how to cull koi fry Generally, this means that you will have to cull some of the babies. In this process, fish keepers select fish with desirable traits and fish that seem overall health and keep them. The rest of the batch are either given away or humanely dispatched, depending on the preferred outcome.
This should fall at about 4 weeks (possibly longer) after swimming is first observed. Another culling should take place a month after the first or about when
While some koi are eliminated naturally, koi owners use a process called culling to keep numbers of koi fish down to appropriate levels.
After Growing On in mud pond , tank or aqurium for about three weeks, koi fry start first culling process, remove any larger fry to another
This is our first culling session – we had recovered a BUNCH of koi fry from a pond rescue. Only some of them are shown in the white pan, we had hundreds more
It is important to harvest the fry at this size as if they are left in the pond any longer, the larger Koi will start to eat the smaller ones.
Remember, the quality of the Koi is not determined by its growth rate and it is usually the larger and less desirable Koi that end up eating the more attractive smaller ones!
In this article, you will learn how to select koi fry and how the Japanese Koi breeders decide which koi fry to select or not select.
The Sanke koi fry successfully grown to around 1 to 1.5 inches in size in the last 4 weeks.
This is the moment where the first culling or selection can be performed. Japanese called it Senbetsu is the name used in Japan for the selection process of Koi.
Why it is important to cull or select your koi fry?
The answer is really simple. The breeder doesn’t have enough space to let all Koi develop under the best circumstances for that reason the breeders need to select his Koi.
Only the ones that have potential in his eyes will be selected. Less Koi in the mud pond means better development, better growth, and less risk for diseases.
And why would the breeder spend time and money to grow and feed koi that he never will be able to sell to customers in the future? So it makes sense a breeder is only selecting his best Koi.
For these really small Koi, body posture is not the most important factor to selecting the Koi on.
While a good larger Koi body counts for at least 50% during the selection process.
For now, since the baby Koi are only 1 to 1.5 inches in size, the body is just a rough indicator.
Even the breeder doesn’t exactly know how this will develop in the next upcoming weeks or months.
Selecting baby koi is not something that is extremely difficult
Everyone is able to learn the aspects where you have to select the Koi on.
The hard part is that each variety of Koi has its own selection process criteria.
Kohaku for example, a white Koi with a red pattern are selected differently than Showa which are black koi with a white and red pattern on it.
There is only one good way to learn and understand how to select koi fry properly, and that is sharing time together with the breeders.
Not just for a single day, but for periods of time, selecting different varieties, asking questions to other koi fish breeders, and trying it by yourself.
how to cull koi fry frequently ask questions
how to select koi fry (Sanke koi fry)
For Sanke koi fry selection, Koi with a white skin and a red and black pattern.
Every potential small baby koi that does have some kind of pattern is selected.
In the first round of culling the first 4 weeks or 1 month of koi fry life cycle.
it doesn’t really matter at all, as long as a pattern is visible and the Koi is complete and healthy.
With complete I mean having two eyes, pectoral fins, a tail, and so on.
how to select koi fry (kohaku Koi fry)
Also for Kohaku koi fry selection, the pattern is the most important thing to take into account.
It is all about the technical aspects of the pattern. Some basic technical aspects are for example that the red pattern does not cover the entire head, and at the time, the head should not be entirely white.
The nose should be white, and there should be white visible around the head. Preferable the red pattern lays between the eyes.
The last part of the body, just before the tail, should be white as well. Fins should not be covered in red color, including the tail and dorsal fin.
That doesn’t mean if one of the baby koi does not match these criteria they won’t be selected. For the first rounds, it is ok if not everything is not 100% matching the technical aspects
Want to know raising koi fry
Learn more about How to breed koi fish
How can I make my koi fry grow faster?
Warmer Temperatures
Keep your koi warm to achieve the best growth rates possible. While koi adapt well to cool water temperatures, cold temperatures reduce their metabolic rate, which reduces their growth rate. For optimal growth, keep the water in your koi pond between 77 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit
How often should I feed Koi fry?
You will want to feed around 4 times per day. In general you are trying to match the size of the food with the koi fry such that it is an appropriate size for them to eat. After about a week of this mixture you can switch to a powder called “fry powder” which can be sprinkled over the water’s surface.
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