Camellia Koi Club

Koi Ahoy Volume 29 – Number 10, October 2017

Board Meeting & General Meeting, Sam Niebank, th President October 29 , at the Pond of John and Linda, 107 Copper Creek Dr., Folsom CA 95630

Bob Haugland, The Board meets at noon, General meeting and multiple activities Editor at 1pm.

Pauline Sakai, This is a Pond Warming. Please feel free to bring a gift as John Photos and Linda have recently built their pond and this will be the first time the club has seen it.

Bring your camera and a folding chair. You’re going to need that

Agenda for Meeting: folding chair.

 Discuss X-Mas Party Here’s your google map URL:  CKC Koi of the Year https://www.google.com/maps/place/107+Copper+Creek+Dr,+Folsom,+CA+95630/  2018 Club Planning @38.7088405,- 121.1923957,650m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x809ae174704c0571:0x1e2eddd7b 2795b6b!8m2!3d38.7088405!4d-121.190207

2017 is coming to a Close!

WOW what a Year!

From holding our 2nd Bi Annual Pond Tour to holding our First Koi Show in 7 years, we have accomplished a GREAT deal this year.

In addition to holding these great events we have also increased our membership with many new families. This alone would have made 2017 a successful year for the club. As we grow our membership it is important to think about the future of the club as we remember the past and where the club has come from. So while we sit back and appreciate what the club has accomplished this year it is also important that we pay the proper respects to our past. With that I would ask that all club members take a few minutes to simply appreciate those who have come before us to pave the path for such a great club.

As we complete the year with our traditional Holiday celebration I would invite all of our members to think about those things they would like to club to accomplish over the next year. Bring those ideas to the meetings and share them with your club members, if this year has taught us anything it’s that we can do whatever we put our minds to.

Sam Niebank – CKC President

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Thank you” and “Good Bye” to our Club’s Founding Fathers Camellia Koi Club, the Greater Sacramento Area By Pauline Sakai

I’ve been a member of the Camellia Koi Club (CKC) for thirty years and am now considered an “old timer”. I owe a lot of my love of koi and the hobby to our club’s founding fathers. The club owes its start to Ken Gray, who sadly, passed away recently joining other founding members (see below). In sharing this news with our club membership I became aware that not many of our current members knew Ken. However, those who knew him considered him a leader, a teacher, a friend and an inspiration. Through Ken’s coaching and many visits to ponds under construction, hopeful club members Ken Gray, 85 became owners of ponds that were more suited to the hobby of koi Apr 16, 1932 – keeping (as opposed to water gardening). Sep 7, 2017 Ken was so instrumental in the creation of the Camellia Koi  1980 – CKC Founding father Club, his story needed to be shared and remembered. Ken cultivated  his love of koi in his late forties. He built his first pond and according 1982 – CKC President to his wife Jeanne, learned from his many mistakes, i.e. no bottom  1982 – Koi Person of the Year drain, inferior filtration, etc. At this point there were no clubs and  1991, 1992 – President of the very few koi dealers in Northern California. So, Jeanne tells me they Sacramento Valley Chapter sought out like minded koi “kichi” persons in Southern California and of ZNA even visited Fred Tonai, former Golden State Fisheries owner (Elk  2001 – Koi Person of the Grove) when he was located in Santa Rosa to gain wisdom. Armed Year, with wife Jeanne. with new knowledge from these interactions and his own mistake,s  Lifetime CKC Membership he built his final pond which he enjoyed for 30+ years. honoree Still wanting to share and learn from fellow hobbyists, Ken reached out to those in the local region. The first meeting was held at the Gray’s home in Elk Grove. Within a year, the CKC was formed (1980) by four founding fathers, Lloyd Walters, 1st President, Jim Richardson co-author of the by-laws and whose daughter designed our club logo and Ron Brown, our first Koi Ahoy newsletter editor and later resident koi breeder. Smartly, the club’s bylaws were formulated with the mission statement as follows: “The purpose of the Club will be to promote, create, and enlarge the hobby of keeping, breeding, appreciating, and exhibiting Koi; to disseminate information about the above to the membership; to engage in educational and social activities related to our purposes; and to acquire and own such property as may be necessary for any or all of the foregoing purposes.” A San Francisco club member told me that Ken greatly helped to educate their club on how to put on a Koi Show. AKCA Judge, Larry Gill, called Ken a beloved friend. They shared many koi critiquing conversations over the years. Ken loved his koi and showing them. He was very successful and was well known to koi hobbyist throughout California. In the early days when AKCA Judges were being cultivated, Ken’s name came up as a candidate, but he declined because he was color-blind. Jeanne said it was a wonder that he was able to select such high quality koi despite his visual disability. Advising other club members New members would join the CKC with an interest in learning about koi and building a pond. He was always there offering help and encouragement. He researched, watched what others did, and paid attention to what worked best, and what was most important, he learned the “whys”, and shared with others which made him a great teacher. In the early days of the club, there was very little written information about pond building or koi keeping, i.e. bubble bead filters were non- existent and the Internet was new. It’s a lot of work and money to build a pond so Ken shared what he knew so that you only needed to build one pond in your lifetime. Here is a sampling of pearls of wisdom that Ken shared with members. Koi Ahoy Page 3 of 15

Jerry Kyle: "Make it bigger". He said, “Everyone who builds a pond ends up wishing it was bigger. Bigger is better. Bigger filters are more effective. Deeper ponds have healthier fish. Bigger volume has more of a safety factor if a problem arises. Bigger Koi have bigger beauty“.

Dan Alarid: “Make it deep enough (6’) and long enough for my yard size. Steep sides - to ensure predators could not easily get my fish. Two 4” bottom drains”. I purchased an early bubble-bead filter, and Ken wisely recommended selecting one rated for twice my pond’s volume. I consider him a true pioneer of the hobby and will never forget him for the assistance he gave me.

Pauline Sakai: Ken told me, “Make the biggest one you think you’ll ever want and have a filter as big as you can make it. That way as the fish get larger you can accommodate their growth and have large fish. Locate the pond close to the house so that you see and observe your fish every day”. See the photo of my pond with its 3-tiered waterfall. The bottom stone of the waterfall is just above the pond’s surface to minimize the ripples on the water’s surface.

It was one of Ken’s biggest joys to help hobbyists and the recipient member's joy to be a benefactor of Ken's wisdom and caring. Ken was an inspiration and many of us appreciated and still appreciate all he did for his neighbors, friends, club members, and hobby. We will remember him for what he did but, primarily, for what he was. Because of Ken’s love of koi, his legacy lives on in the form of the Camellia Koi Club, with a vigorous membership, new friends made and the increasing enjoyment of the koi hobby. Ken we are so sorry you are gone. You were special. You will be missed by many, with much love.

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CKC Koi of the Year Voting

The fish pictured below were participants in the Taste of Excellence Koi Show. They are all members Koi. Please take a minute and review the Koi and vote on your favorite. Each Household get 1 vote so please discuss and be ready to provide your vote either by email to [email protected] or place your vote at the October Meeting. Use the number below the fish to identify your selection.

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AKCA Koi of the Year

The Koi of the Year contest was created by the AKCA for individual AKCA Member clubs to honor their best koi.

This entry should be a koi determined by the club to be their best of the best, not necessarily the same koi winning in a koi show – not necessarily even a koi that was entered in a koi show.

All AKCA Member clubs are entitled to one Koi Photo Entry, which will represent the club in the Koi of the Year photo contest. This koi could become the Koi of the Year and be featured on the cover of KOI USA 34 Magazine.

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Quarantining New Koi

Article from: http://www.koihealth.info/quarantining-koi.html

Congratulations on your new koi purchase! I’m sure that you are thrilled with your new acquisition. You’re rushing home to release your new koi into the pond so you can begin enjoying its beauty, smile as it learns to come quickly to the surface when it hears your footsteps approaching, train it to eat from your hand, adore its scales glistening in the sunlight, and watch it swim leisurely amongst your existing koi collection. Sigh. Ah, life is good.

WHOA! Let’s take a deep breath and think about what you are doing. Listen to that little voice in the back of your mind that’s whispering, “Quarantine….. Quarantine.” But this new beauty looks perfectly healthy. It seems perfectly healthy. I think it’s perfectly healthy, right?

That is a big assumption which may cause heart-break in the near future especially if you don’t listen to the voice in your head that is now screaming, “QUARANTINE…..QUARANTINE!!!”

So, why quarantine koi fish before introducing them into our beloved koi collections?

First, the quarantine process gives the newly acquired koi time to rest and recover from the stress of handling, moving and transport. The journey to its new home may have stressed the fish immensely, which can weaken its immune system. Unfortunately, you can’t really know how the fish was handled nor the water quality conditions it was subjected to prior to coming into your care. Remember that a koi with a weakened immune system is highly prone to disease and parasite attack. Quarantining new koi fish gives them time to bounce back and get back into tip-top health. And, healthy koi have a much easier time fending off parasites and bacterial infections without human intervention.

Secondly, the koi quarantine period allows the new fish to become accustomed to the water parameters of its new home and to the pathogens living there. Your new pet, being a koi fish, has already been exposed to pathogenic bacteria, because pathogenic bacteria are in every body of water that contains fish. The question isn’t IF the koi has been exposed to pathogenic bacteria, more importantly how high or how low the level of the pathogenic bacteria has been.

Lastly, another reason for quarantining new koi is its current susceptibility to disease and parasite attack, you don’t want to expose your entire collection to the issue should there be an outbreak of some sort. The segregation of all new arrivals will provide ample time for any pathogens and parasites to cycle and become apparent. In the unfortunate event that this new fish becomes ill with disease or parasites it will be much easier to deal with the situation in the contained space of a quarantine tank rather than in your entire koi pond.

The idea of a koi quarantine tank system is to provide a safe and secure place with optimum water quality to allow the new koi time to relax and recover from the ordeal of transportation to its new home; all the while providing an opportunity for the owner to keep a close eye on the fish and monitor its health before introducing the newcomer to the other pond inhabitants.

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Quarantining new koi fish is a big commitment, and certainly not a simple task. If not conducted properly then you may be compounding stressors on the new fish and actually do more harm than good. You have spent hard- earned money on your koi pond and live fish, quarantine could be considered insurance for your investment. With any new fish purchase a quarantine period is highly recommended. However, if you do not have the time or patience to set up an adequate quarantine system, or don’t follow good quarantine procedures, then you might be better off releasing the new fish directly into your pond and hoping for the

5 Components Required For a Good Koi Quarantine Tank System Quarantining new koi can be simple if you have the right equipment for the job. Here’s a list of the 5 most important components of a good quarantine tank system.

1. The Quarantine Tank - Use only plastic, rubber or PVC products. Galvanized tanks can be harmful to fish. Use a tank of sufficient size to hold the fish comfortably. A 100 gallon tank can quarantine 4 koi of 10” size. Heavy-duty collapsible quarantine tanks can be purchased online. 2. Tank Heater - A submersible 300 watt heater should do the job. Maintain a water temperature in the 74°-78° F range throughout the quarantine period. 3. Bio Filtration with Pump - Every quarantine system will need a bio filter and circulating water pump. The pump should be large enough to circulate the entire volume of the tank every 30-45 minutes. The bio filter can be a little tedious to get going; an adequate bio filter can take up to 3 weeks to become aged. To jump-start the process you can place some extra sponge type filter media your koi pond’s filter for several weeks. Then transplant the sponges now seeded with good bacteria into the quarantine system filter approximately two days prior to introducing new koi to the quarantine tank. Be sure to use de-chlorinator before installing the pre- seeded filter media as any chlorine in the water will kill off the bacteria and undermine your efforts. 4. Aeration Device - All fish need oxygen and so does the bio filter. Keep your aeration pump running with at least one air stone on the bottom of the tank at all times. Any span without aeration is asking for trouble. 5. A Lid or Cover - Koi will jump in attempts to flee unfamiliar surroundings. You should have a weighted net large enough to cover the entire tank. Many koi have been lost by jumping through the smallest area left uncovered and unattended. Another option is to build a sturdy wooden frame and staple plastic mesh onto the frame. You should not use clear plastic or glass as a cover for quarantine tanks because they will increase the temperature of the water. Your cover should allow for fresh air yet protect your koi from predators. Should I put a goldfish in my homemade koi quarantine tank? It is true that koi are very social and don’t do well if isolated by themselves. But, do not run to the local pet store and buy a ‘sacrificial’ goldfish, as a quarantine tank companion, or in an effort to start the nitrogen cycle. You may be getting more than you bargained for, as the goldfish can be the start of many unintended consequences. If a situation arises how will you know if it is due to the new koi or the inexpensive goldfish? Instead, it is recommended that a fish from your current stock be placed into the quarantine tank with the new arrival as a companion, and that fish may very well be a goldfish. The addition of any small fish from your koi pond will introduce the newbie to whatever is in your pond, and vice versa. If you only want to get the nitrogen cycle started then add a small handful of feed pellets to the tank every other day. As the feed dissolves ammonia will be produced, be circulated by the pump and feed the good bacteria in the filter, thus starting the nitrogen cycle.

How do I seed a biological filter on the koi quarantine tank? Koi pond filters and koi quarantine tank filters can take several weeks before they become colonized with good bacteria: aerobic bacterium Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas. These bacteria are required to consume ammonia that is produced by the fish, reduce it to nitrite, and then to harmless nitrate. One way to jump-start your quarantine tank filter is to use some filter media from your active koi pond’s filter system. By transferring some of the filter media from your existing koi pond you will be planting seeded media into the temporary quarantine filter. This media should already be laden with live bacteria that will be needed to control ammonia in the Koi Ahoy Page 12 of 15 quarantine tank water. But, it is never a good idea to return the bio media that was used in a quarantine tank back into the pond filtration system. Alternatively, there are several good bacteria products on the market for seeding bio filters.

How long do I quarantine new koi fish? How long to quarantine new koi is up to the owner, although 4-6 weeks is common.

What about water changes during quarantine? Water changes are very important during the quarantine period. You need to exchange 10-15% of the total water volume twice weekly when a good bio-filter is actively working. If you do not have a bio-filter established then your quarantine tank will require a 50% water change daily. You should test the water for ammonia and nitrite daily. Both should be maintained in the range of zero-.01 ppm. And always keep plenty of chlorine remover products on hand and use accordingly with every water change.

Where should I set up the koi quarantine tank? Spend some time to determine the ideal location for your quarantine tank. Put the quarantine tank where you will have easy access to it and preferably where it will not get too hot, or too cold. It should have access to electricity, your water source, and shade for part of every day. If it will be in your garage then use the sniff test. Close your eyes and sniff, if you can smell gasoline or paint fumes so will your fish! The aeration pump will transfer them into the water. Either store gas powered equipment, gas, oil and paint products elsewhere, or find a better location for the quarantine tank. Motor vehicle exhaust should also be considered.

How about feeding koi in a quarantine tank? Feeding koi in the quarantine system gets very tricky. Generally, koi can go without food for two weeks, but it seems cruel to make them fast for an extended time. Over feeding in the quarantine system can bring on big troubles because bio filtration is slow to get going or very likely inadequate in most cases. High ammonia is a serious threat to your fish while under quarantine. Do not feed fish in the quarantine tank for the first two days. Then, begin by offering very small portions of food once per day. Be sure to monitor ammonia level with a test kit and stop feeding and perform a water change if the ammonia begins to creep up.

What chemicals do I use on koi during quarantine? It is best not to use any type of chemical treatment in quarantine unless you know what and why the chemical is being administered. Salt is probably the safest and most effective additive for use in the koi quarantine tank. Salt will kill or slow down most parasites and ease the stress level for your koi. Salt concentration should be maintained at .3 ppt, or 3 lbs. per 100 gallons of water. For therapeutic application it is recommended to use only non-iodized salt. Remember to add salt with every water change.

Bottom Line ALWAYS Quarantine a NEW Fish Koi Ahoy Page 13 of 15

.. 2017 CKC Calendar

Meeting Sites The entire 2017 schedule is up for grabs. We want to see your pond and we know you want us to see it so pick a date. Need a January volunteer, so step up and be a hero! The contact is our VP, Chuck Cottam 408-691-6431 [email protected] February 26……………………….…..Potassium Permanganate Demo……………………….Georgia Vonk, Lincoln March 26…………Wet Lab Postponed, We’ll discuss some anatomy………...Jack & Juliet Lokoff…Bay Point April 30…..…Iva Gaglione of Star Milling (Ultra Balance Koi Food)…...Sam & Kami Niebank.…..Roseville May 20-21…………………………………………………..Pond Tour…………………………………………………………………… June 25……………………………………………………..Gus & Leslie…………………………………….………………..Antelope July 30…………………………………………………..…..Jean Jahr…………………………….…………………………….Antelope August 27………………..Koi Auction & Ice Cream Social………Duane & Melody Carlson………....Granite Bay September 2-3…………………………………Koi Show…………………………………………Old Sugar Mill, Clarksburg September 24…………………………………..…Garbero, Rock Star…………………………………….……….Sacramento October 29……………………………………..John Gillespie….Pond-Warming………….…………………………..Folsom November 12……………….…………………………Shannon Skalisky…………………………………………….Carmichael December 3………………………………….……….Christmas Party………………………….….….???

Look at all of that empty space! Step up and volunteer as a host for the 2017 season. CKC provides a $40 stipend to help cover the cost of paper plates and plastic forks. The best dates go quickly so contact our VP, Chuck Cottam. His contact info is just below.

Koi Health Advisors (KHA) Problems with your Pond? Fish? Both? These guys are here to help. Bob Haugland, Sacramento, 916-428-7640, [email protected] Jean Jahr, Antelope, 707-621-2229, [email protected] Jerry Kyle, Lodi, 209-368-9411, [email protected] Sandy & Bob Mascadri, Cameron Park, 530-676-7667, [email protected] Pauline Sakai, Roseville, 916-786-3769, [email protected]

2017 Officers, Board of Directors, & Staff President, Sam Niebank, ……………………..916-826-9709…[email protected] Vice President, Chuck Cottam…………………..408-691-6431…[email protected] Treasurer, Georgia Vonk……………………….916-408-0573…[email protected] Secretary, Michelle Cardenas……………707-695-0315……[email protected] Past President, Jean Jahr………………………………..707-621-2229…[email protected] Directors: John Gerson……………………..916-542-5555…[email protected] Bob Haugland…………..………916-428-7640…[email protected] Rebecca Lippert…………..…415-368-5206…[email protected] Trey Yellott…………………………………..510-452-0276…[email protected] AKCA Rep: Jerold Kyle...... 209-368-9411………….…[email protected] CKC Photographer, Pauline Sakai….………….916-786-3769…[email protected]

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Financials…Georgia Vonk, Treasurer

Beginning: $5870.94

Expenses: 2922.78 Cash for change $350, Koi Show other expenses$2114.88 Pop-ups to Inventory $417.90 Host Fee $40

Income: 4268.00 Cash returned, Raffle, T-shirts, Advertisers, Trophy Donations, Membership, Tank Rental,etc.

Ending: $7216.16

Meeting Minutes September 24th, 2017

Board Meeting  Called to order at 12:36pm  Attending: Bob H., Chuck, John Gerson, Sam, Jean.  Action needed to replace Audrey as Secretary – Filled by Michelle Cardenas  Koi Show Review o Well received o Well attended o Motion was made to hold a 2018 Koi Show - “Yes” Vote to hold a 2018 Show o Same weekend o Same location o Discussed the purchase of the Pop-up’s - motion to keep discuss with membership – Approved by Board  Adjourned at 1:14PM

General Meeting  Called to order at 1:50pm  Financials and Minutes Approved as written in the Koi Ahoy  A general review of the Koi Show  Discussed the purchase of the Pop-up’s – motion was made to keep the pop-ups as a general expense and use them for future club activities  Announced new Secretary – Michelle Cardenas  Discussed Open Board Positions – Treasurer – Georgia has agreed to fill the role for the next term.  Adjourned at 2:30PM

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