My Koi Addiction....

[Gemma]

I am glad I like shubunkins!

Shubbies are awesome! ...and you know what...mine got so big that when the ice last month, I looked at all the fish sitting at the bottom of the pond trying to figure out which koi was that I was looking at...then I figured out it was one of the 2 shubunkins

 

[Gemma]

Re judging Showa quality...My understanding is if you would take the black out it would be a very pretty kohaku ie red and white spotted fish. if you would leave the black and take out the red it would look like a ki utsuri ie black and white spotted fish. It's not easy to judge showas and I think a lot of it is personal preference. Obviously I'm not getting a show fish but I want something nice. Thanks Gemma. That fish is from a small dealer. They are asking $150 which isn't bad. I'll probably get at least one more if I go with that one because the shipping is almost as much as the fish!

My only problem with non metallic fish, is that I've seen way too many losing their colors, and end up being mostly white and dull looking.
My Sanke was free cause of buy 2 get one free, but she was listed for more than 150, and she still lost a lot of her color, so price doesn't always mean better, or I would get me one of those cool looking Showa in a heartbeat

 

[CometKeith]

Well... here is another one. It's from a different dealer. This is a little more expensive but I think it's worth it... but it's 15 inches! Obviously my addiction is taking over! Would that be crazy to have one larger fish with a bunch or 5-10 inch fish? I think if I got this one I would be done for at least a year. It's about twice the price of getting two of the others so the overall cost would be the same. I'm just worried if the water is 40 degrees would that will be too cold to introduce a new fish, but I'm afraid if I wait this sort of fish won't be available in the summer because most of these dealers get only spring and fall shipments when they get farmed in Japan. Gemma I would hope the color stays the same. Maybe it was the diet the fish had before you got it? I have not read anywhere about these fish losing their colors. With a Showa the underlying color is black so I'm sure that wouldn't go away.

I saved it to my shopping cart and the dealer actually says you can buy any fish and they will hold it until your water temp gets to 50 degrees! So that relieves one concern...
This is another one I'm thinking about.... It's the same price.

 

[Lisak1]

They are both gorgeous! I love those clean color lines.

 

[CometKeith]

They are both gorgeous! I love those clean color lines.

My only problem with non metallic fish, is that I've seen way too many losing their colors, and end up being mostly white and dull looking.
My Sanke was free cause of buy 2 get one free, but she was listed for more than 150, and she still lost a lot of her color, so price doesn't always mean better, or I would get me one of those cool looking Showa in a heartbeat

I thought this was a fun thread....Is anyone still addicted? I know I am. I bought two Koi this year and both are doing great. I'll be looking this winter at more fish even though I can't add any until the spring. My wife thinks I'm crazy because everytime she looks at what I have on my laptop she sees pictures of fish!

 

[JohnHuff]

I had a lot of koi at one point but the birds and bobcat got them. Then my favorite dealer closed down. This Spring I just bought a bunch of feeder goldfish instead.

 

[Gemma]

I thought this was a fun thread....Is anyone still addicted? I know I am. I bought two Koi this year and both are doing great. I'll be looking this winter at more fish even though I can't add any until the spring. My wife thinks I'm crazy because everytime she looks at what I have on my laptop she sees pictures of fish!

I love this thread along with any threads where members show off their fish so thank you for bringing this back.
I don't know if mine is a true addiction because I prefer fewer fish in a pond than most ( I find it more relaxing, and I'm so afraid of overstocking ) but seems all my free time is spent online looking at koi videos or koi for sale...speaking of koi for sale what do you think of the quality of the koi sold by Koi to The World?

 

[addy1]

My wife thinks I'm crazy because everytime she looks at what I have on my laptop she sees pictures of fish!

Well that is sure better than pictures of girls!

 

[Lisak1]

Well that is sure better than pictures of girls!

Good point!

Post away everyone - as the weather cools off and the INEVITABLE happens ( I refuse to use the W word!) I spend LOTS of time looking at ponds, fish, and gardens online. It that's an addiction, I don't need no cure!

 

[j.w]

I have too many goldfish already so have to curb my addiction for more..........................but I can still bring home more rocks forever and ever! Found a bunch the other day. A guy dug up a driveway into the woods to sell that property and he dug up a bunch of gorgeous rocks he does not want, score!

 

[addy1]

Well I am weird, I enjoy the winter, down time.

 

[Lisak1]

Well I am weird, I enjoy the winter, down time.

I'm with you @addy1 - the changing seasons are what makes me look forward to spring and summer. And the cold days and early darkness forces me to stay indoors and pay attention to the inside of the house!

 

[Tula]

Me too We've been tackling some neat indoor projects and I'm ready for a break from ponding and gardening.

 

[j.w]

Me not ready for cold, wet Winter! Only thing I will not miss is mowing the lawn. Everything else I could keep doing forever! Right now it feels like a taste of Summer all over again. 63f right now at almost 5pm. Was warmer than that a bit ago. Sun going down now so will cool off in the 30's again tonight.

 

[LarryM]

Although I can identify as a koi addict, fishaholic probably describes me best. I've kept fish of one kind or another since I was six years old and I'm 68 now. (A young 68 that is). I built two backyard koi ponds when I lived in California. When I moved here to Arkansas 15 years ago I accepted that I probably wouldn't keep koi anymore. But then, as if God was looking down on me, we bought this ten acre property in the country and there was a 15,000 gal inground pool already built. Well you KNOW I had to make that pool into a koi pond. A couple years after we moved in I hired a excavating guy to come in and dig me a pond in the back about 3/4acre in size. I'm raising large bluegill and bass in that pond. Got fish tanks in my shop where I tie flies for fishing so you can say I'm surrounded by fish and nature ALL of the time. Yes I'm addicted, but it's the only way I know how to do it, and that's the way I like it.