K O I
Koi are color variants of the common carp. The myriad of colors and patterns we see in ornamental ponds today are the result of years of selective breeding. This practice began in Japan and it continues today throughout the world. As koi keeping and water gardening have grown in popularity in the United States, the American koi producers continue to develop new strains (e.g. long fin or “butterfly koi”) and to improve upon the established ones.
Our koi are the progeny of brood fish imported from Japan several years ago. Because of the possibility of exposure to pathogens, our farm no longer imports koi from any other source. An unfortunate consequence of heavy concentrations of fish farms in close proximity is that diseases can spread quickly from farm to farm. Moreover, attempts at disease control often lead to increased virulence of organisms that cause fish diseases. For these reasons, we do not allow the introduction of koi from other facilities into our farm.
The controversy continues over the alleged superiority of koi produced in Japan when compared to those produced in the United States. It is our opinion that a strand of DNA isn't compromised by its geographical location. Rather, the quality of Japanese koi is the product of aggressive culling of large quantities of koi. Our policy is to provide a variety of fish from which our clients can select. This policy allows individuals to enjoy koi keeping without "breaking the bank".
Please note also that long-finned or butterfly koi are largely an American phenomenon. It might interest enthusiasts to know that butterfly koi are preferred by the majority of our customers, both wholesale and retail.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We invite Florida residents or visitors to the area to stop by and take a look at our koi. You will be pleasantly surprised at the quality and very pleased with our reasonable prices.
The following photos were taken on March 2004. The 11" to 14" koi tank (shown below) is typical of the unsorted groups of koi we harvest from our production ponds.
It is difficult to photograph fish during a "feeding frenzy". In due course, we will add more individual shots to our site.
The group of koi displayed in photographs below are approximately 20" to 28" in length. The pictures don't do the fish justice.
Considering the size of the fish and the difficulty involved in shipping them, we generally restrict the sale of our large fish to wholesalers with adequate hauling equipment or retail customers who are able to visit the farm, select the fish of their choice and assist us in coordinating shipments.
The images below are a sampling of our koi on hand. They vary in size. Please check our koi gallery often. We hope to update it frequently. Some of the shots are "repeats". We hope you enjoy them.
Send mail to ronslay@sum.net with questions
posted by CITRA KOI at
22:15
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