 gallon with only goldfish so far. Plus he's going to be a very good koi keeper when he gains a little experience.
This message was edited Jun 28, 2009 6:24 PM
Do I hear the Pitter-Patter (errr, the "splishy-splashy") of little koi fins, yet?
mothermole. I saw spawning but I never saw an egg?! I saw some spawning activity yestareday, males chasing and nudging the females. One female jumped and did a belly flop in a lily pot. I have foamy water, signs of male sperm in the water, but no eggs. I'm at a complete loss.
Are the females still large?
My goldfish are pushing each other around, but no koi....
Do goldfish ever stop pushing each other around? LOL The koi females don't look as fat but they're not slim either. We've had a two day cold spell, maybe something egg producing will happen in the next day or so when it warms back up. In a week or so I may consider a try at egg stripping.
How's the MerryMary? Still causing problems?
Fortunately quite a while back I got rid of the true comet type of goldfish who breed any day, anytime, anywhere...non-stop. I only have a couple of 8 inch shubunkin and sarassa left, which tend to NOT go as hog wild!
There are a few youtube clips on egg stripping, just not sure I want to attempt it just yet...I'm a coward!
We've had day after day of rain, so maybe the pond temps will change a bit? If not, and nothing happens, I guess this will be the year to move things around and update the pond. I had a pipe break inside the wall (yep, cement block wall) BUT the good news is I met a plumber that is willing to assist me with my new pond venture!
My hubby thinks he's creepy,lol, so I'm not sure yet if I'll use him.
Funny you should say that MM. I don't have any gold comets either. (They made good fertilizer. ) Just shubunkins and sarassas too. And they have been spawning about every week or so for a month. I don't see any fry yet. Probably hiding in the lilies.
I remember your broken pipe in the wall. That was not a really good thing to have happen. Now they have pipe that doesn't break. Know how I know? The pipe in the wall behind my dishwasher broke in January and ruined my entire laminate kitchen floor. I nnow have pipe that can't break and a new kitchen floor and an empty bank account.
Just keep hubby around when Mr. Creepy's working. A good plumber is hard to find.
We apparently all at the mercy of the weather.
Snapple - My hubby laughed at the creepy plumber comment you made. :)
He talked to the professional "ponder" people today, and just to add a 12 x 9 pond would be (minimum) $7,000.00. What the....????? I think he's beginning to appreciate what a work--a-holic wife he has, and what that work ethic has $aved him throughout the years! :) He's looking at a ponding magazine as we speak!