Mid~Atlantic Koi The Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
January/February 2014
Fun in the Snow Do you know what kind of Koi variety this is?
Mid~Atlantic Koi The Membership Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
Volume 27, Number 6
January/February 2014
—Upcoming Event
Beginner’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
MAKC Club Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Saugerties Chapter Meetings . . . . . . .29
MAKC Corporate Members . . . . . . . . . . .7 Power Outage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Linda Montgomery, KHA, Oregon
—MAKC News
Pond Freezes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
President’s Message . . . . . . . .4 From the Editor’s Desk . . . . . .6 MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers . . . . . . . .17 Sunshine Column . . . . . . . . .28 F..A..S..T Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Linda Montgomery, KHA, Oregon
Osmoregulation – How a Fish Regulates Its Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Steve Hopkins, Rain Garden Ornamentals
Disease Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Ben Plonski; Laguna Koi Ponds
Pond Protection 301 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Ron Kardynski, Michigan
Mid-Atlantic Koi Deadlines for articles, meeting announcements and ads March Issue Deadline: Available Online: April Issue Deadline: Available Online:
February 1 March 1 March 1 April 1
Saugerties Chapter – Back Among the Books! . . . . . . . . . . . .19 – The Koi Event That Almost Wasn’t . .20 RoseMarie Ehrich, New York
My Winter Project or Dang Koi Grow and Grow! (Part 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Diana Lynn Rehn, Inland Empire Water Garden & Koi Society
Giant Asian Wasp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Dennis Long’s Snow Koi See the answer on page 6. Photo by Ron Kardynski, Michigan
Richard Heimberger, www.thehealthypond.com
Invasive Water Hyacinth . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Richard Heimberger, www.thehealthypond.com
On the Road to a Koi Event . . . . . . . . . . .29 Picture to Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 MAKC Membership Application . . . . .33 Happy New Year! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Page 2 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2014
MAKC Executive Committee President Philip Gray
(516) 486-5163
philiegray@mac.com
Cell (516) 967-4966 Vice-President Bernie Szer
(516) 241-4655
Dinah Bwint
(610) 287-9178
Anthony Vitale
(516) 420-0740
gasssman246@aol.com
Secretary sanke@verizon.net
Treasurer nyssba96@aol.com
Remember to Renew Your Membership
Central Chapter Vice-President Looking for a Volunteer Long Island Chapter Vice-President Bruce Levine
(516) 735-2644
bruce@li-koi.com
North Chapter Vice-President Dan Bitcon
(973) 699-2186
DanVideo@aol.com
Saugerties (NY) Chapter Vice-President Herb Ehrich
(845) 247-7105
koiking15@yahoo.com
South Chapter Vice-President Chuk Nixon
(301) 717-7702
chuknixon@aol.com
S ta n din g Committe es Membership Barry Hixson
(610) 262-5184 makcmembers@verizon.net AKCA Representative
Philip Gray
(516) 486-3807
philiegray@mac.com
MAKC Sales Ruth & Gene Rice
(304) 725-2333
sew4Koi@comcast.net
Don’t Wait – Do it Today.
MAKC Notice Group Manager Michael Snyder
(301) 762-2059
makc@imsnyder.com
WebMaster Wayne Orchard
(828) 693-3851 waynesorchard@gmail.com
Exe c ut ive B o ard Adv is or y Committe e Joe Zuritsky
Renewal form you can print out is on page 33.
(215) 575-4001 jzuritsky@parkwaycorp.com
Betty Roemer
(828) 697-2692
roroemer@mchsi.com
Art Lembke
(410) 867-0270
artsKoi1@aol.com
Mike Riordan
(732) 747-6089
Koidog1@verizon.net
Gene Rice
(304) 725-2333
RiceGene@comcast.net
Eric Wilson
(613) 421-7890
wilseric@rogers.com
Ellie Cooper
(610) 865-1163
mamakoi@verizon.net
Mid-Atlantic Koi Magazine Editor, Carolyn Weise
(239) 573-6650 x105
Advertising Editor, Philip Gray
(516) 486-5163
makcmag@makc.com philiegray@mac.com
Meeting/Events Editor, Carolyn Weise (239) 573-6650 x105 makcmag@makc.com FAST Ads Editor, Philip Gray
(516) 486-5163
philiegray@mac.com
Ja p a n es e Cul tur a l Adv is er Misa Sitterly
(703) 490-0770
sitterly@comcast.net
MAKC Home Page: http://www.makc.com
Production: Cindy Graham, NextUp Creations
January/February 2014
Mid-Atlantic Koi is the magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club. Material is selected for its interest to Koi keepers. MAKC accepts no responsibility for accuracy of content. Reproduction of uncopyrighted articles is permitted as long as this magazine is credited as the source. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 3
President’s Message by Philip Gray Suggestions4MAKC@gmail.com
s 2013 draws to a close, I hope and your loved ones had a peaceful and happy holiday season and that your Koi has stayed warm during these bitter cold days we’ve endured. This has been an extraordinary year for the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club.
A
members to thoughtfully consider whether or not they would like to have the Koi Show this year. If the answer is yes then I ask that we work together collaboratively as a club to conceptualize and execute a wonderful event. Any member with ideas, thoughts or who would like to sign up as a volunteer should email me their thoughts and ideas.
For this upcoming year, I challenge all of our members to make this year even more memorable by becoming more involved in this year’s events. We are asking for more volunteers this year and we’re in need of volunteer positions such as Club Sales and Show Co-Chair. These positions will be crucial in driving the success and commitment of the club to reach out to new members.
Finally, this year’s February Club Meeting will be held at my home on February 16th. I also want to make an announcement that during 2013, I must shamelessly admit I went a little Koi crazy, therefore I will be thinning out my pond over the next coming months. Anyone interested please feel free to contact me directly.
I would like to encourage you all to introduce someone to the hobby we all love so much, especially to our Club Officers, who should lead by example. Please show your commitment to the club by motivating other members to invite prospective club members or people interested or curious about Koi as a hobby. Invite these individuals, such as friends, family members, business associates, clients, neighbors, etc. as guests to any upcoming seminar or show this year, so that they gain an opportunity to visit, learn more about Koi and join our club! For this upcoming year I am also asking members: Are you interested in having a Koi show this year? I would like all of our Page 4 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Once again, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope this year is filled with wonderful events, new memories and an even further strengthening of this club. It is a privilege to be the President of this club; I want to thank all of our club members for their continued devotion and to all of our Club officers and volunteers, thank you for your tireless efforts and contributions. Please enjoy this holiday season. I look forward to working with you to make 2014 this club’s brightest year yet. Warmest wishes, Philip Gray philiegray@mac.com
January/February 2014
Beginner’s Corner Ask a question and we will get you an answer.
Question I got a question for you about water changes. Everybody says 10% change every week, and I have been doing that from the beginning. Though I have to say that by doing water changes does cause me to have to buffer the pond more. (City Water don't you know) Is it that important to do water changes? --Rich
Answer Hi, Rich! Now, I never discourage water changes, but it's really good to question these practices. We were told to do a lot of things, in the beginning, that no longer have value, or don't have the same value because we have learned more about the ecology of ponds since the dark ages. The reasons to do water changes essentially are: 1- reduce the amount of nitrates 2- reduce TDS and clarify the water (in an established pond) 3- improve the health conditions in an overstocked pond 4- reduce the amount of free-swimming pathogens in the water 5- to be able to overfeed fish without ruining water quality 6- reduce excess proteins after spawn 7- as the first response to any fish crisis situation. I'm sure there are other reasons, but as you can see from these, we've learned that a properly January/February 2014
stocked pond, properly-fed fish, and well-set-up filtration system do not require "regular" water changes. What I recommend to people is to observe the pond, first, and then test the water. You can generally see when fish (butterfly, especially) get the capillary "bleeding" in their fins and tails that tell you there is something wrong with either the fish or, more likely, water quality. Change some of the water. You can also see the water becoming cloudy. You can see a buildup of nitrates (and phosphates) when the algae begins to over-grow. Those are times to increase frequency of water change. With regular water tests, monitor any increasing phosphate and nitrate numbers (before the algae blooms, perhaps) and do your partial water change and 10% should suffice if you catch it in time. So, stick with good Koi husbandry practices, do regular water testing and observation of your fish and you can save some of your water change energies (and costs). Note: This column offers suggestions only; the ultimate care of your pond and fish is up to you.
Wanted – Your Questions Please email your questions to makcmag@makc.com. We look forward to hearing from you! Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 5
From the Editor’s Desk by Carolyn Weise makcmag@makc.com Hi, What do you do with a brand new year? I think we’re supposed to ruin it with resolutions we’re not going to keep, like losing weight or stopping smoking. Well, I am not making any resolutions this year. That is my resolution. I may have some ideas what I’d like to do and hope to accomplish, but it’s kind of redundant when most days I wake up thinking I’m never going to do that again! Then again, long ago the resolution became “I’m going to buy only large, full-grown fish, so I know what sex they are” and “I’m only going to have one sex in my pond so I don’t have to deal with over-crowding.”
I think the very first sensible resolution I made (must have been 1994) was to remove all the goldfish and only keep the Koi. After resolutions like this each year since then, there really isn’t much for me to resolve these days. If you make them, make worthwhile ones that you can keep. So, I guess my message to you is this: There isn’t anything that can’t be overcome if you work at it, no problem to large or too small to handle in time. Just a suggestion: resolve to improve your pond. As a good friend says, “more Koi, less work.” I’m looking forward to another wonderful year with my great Koi friends! Together in Koi, Carolyn
Koi Snow Sculpture – This is a Tancho Sanke Page 6 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2014
M A KC
Corporate
Members
www.mazuri.com
Quality Koi Company Nisei Koi Farm 856-299-7564 info@qualitykoi.com
www.qualitykoi.com
Interested in becoming a Corporate Member?
East Coast – Patio Ponds, LTD 301-874-8440 West Coast – Laguna Koi Ponds 949-494-5107
www.MatalaUSA.com January/February 2014
Reasonable one time fee for the year – includes a Business Card size ad in all issues in this section and on the MAKC website. Contact Barry Hixson at 610-262-5184 or makcmembers@verizon.net Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 7
Power Outage by Linda Montgomery, KHA, Oregon
reprinted from NWKG Club December 2013 newsletter
he weather has been so frightfully cold, but it has been nice seeing the blue sky instead of rain. My fish are not looking too happy about the drop in their temperature…huddled together at the bottom of the pond looking so very, very cold. So the timing of this question from Carolyn Weise seemed just perfect.
T
Here is Carolyn’s question: When I read the latest Northwest magazine (just got around to reading it), I was caught by this one—What should I do when the power goes off and then comes back on? I don't know if you've written on this, but I know there is a danger lurking in our filters (anaerobic bacteria and gas buildup) that I believe can be harmful if not purged before the system starts circulating to the pond again after a period of being turned off (power outages). I thought maybe this might be something you would want to research and report. What do you think? Carolyn Answer: When I saw this question from Carolyn my first thought was just how fortunate we are to live in an area that is usually so mild in weather conditions. We generally don’t have to deal with extended power outages like so many other areas of the country. The east coast and the south (where Carolyn lives) both have to deal with hurricanes and tropical storms, the people in the Page 8 Mid-Atlantic Koi
central U.S. deal with tornados, and California has earthquakes, but we usually only deal with short term power outages due to snow, ice or wind. But even fairly short power outages can be life threatening to your Koi under the right circumstances. There are so many different factors that need to be considered when determining how dangerous a power outage will be for your Koi. Each pond situation is unique and how long your pond and fish can be safely without power will vary from one pond to the next. Some of our members that live way out in the country or in remote areas have more to worry about, as they are usually the last to get their power back on. Here are some of the factors that you will need to consider when determining just how affected your pond and fish will be in a power outage.
Pond Design If you have a well-designed pond you have much less to worry about with storms and power outages. A well thought out and designed pond will hopefully have a lip or edge that will keep run-off from heavy rains out of the pond. It will also have a bottom drain, skimmer, overflow drain and good filtration. All of these elements are important in order to keep the pond clean and the water quality healthy for your Koi, and it will be a huge factor on how harmful a power outage will be on your Koi. A larger surface area will also be beneficial in a power outage. However, don’t be too confident that if you have a pond with a large surface area that you will be all right in a power outage. Years ago the Japanese Garden’s Koi pond (with a huge surface area) froze over and there was no opening in the ice for several days. Many of their beautiful Koi January/February 2014
succumbed to oxygen deprivation and suffocated. It was a heart break for the Garden and a very hard lesson.
Pond Maintenance How clean and well maintained a pond is will definitely be a factor in how well the fish will survive an extended power outage. Regular filter maintenance is important throughout the year but especially so when going into the cold winter months. If the pond bottom is kept clean and there are not rocks/gravel in the pond bottom or pockets of decomposing leaves/debris then the fish will fare much better, especially if the pond surface freezes over.
Filtration It is fairly well known to most Koi hobbyists that the bacteria in a filter will go anaerobic without oxygen. But just how soon this will happen, and how damaging to the filter’s nitrifying bacteria will be, seems to be the question. We do know that when the bacteria are oxygen starved they will start to go bad, but in the colder water (which has a much higher oxygen content) this would take some time. Most experts on this do believe that as long as the media is surrounded with water, a small percentage of bacteria will always survive. What supports this is the understanding that, as some of the bacteria die and rot, they release ammonia which will then feed the rest of the bacteria in the media. Based on the supply of oxygen, the bacteria will then die down to whatever amount can be supported. So how detrimental to your filter bacteria this will be will depend on the oxygen, and therefore, on the temperature of the pond, length of time the filter is down and the power is out. So in other words, your filter bacteria will not totally die, just the concentration of ammonia that your bacteria can consume will be reduced. The other issue is that when the bacteria in the filter die they will eventually start to ‘go bad’ and produce toxic wastes like hydrogen sulfide. Again, January/February 2014
there are many factors that contribute to how quickly this will happen in individual pond situations. As mentioned before, in the winter this should take longer, so you should be just fine for a few hours, however, if the power is out for longer than 6 hours it would be highly recommended to back wash you filters before starting your system back up (this is the area of concern that Carolyn expressed above in her question).
Weather and Time of Year In most areas, generally a power outage in the summer will be much more dangerous for your Koi than an outage in the winter. Warmer water holds much less oxygen than colder water, so it is much more important to have the filters, pumps and airstones running. Also, you are usually heavily feeding your fish so the filtration is more important to keep running. But in the winter your pond can ice over and trap gases and deplete oxygen also. In that case, it is really important to keep some areas open in the ice for gases to escape.
Stocking Rate The fish load on your pond will be a major factor on how well your pond and fish can manage a power outage. A lighter or under-stocked pond will always be healthier, have less maintenance and survive periods of no power. Most of us like to buy more fish than we should have and therefore are more heavily stocked than our ponds should be, so we don’t want to have extended periods of time without water movement and filtration. We don’t want to risk a build-up of ammonia or starve our fish of oxygen. So if you have no will power and have a tendency to buy too many fish, just be sure to have water-conditioning products on hand in case of a power outage (mainly products for detoxifing/binding a build-up of ammonia such as Amquel, Ultimate or AquaXtreme). But also it is highly recommended to have some hydrogen peroxide on hand to add oxygen to the pond if your Koi are showing signs of being oxygen starved. This Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 9
should be used in a spray bottle, sprayed vigorously just under the surface of the water. I use a lot less than is recommended on the blogs that I read; several said 1/2 cup/100 gallons of pond water. That sounds a little high to me; I have had very good response from fish when I have sprayed in 1 cup/500 gallons.
Back-up Emergency Power Many years ago when we put in our pond, Bill and I wanted to be prepared for everything
(which of course we found in short order was impossible) and bought a Honda generator just in case our power went out. We put the generator in the garage and there it sat for many years to be almost forgotten until one winter when we were out of power due to an ice storm. It looked like we were going to be out of power for several days and remembered our generator in the garage. Imagine our surprise when our automatic garage door opener would not open (do those things take electricity too?). We looked all over the house for the emergency key to open the door in a case such as this, but after two days we gave up…so much for being prepared! The fish were just fine, as we did not have even close to the fish load that we have on the pond now. We still have never used our generator. But that does not mean that it is not a good idea to have one on hand, especially if you have a heavily stocked pond. Another option, which I had not heard of before, is to use a car battery and a power inverter, which
Page 10 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2014
can run an air pump and air stone for hours. The battery can be kept charged with a charger on low and a timer so it is not charging all the time. When the power goes out you plug your air pump into the inverter. The blog I read said that this provides very efficient aeration and is easy and low in cost. It was also mentioned that for
longer periods of time you could recharge the battery with a car or small generator. It was also mentioned that you could find complete units from Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems for around $280. I would like to thank Carolyn Weise for sending in this question; your timing was perfect! As I am writing this article the temperature outside is 27°F and I just received a call this morning from a member concerned about his pond freezing over. I mentioned this in the article, but just make sure that there is always an opening in the ice. I have never worried too much about the ice as long as there is an opening for gases to release; in fact, the ice helps to insulate the pond from wind chill. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, Linda ď ś
January/February 2014
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 11
Pond Freezes by Linda Montgomery, KHA, Oregon
reprinted from NWKG Club January 2014 newsletter
ell, this certainly has been a very rough winter so far for our fishy friends! I have talked with several pond owners who have experienced problems and some have lost fish with this cold weather. In the past I have been asked if there is some formula for how much surface area you need to keep open in a pond when it ices over so that you don’t experience fish loss, so I thought this would be a good topic for this month.
W
Initially I thought that there must be some sort of formula on this or if not then there certainly should be! But then, when I started thinking more on why you would experience fish loss when a pond freezes over, I realized that it would be impossible to have a generalized formula to prevent it. One of the major problems when a pond freezes over (especially when there is a layer of snow on the ice) is that it will restrict the process of photosynthesis. With that, the pond water will start to accumulate an abundance of carbon dioxide and then the oxygen in the pond will be consumed at higher levels. Added to this, the snow that is blocking any light coming into the pond will cause the algae to start to die off, which in turn will raise the ammonia levels and reduce the oxygen to an extremely dangerous level for the fish. As if that isn’t enough, the fish are still releasing ammonia (mainly from respiration) and also carbon dioxide, which is using up what is left of any oxygen in the pond water (even though generally colder water has more oxygen…there are limits!). Then, added to that, Page 12 Mid-Atlantic Koi
if the pond doesn’t have any buffering capacity (low KH level) the carbon dioxide accumulation (which is acidic) will cause the pH to lower. When there is a hole in the ice, so that any gases that accumulate in the pond can be released from the water, this dangerous build- up of carbon dioxide and depletion of oxygen is severely decreased. The greater the surface area of the pond that is exposed to the air, the greater the release will be of the built-up gases. So it is certainly safe to say that the bigger the hole in the ice the better! Now to complicate things even further, each of our ponds is unique and specialized in its own needs and requirements. That is the reason it would be impossible to come up with a general formula (size of hole in the ice for a certain surface area of a pond). Some ponds have good circulation and aeration of the pond water, others may not. Some ponds are kept very clean of debris on the bottom, others are not. Some pond owners keep the filters maintained well with regular cleaning and flushing, others do not. Some ponds have good algae growths, others do not. Some pond owners have absolutely little to no will power in purchasing fish and have a huge fish load, while others are very self-disciplined. I think you can get the general idea of how difficult and actually misleading it would be to try to give a general formula for how large of a hole needs to be left in the ice for the health of your fish. For example, if a pond has very little algae, is kept very clean, has good buffering capacity, good depth and has a very light fish load…a small hole may be quite adequate for the health of the pond. However, if any of these areas is not January/February 2014
within a healthy balance for your pond’s ecosystem, then that same size hole may be totally inadequate for the health of your pond and fish. In that case you may want to add an air stone for aeration or a pump in the hole to break the surface of the water. A warning sign that the hole may not be large enough for the health of the pond would be if you see foam (added organics/DOC) on the water near a floating pond heater or where there is water movement. When fish deaths occur in the winter, oftentimes it is hard to tell what the cause was. And since it is fairly common knowledge that colder water has more oxygen, it is hard to understand how they can die of oxygen depletion. Several weeks ago we had a very difficult and sad situation happen at both the Japanese Garden and the Chinese Garden. Some of the fish in both Gardens started to go on their sides and in some cases literally ‘belly-up’ in their ponds after the ice melted and the water started to warm up. Why did this happen? The most logical explanation is this: the temperature dropped so suddenly and remained so cold for almost two weeks (temperature in the pond was as low as 33°F), that the fish seemed to experience something like hypothermia and became disoriented and went into the shallow area of their ponds. In both the Chinese and Japanese Gardens there were lots of surface areas open in the ice for gases to escape. They also had bubblers, heaters and pumps to keep areas of the ponds from freezing over. Unfortunately, in both Gardens the ponds lost circulation by lines breaking. Even so, most likely in both ponds the fish would have been fine if they had remained in the deeper area of the ponds, but because of the sudden drop in temperature the fish became disoriented and went to the shallow frozen over areas of the pond. Interestingly enough, both of the Garden’s fish went to the area that is usually warmer and where they are used to being fed in the warmer months. January/February 2014
The fish I examined had damage and ‘burning’ to the gills which I initially thought was from oxygen depletion due to gases being trapped under the ice in the shallow area with so many fish in a small area. However, when I mentioned to Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, who is now the consulting veterinarian for the Japanese Garden, the damage to the gills of the fish, he suggested that the gills could have been damaged from freezing. This makes sense since the temperature of the water was close to freezing and the fish were so very close to the ice. I just never thought that the gills could freeze, especially since they are moving, but with the fish in such a state of torpor where their metabolism is so low, it certainly makes sense and could be the explanation. Both Gardens experienced loss of fish, but many were saved by warming them up and bringing them out of their cold shock, so we are thankful for the fish that were saved. What is really tough is that even when you try to do whatever you can to prepare for the worst, there are just some things that you cannot control. Like Dr. Tim said to me, “Sometimes you just get hit with the ‘perfect storm’ and it seems that is what happened in this case.” So many different elements were in place to have this happen, and you just have to realize that there is only so much you can do…can’t control mother nature as they say…but so sad to lose some of our beautiful living jewels! So in closing please remember: even though our fish are resting for the winter and it is a little difficult to see them so uncomfortable, it is still extremely important to observe them regularly and keep up with regular water testing on your pond. And if your pond does freeze over, just be sure to keep a hole in the ice for those damaging gases to escape. And make sure to never break the ice if your pond does completely freeze over, always use warm water to melt the ice or better yet…use a pond heater to keep an opening in the ice. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 13
Osmoregulation – How a Fish Regulates Its Water by Steve Hopkins, Rain Garden Ornamentals
smoregulation is vitally important to the fish as it controls water going into and out of its body. A basic understanding is useful to the fish keeper because it will help avoid quite a few problems. To understand osmoregulation, we need to understand semi-permeable membranes. A semipermeable membrane is like a screen partition, which lets some things through more easily than other things. When two solutions (for example, two bodies of water with different amounts of salt dissolved in each) are separated by a semipermeable membrane the weaker solution (the one with less dissolved salts) will always dilute the stronger solution (the one with more dissolved salts).
molecules and dissolved salts are constantly moving about in the solution and hitting the screen. The salts are larger so they usually bounce off and do not go through the screen. The water molecules are smaller so they usually go through the screen. On the side with the stronger solution there are more salts and fewer water molecules. Therefore, there are fewer water molecules hitting the screen and going through. On the side with the weaker solution there is less salt and more water molecules. Therefore, there are more water molecules hitting the screen and going through. This results in the net movement of water from the side of the membrane with the weaker solution to the side with the stronger solution. The greater the difference between the two solutions the greater the net movement of water from one side to the other.
To visualize this, imagine the semi-permeable membrane to be like a screen. The water
So, what does this have to do with Koi and goldfish? Well, the fish skin, intestine, and
O
Page 14 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2014
especially the gills are semi-permeable membranes. The fish body fluid is a stronger solution than the surrounding pond water. Fish blood (like our own blood) is about 0.9% salts while the pond water is normally almost saltfree. Therefore, there is a constant flow of water from the pond into the fish. The difference in the salt concentration between the body fluid and the surrounding water creates an "osmotic pressure" forcing water into the body. The fish must constantly pump water back out of it’s body to regulate the blood salt content. This is osmoregulation.
Freshwater fish pump water back out of their bodies by constantly excreting a weak urine. They may excrete up to 30% of their body volume each day. The pump is the kidney, which takes up fluid from the body, removes the essential ingredients, and excretes the water. Most of the ammonia is excreted through the gills so the main function of the kidney is to remove water. Some medicines and other foreign chemicals may damage the kidney as it tries to reclaim the essential ingredients of the body fluid and, thereby, impair osmoregulation.
When the Koi keeper adds salt to the pond, the osmotic pressure is reduced, the amount of water entering the body is reduced, and the fish does not have to work as hard to osmoregulate. If the fish’s osmoregulation process is not working properly, it swells with excess water and scales stick out instead of lying flat on the skin. We know this condition as dropsy.
Happy New Year!
January/February 2014
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 15
Disease Control by Ben Plonski, Laguna Koi Ponds
1.) When ever Koi appear in distress, unhealthy or abnormal, follow these steps as a treatment pathway. • Check pond environment: • Test for ammonia, nitrite, pH and oxygen. • Consider chlorine or chloramine poisoning from untreated tap water. • Consider fertilizer or pesticide runoff from garden. • Correct any environmental stressors first before using medications. • A healthy pond equals healthy Koi.
2.) If the environment is correct but Koi still act sick: • Bring sick Koi up close in a blue Koi tub for observation. • Look for visible parasites such as fish lice or anchor worm...If seen go to #3 • Look for white film, mucous or white spots...If seen go to #4 • Look for red bloody sores or ulcers...If seen go to #5
3) Use TRICHLORACIDE per directions. Use a double dose when pH is above 7.5 • Above 60°F treat once every 5 days for a total of 4 treatments. • Below 60°F treat once every 10 days for a total of 4 treatments. • Below 50°F do not treat.
Page 16 Mid-Atlantic Koi
4a) Rock Salt • Add rock salt to pond at 2.5 lbs/100 gals as a long term pond bath. • Increase salt to a total of 4 lbs/100 gals if Koi show improvement. • Gradually change water to reduce salt after Koi are normal for 4 weeks. DO NOT USE SALT IF YOU HAVE AQUATIC PLANTS OR AN ALGAE BLOOM. The salt will kill these and pollute the pond, thereby increasing stress. Remove excess algae or plants before using salt. OR
4b) Noxich • Add NOXICH alone or together with TRICHLORACIDE per directions with salt in pond. • Above 65°F treat every 3 to 5 days for a total of 4 treatments • Below 65°F treat every 5 to 7 days for a total of 4 treatments. • Below 50°F do not treat. Use salt only per #4a. OR
4c) Paracide Green • Use PARACIDE GREEN alone or together with TRICHLORACIDE and WITHOUT SALT in water gardens or in Koi ponds when salt concentration is less than 2.5 lbs./100 gals. • Above 65°F, treat every 3 to 5 days for 4 total treatments. January/February 2014
• Below 65°F, treat every 5 to 7 days for 4 total treatments. • Below 60°F, do not treat, instead treat as in #4b.
medicated bath per directions or feed MISTY MOUNTAIN medicated food per directions or use ACRIFLAVIN mixtures in pond as directed.
4d) No Response
Know Your Pond Volume Accurately Before Medicating
If Koi do not respond to program #4 after 1 week, you may have resistant parasites like flukes or trichodina. Go to #4 e and f.
Note: This outline is not intended as a diagnostic tool, it is merely an aid to generic treatments.
4e) Fluke Tabs Use FLUKE TABS. Treat once a week. 2 treatments total. OR
4f) Potassium Permanganate • Use POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE for trichodina at low dose of 1 tsp. per 1000 gals. according to directions. NOTE: Some white growths or lumps on Koi are viral in nature and are only treatable in water temp above 65°F and usually are not dangerous to the Koi unless feeding is impaired.
5) Open Sores • Open bloody sores visible on body or fins: • Use MISTY MOUNTAIN medicated food per directions. • Also use salt per #4a.
6)Gill Bacteria or Fin and Body Rot • Following a parasitic or environment stress, the Koi can get bacteria in the gills or on the skin. These may not be discernible. If gill bacteria or fin and body rot is suspected, use FURANACE as a separate January/February 2014
MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers Tom Burton
Middletown, NJ
732-671-7045
Jan & Bill Fogle Wayne, PA
610-687-3105
Terri Janas
Ashburn, VA
703-729-2988
Jeff Nicholson
Odenton, MD
301-912-1928
All members have microscopes and health books. In the event of a recorded message, please suggest a time when you're home to receive a return call or when you'd like to call back. Please remember that advice is given based on your input–the ultimate responsibility and treatment must remain with you. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 17
by Ron Kardynski, Michigan
here is no better feeling than protecting your Koi pond from predators and having it work. My first line of defense started by visiting the home of Bruce Modetz and seeing his ‘netting scheme’ around his pond. At that point, the wheels started to turn. Taking Bruce’s design, I tweaked it by painting the conduit poles black. Then, added black painted tennis balls to the top of the poles in order to make pulling the net taunt a breeze. This protection worked great and after a while we got accustomed to view the poles and net structure.
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Dave & Julie Buttigieg came over and liked the idea with one change. Our next improvement came after visiting them. They had the same basic design except they cut their support poles down to about 24˝ to 30˝. This turned out to be less offensive to the eye than the 4´ to 5´ poles and side nets. The improved design eliminated the side curtains by pulling the net over the poles Page 18 Mid-Atlantic Koi
and to the ground. This design made it possible to look down and clearly see the Koi. The next day, pipe cutter in hand I cut my front poles down to 2´ and my back poles to 3´. When I stretched the net over the poles it made a natural slope. An added bonus is with a little wind it keeps the leaves off. The true test came a few weeks ago when Sue ran to the garage with concern in her voice and told me to quickly go to the pond. To our disbelief there was Mr. Heron walking on top of our net observing the Koi. Before chasing him off, I was able to get the picture above. He did come back later that day, stayed awhile but left disappointed, hungry and never to be seen again! (We hope) Mr. Heron’s dinner plans were foiled by club members sharing ideas to develop effective ways to protect their ponds . January/February 2014
Saugerties Chapter – Back Among the Books! by RoseMarie Ehrich, New York n Sunday, November 17 the Saugerties Chapter of MAKC gathered together back at Inquiring Minds Bookstore. It was the first time in 6 months that a meeting was held indoors. A perfect indoor day it was! It was a rainy, cold Sunday.
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Do you know that you can read a digital version of this magazine with a “page flipper” on www.issuu.com? Take a look and see how it works. It is almost like reading a printed magazine. http://issuu.com/mid-atlantic_koi_magazine You will also find back issues.
A huge shout-out to all our member hosts. We enjoyed our past meetings at each home and we learned much from the discussions, demonstrations and observations at every pond. At Inquiring Minds, we had the pleasure of welcoming two potential new members. They are Koi keepers who live in Saugerties with pond experience. We are confident that they will bring to our chapter a wealth of information. Herb, Paul and Richard discussed pond lighting and the importance of isolating sick Koi. Richard announced that he and Edda will donate to our chapter a heater for the “traveling” sick tank which Herb has constructed. This sick tank will be used by our chapter members at their home should the need arise. The sick tank consists of a Hayward cartridge filter, inline water heater, 1/8 hp submersible pump, an air pump with two air stones. It is a 200 gallon tank. Two hours passed quickly and our meeting came to a close. The final meeting of the year was our annual Holiday Social, held on December 15 at the home of the Ehrichs!
January/February 2014
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Saugerties Chapter – The Koi Event That Almost Wasn’t by RoseMarie Ehrich, New York
he day before our scheduled Koi Holiday Event, Mother Nature dropped approximately 8 inches of picturesque snow upon us. Herb’s assistant, AKA his wife, frantically made phone calls to ask the faithful Koi friends if they thought it best to reschedule. The replies from each were in favor of moving forward as originally planned.
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Therefore, on Sunday, December 15, 2013, as originally planned, the Saugerties Chapter of the MAKC held their 4th Annual Koi Holiday Event and enjoyed an afternoon of friendship and good cheer. During this event, we discussed briefly our Koi plans for the upcoming new year including our Page 20 Mid-Atlantic Koi
participation in Adams’ Fairacre Farms Winter Seminar. Yes, we were invited back to share with others our knowledge and enthusiasm for the art of Koi-keeping. The workshop is planned for February 19, 2014 in Kingston, NY. Our grab bag gifts centered on pond and Koirelated items. It was fun to watch each participant open their gift and hope that it does not get stolen by the next person who has a turn. When our Holiday fun ended for the day, we wished each other well and promised to keep in touch during the approaching months. Our next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, April 27 at Inquiring Minds Bookstore. Happy Winter to all! January/February 2014
Books Available on Amazon.com KOISHI by Mamoru Kodama Learn about Japanese Koi Breeding, Farms and the Breeders. Read the history of Koi varieties and great insights to Koi in Japan.
ABC’s of Ponds – Have a friend interested in building a pond? Are you a beginner? This beautifully illustrated hard cover book is packed with pond & water feature fundamentals plus many little known secrets to successful pond keeping!
The RISE Method Want to learn how to make your pond projects look more natural? Written by Rick Bartel, international acclaimed pond builder.
January/February 2014
Special Offer
only $10 + shipping
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 21
My Winter Project or Dang Koi Grow and Grow! (Part 4) by Diana Lynn Rehn, Inland Empire Water Garden & Koi Society
o, here it is, spring at last. These Koi of mine have really grown. Some of them are now 10 inches in length, others are just 2 inches. It is so very interesting, this rate of growth. I really think that it won’t matter in the end. When they all stop growing, they will all be about the same size.
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January/February 2014
I had one person say these Koi are “pond mutts.” I truly take offense to that term. How dare anyone determine whether these are “mutts.” After all, they had fine upstanding parents, both being Koi. I just think it is a rude term and I absolutely hate to hear that term. I don’t think it is encouraging to anyone in the Koi hobby. Most everyone started out buying a simple Koi from a pet store. We learn as we go. But that first Koi is always your favorite, is it not? If you go out and buy a Collie dog, some are show quality and some are pet quality, but they are all still Collies, are they not? Besides, I believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes the owner looks at one Koi and decides that one Koi is the most beautiful in the world, to that owner. Who is another person to decide that beauty is misplaced? January/February 2014
Yes, I agree, show quality Koi are decided on their color and conformation, amongst other things, based on certain judging criteria. However, I have some good looking Koi in this bunch, in my eyes. Yes, I know that at this time it does not look like I have any show quality Koi in amongst these Koi. But, these Koi have been important to me this winter. They have relaxed me for hours and given me some respite from the hectic day. One of the things I loved the most in watching them is how they use their pectoral fins. Each Koi has such graceful movement, slowly turning them like oars in the water, this way, slower, backing up, they are like angel wings. And the colors the have, some are completely white, almost translucent, others have black (sumi) pectoral fins that have slowly pulled towards their bodies (at the base of the pectoral fin) Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 23
– motoguru! Others have completely black fins. I love to see when they are excited, almost “clapping” those fins together in their excitement. Usually it is because they see me and think they are going to eat once again. I actually cut back on feeding them. I was feeding them about 5 to 6 times a day, but not as much each time. I think that helped accelerate their growth. Now I feed once in the morning and once at night, until I figure out where to put them outside.
I am also keeping the Ki Utsuri…which is actually a quite nice-looking Koi (now 9˝ long). It has great sumi spaced out nicely with those stripes of ki (yellow). Its body shape is almost perfect, especially when looking at it straight on. I saw one that was for auction from a professional breeder and I thought mine was much, much nicer! I am keeping a few that are turning out to be Kohakus, and two Utsuris, a Tancho, and a Platinum Ogon. I laugh as I write this, as these Koi have a way of changing every day. Who knows what they will grow up to be?
Some of these I am keeping, like Bandit (now 5˝ long). I thought Bandit was an Urtsuri, but he developed a spot of red..out, out you spot! Oh well, he just has that unusual mask that I really like. There are quite a few with a mask-like feature to their colors. I can see it is a family trait.
Remember Sparkle, the one that wants to eat the glass objects in the water? Well, funny thing is its mouth is so big that it can get those items in its mouth. It would suck them in and then spit them out so they would clank around all the time. I was nervous that it would spit them so hard that
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January/February 2014
they would break and cause it to cut its mouth, so I had to take the sparkly things out…lol, less for me to look at! Escargot no more! One Kohaku chased the snails around just checking to see if they were laying eggs..it is going to get that treat as fresh as it can… not right out of the can, but right out of the snail…so, it sucked up all the snail eggs so now, no more snails. The snails that I had were a couple of years old. And even though they were insatiable when it came to breeding, they couldn’t keep “ahead” of that dang Koi. Oh well, I will just have to get some more. There are a couple of Koi that I haven’t quite figured out. They sort of look like Showa, but I can see the netting pattern in their scales. They are also quite striking. These two are going to be kept for a while to see how they develop.
This project really helped my mood this winter. In the evening I loved to just watch them. I hate winter. I hate cold. I love it when I can go out early in the morning and hand feed my Koi in the pond. What a great way to start the day. Each day starts off so calm - then the day sets in and I am all stirred up again. I can go out by the pond each evening and just let it all go - all the stress of the day. So, by having these Koi in my house to watch, it helped fill that void and helped keep my stress levels down. I will tell you later on if any of these Koi turned out to be truly remarkable, a show quality Koi. After all, I have 1 chance out of 200,000. Or in my case 17 chances out of 200,000! I do know this, no way I want to go into the Koi breeding business. I will leave that to the experts and have a new appreciation for what they go through. The end!
What kind of Koi are these? I will wait and see!
January/February 2014
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 25
Giant Asian Wasp by Richard Heimberger, www.thehealthypond.com
he Giant Asian Wasp is confirmed living in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The Land of Lincoln is but the latest state where these giant wasps have taken up residence.
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Their primary food source is honey bees and other hornets and wasps. Scouts lead hundreds of Giant Wasps back to a hive they found. In turn, all the bees or wasps are killed and the larvae are carried off and used as food.
Reports of Asian Giant Hornets in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia all have been confirmed. Even if the hand in the photograph is small, this is truly a big bug. Described as 2˝ to 3˝ in length and as fat as your thumb, rather aggressive, and impervious to most bug spray.
They are known to nest in trees, in bushes, under eaves of homes, and in the ground – especially at the base of shrubs. The toxicity of the Asian Giant Hornet venom is actually lower than a honeybee, but the volume of venom is greater in the Asian Giant Hornet. Asian Giant Hornets are known to cause about 40 deaths per year in Japan. The pain caused by a Giant Asian Wasp sting is described as white hot and is always accompanied by extreme swelling. If you are allergic to wasp or bee stings, a Giant Wasp bite is definitely going to make you sick. Page 26 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2014
Invasive Water Hyacinth by Richard Heimberger, www.thehealthypond.com
y booth at the 2013 MPKS Koi Show was next to the invasive species guy from University of Illinois. I got the 411 on water hyacinth in USDA Zone 5 for you. The bottom line is this they are considered “hardy” and therefore invasive.
M
Researchers have not found exactly how water hyacinth manage to do this. It is believed they propagate themselves via seeds. Perennial colonies of water hyacinth are reported by Wisconsin DNR agents.
Overflowing with Hyacinth, covered for testing.
I know of a colony here in the Downers Grove area. I noticed it years ago, on 63rd St., when I fished for largemouth bass there. As I fished, I noticed a backyard with a small watergarden. I figured the guy threw water hyacinth in the retention pond to get rid of them. I guess he never figured they would survive 20°F air temperatures. Well, they did. To this day, water hyacinth survive and repopulate this retention pond every year. Please be careful where you dispose of your water hyacinths. Please don’t dump your unwanted fish in retention ponds or lakes either.
Hyacinth have beautiful flowers and a mild fragrance. They also have been popular as a filtration plant, but we are now encouraged not to use them and in some states it is illegal. January/February 2014
In an effort to save water hyacinths for next season, we are testing how hardy they really are. Pictured is a colony of hyacinth covered by plastic and kept in a heated pond. Water temperature is 65°F now. The plan is to lower the water temperature in January to 48°F and keep it there until March 2014. I will report back on what we find. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 27
Sunshine Column
Need to Change Your email or Home Address? Have Questions about your Membership Status?
Andrea Duggan is undergoing more treatment for the after-effects of her cancer treatments, at Sloan-Kettering. We want to wish her well during this stress-full time! Know someone to list in our Sunshine Column Email Carolyn Weise, Editor makcmag@makc.com ď ś
Page 28 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Contact: Barry Hixson 5465 Towanda Dr. Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-262-5184 or makcmembers@verizon.net Renew Your MAKC Membership by printing out page 33 and mailing it to Barry.
January/February 2014
On the Road to a Koi Event March 1–2
Koi Club of San Digeo 27th Koi Show San Digeo, California Check club’s website for updates www.koiclubofsandiego.org (new web address)
M A KC E v e n t MAKC Club Meeting Sunday, February 16 Hosted by Philip Gray 211 South Ocean Ave. Freeport, NY 11520 516-486-5163
March 7–9
Central Florida Koi Show 2014 Orlando, Florida www.cfks.org
March 29
1st Annual Deep South Koi and Pond Societ Koi and Goldfish Show Baton Rouge, Louisiana The Deep South Koi and Pond Society in Baton Rouge, LA has just announced their inaugural Koi and Goldfish Show in conjunction with the LSU Garden Show at the LSU Agricultural Center For the inaugural show entrants will be limited to the Baton Rouge and surrounding area. http://www.deepsouthkoi.org Have an upcoming Koi event, please send the information to makcmag@makc.com. We will be glad to include it in future articles. Don’t forget your own MAKC Club has events coming up that can be found in our digital magazine or at www.makc.com. We always need volunteers for meetings and shows. We hope to see more of you visiting shows, attending club meetings, and volunteering to help at Koi events this year. It is amazing how much you can learn by helping. Take advantage of being an MAKC member and participate in the club events. See you soon at a Koi event. January/February 2014
Questions contact Philip Gray 516-486-5163 or philiegray@mac.com
Saugerties Chapter Meetings Wednesday, February 19 Adams’ Fairacre Farms Kingston, New York Winter Seminar Yes, we were invited back to share with others our knowledge and enthusiasm for the art of Koikeeping.
Sunday, April 27 Inquiring Minds Bookstore Saugerties, New York Contact Herb Ehrich for additional information (845) 247-7105 · koiking15@yahoo.com
Send your meeting and event information to Carolyn Weise 516-640-6490 or makcmag@makc.com Deadline Feb 1st for the March 2014 issue. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 29
F..A..S..T.. Ads – January/February Disclaimer: MAKC and its officers assume no responsibility for claims of advertisers or the quality/serviceability of goods offered.
MAKC Member Needs Your Help Non-fish-eating cats, won't hurt your pond fish! - LOVING CATS NEED GOOD HOMES. Passing of spouse forces me to find homes for both inside and outside cats. All neutered. Phone 973-390-6490 with what you are looking for and we can match you with your new best friend.
FOR SALE Remember any MAKC member can list their Koi, pond, or related items for sale here in your magazine at no charge. Please contact Ellie today if you have something for sale. BAMBOO. Winter hardy and tropical for indoors. Thinning collection. Reasonable prices. Call Ron Altman, NY 718-442-1673 (Office) or 908-658-3055 (H).
CLOSING POND/Woodbridge, VA. 25 Koi need a new home. Most are 24 to 30˝, 2 are 32˝. Contact Carolyn Broussard @ 703 491-4921 or for apt to view. HOUSE FOR SALE. 519 Claremont Dr. Flat Rock, NC 28731 • • • • • •
Price: $599,000 Beds: 3 Bed Baths: 3 Full, 2 Half Bath House Size: 4,067 Sq Ft Lot Size: 1.1 Acres Year Built: 1994
http://www.wncrmls.com/wnc/ maildoc/sd_Q8u1QO20130923150730.html Contact Patricia Shub, dunedog@bellsouth.net or phone 950-298-4600 QUALITY SHOW KOI. Show quality Koi for sale. Need to thin out my pond contact philiegray@mac.com
WANTED
F..A..S..T.. Ads Policy & Deadlines F..A..S..T.. Ads are available FREE to MAKC members only; no commercial ads. Ads are limited to 10 items and must include name, phone number, town and state. Deadline is the 1st of each month. Help do you have an hour or two? We need a volunteer to manage this page. Please contact
Philip Gray • 516-486-5163 philiegray@mac.com Page 30 Mid-Atlantic Koi
KOI. Foster Home. Large natural pond. Happy to accept your overgrown or unwanted “children.” Call Rich Menashe in Metuchen, NJ, 732-767-0720. KOI. Wanted Healthy Pond Grade KOI over 10˝. Will pay reasonable prices. I have a 750,000 gallon pond and will adopt any unwanted KOI. Call Joseph Pollock in Virginia at 540-788-9222. KOI. Wanted for large deep natural pond next to soon to be built wine tasting room in wine January/February 2014
country of Northern Virginia. Happy to accept any and all Koi of any size and color. Stop by and visit them next year when our tasting room opens. Call Mark Malick in Purcellville, VA, 540-270-3399 (cell). KOI BITO MAGAZINES – in good condition. Send list with asking price, or call Roger Klocke 701-491-2803, E-mail at rklockejr@aol.com. Mailing address: Roger Klocke, 4805 Meadow Creek Dr., Fargo, ND 58104. KOI STORE EMPLOYEE. Looking for a knowledgeable Koi and pond hobbyist. Part-time, competitive pay. Outstanding employee discounts! Call John at Blue Ribbon Koi Products. 703-753-7566. MAKC CENTRAL CHAPTER VICEPRESIDENT. Schedule 4 to 12 meetings per year. This includes making sure that the meeting announcement is submitted to the magazine and the MAKC website. Plenty of advice and support are available. Your "compensation" .... knowing that you have given back to MAKC and your fellow members. Please don't wait for someone else to step forward! MAKC is a membership organization. If more than one person is interested, you can share the fun! E-mail Philip Gray at philiegray@mac.com or call 516-486-5163. MAKC WEBMASTER- Needed immediately. Update club website one to two times a month on average. Please E-mail Philip Gray at philiegray@mac.com or call 516-486-5163.
To become a member or renew is easy. Fill out the form on page 33, mail it in - and violia you are a member! January/February 2014
Mid-Atlantic Koi Ad Index Aquaculture Bead Filter Specialists . . . . . . .7, 25 Aquatic Nutrition –
Long Island Fish Hospital . . .19 Matala USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Mazuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Blackwater Gold–N . . . . . . .10
Microbe-Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Books on Amazon . . . . . . . . .21
Nisei Koi Farm . . . . . . . . . .7, 10
Hikari . . . . . . . . . .7, Back Cover
Pentair Aquatic
Kloubec Koi Farm . . . . . . . . .11
Eco-Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . .19
Kodama Koi Farm . . . . . . .7, 15
Quality Koi Company . . . .7, 10
Advertise in Mid-Atlantic Koi! Ad Rates from $15/issue* for a business card ad to $300/issue* for a full page color ad. Reach your target audience of Koi keepers & water gardeners each month and leave your competition in the dust!! Contact Philip Gray at 516-486-5163 (leave message) or e-mail: philiegray@mac.com to request information on our advertiser packages and/or a copy of our ad rate sheet. *With an annual 10 issue contract.
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 31
Pictures to Share
Thoughts of spring Snowflake (the kind I want to see during the winter) and a beautiful blue Iris.
Photos shared by MAKC Member Carolyn Weise. Have a picture to share? Send your photos to the Editor, Carolyn Weise at makcmag@makc.com. ď ś Page 32 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2014
MAKC Membership Application
W
e are pleased that you have inquired about membership in the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club. The club meets monthly at convenient regional locations in the Mid-Atlantic area and also publishes an informative monthly magazine (bi-monthly in Nov/Dec & Jan/Feb).
Our dues are $30 per year, per family (includes $15.00 for a one-year subscription to Mid-Atlantic Koi Online Magazine). The club year runs June 1st through May 31st of the following year. (Dues are pro-rated per month. Those who join in January or after are also asked to join for the following year.) Join for 4 years for $100 and save - $20. Overseas Membership - $40 per year. Corporate Membership $275 per year which includes advertising and other benefits. Call Barry Hixson at 610-262-5184 or e-mail: makcmembers@verizon.net for details. Please consult the following chart for the proper amount and send your check (payable to the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club) to me, Barry Hixon, 5465 Towanda Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18017. Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
$42.50
$40
$37.50
$35
$32.50
$30
$27.50
$25
$22.50
$20
$17.50
$15
As soon as I receive your check, I will send you a "Welcome to MAKC" email and a list of upcoming meetings in your area. You will also be given the date of your membership expiration. Your email will be added to our MAKC Notice Group to allow you to receive MAKC news and up-to-date information. A great source of information is our MAKC website: www.makc.com. The MAKC membership list may be made available (upon approval by the MAKC Executive Committee) for the dissemination of Koi-related information.
Welcome to MAKC! I sincerely believe you will enjoy it as much as we all do. Barry Hixson Membership Committee Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
PLEASE PRINT (You may omit any information that may be sensitive such as unlisted phone numbers or email accounts.) LAST NAME ________________________ FIRST NAME(S) _________________________ (If Applicable) CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP NAME: ______________________________________ ADDRESS ______________________________ CITY__________________ STATE _____ ZIP______ TELEPHONE ______________________ E-MAIL ________________________________ OCCUPATION(S)______________________ Do you have a pond?____ Dimensions____________ Gallons________ Type filter________________ Do you keep Koi or Goldfish?__________ Type______________ Size___________ How Many? ______ Are there any Koi related problems you need help with?_________ If so, what kind?_______________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Do you have special talents, knowledge or interest you would be willing to share with us? _________ If so, what kind? __________________________________________________________________ Would you be willing to have a Koi Club meeting at your home? _______________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________ DATE ____________ AMOUNT PAID ___________ January/February 2014
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 33
Happy New Year!
photo by Leandro Neumann Ciuffo from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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January/February 2014