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2002 update to article printed in Vol 22, Issue 5 in KOIUSA in 1998
by
Douglas Dahl
Why do you want to breed koi, I ask? You could respond
that "imported koi are too expensive"
or you want to learn how they change so you can purchase baby koi with more confidence, or you are just bored and want to try it. This discussion addresses city breeding. Country or farm breeding can be a very different process in many ways due to available growing ponds and I leave that discussion to the professionals.
What is Needed
My experience in city breeding suggests the following list of needed items:
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800 gallon tank or pond for breeding (use as medical tank when not breeding)
• 3000 gallon tank or pond to grow some of the baby koi for 1 year
•
working filter for both the 800 and 3000 gallon tanks or ponds if they are close together
• submersible pump with strainer on intake (18" drilled PVC tube surrounded by foam 6x6x18)
•1/6 hp pump for the 3000 gallon system
•Air pump and air stones for breeding tank
•GFI electrical outlets for all pumps
•Net to cover breeding tank to keep breeding fish in
•Brine shrimp jugs, air system and light for food breeding
•Several kinds of food (to be described later)
•Net, tub, plastic bags to transport breeders and catch babies
•Ammonia and nitrite test kits
•Source of de chlorinated water (3000 gallon tank while 800 gallon tank in use)
•Breeding media (hyacinth plants, podocarpus branches, mop heads, breeding nets)
•About $1500 to spare for expenses
•Strong back and strong stomach
•HARD HEART FOR CULLING
•Someone to feed the babies every 3-4 hours during the day
Timing, Romance and Birth
The time to prepare for breeding is one month before pond water reaches 70 degrees F. The first task is to start your filters for the breeding tank, order food for the first 10 weeks, set up the breeding area and set up the brine shrimp breeding area in the garage. When the water temperature reaches 70 degrees F you have the earliest time to breed koi and get good hatching results (mid April in So. Calif). On the morning of the breeding day, place fresh water into the 800 gallon breeding tank 18" deep and 12" below the rim and de chlorinate it. Turn on the air pump and air stones for oxygen. The submersible pump is not running during breeding. At about noon place the chosen female into the breeding tank along with breeding media that has already been cleaned and treated for parasites by dipping into Formalin or similar agents. The female is usually 3 years old minimum, bulky due to her eggs and chosen for configuration, quality and bloodline but not for pattern. Stretch a net over the breeding tank to make sure the female does not jump out. At 5pm place one male into the breeding tank. The male is chosen for conformation, quality, bloodline and pattern. If you use two males you will get better fertilization but you will never know which male produced the best koi and with one male I get more babies than I know what to do with anyway. Breeding show koi is not recommended because of potential damage and fading colors following breeding...
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