The pond was half filled with my other pond's water and the top-up has been in for about 10 days. The readings were fine. Yesterday, I introduced the new koi (8 of them), but they haven't wanted food since then. Should I be concerned or are they just settling in?

u have a very good friend,not quality fish,if someone gave them to me would be very pleased.

nice looking pond someone done a good job on that.

-------------David--------Fishmaduk--------------------

Alan, Linda sent me a chart so I could have a go at identifying the types, but I reckon there has been so much cross-breeding going on, I couldn't really recognise anything. Thanks for helping out. Here's a weird one... a right old mix, it has the side ribbon of pronounced scales and has a red heart on the right side looking like a tattoo (the pic is a bit dark because they were so deep).

How do I determine the gender?

David, I was so chuffed to receive the fish. Hopefully I'll be gaining a ghost from Chris this summer too. A little spell of luck for a change!!!

The pond is growing on me... but its wonderful to actually be able to see the fish (unlike my other pond)

As for sexing a fish it take a lot of practice and even then you might be wrong, but heres a couple of hints.

Female, often bigger all round and wider at the bum end with anal fins higher up the body to fan the eggs about.

Male, larger pectal fins, body shape is more often torpedo shape and anal fins closer to the tail.

The vent in a female is a slot and the male round, but unfortunately these methods are not 100%, because it has been seen to be reversed too, even the experts get caught out on sexing, but the best method is to catch them spawning and see who does what lol.

lets see a pic of the "tanco" then Kazzie, I like tanchos only even seen one with a perfect dot on its head.

Many thanks

pps when is a fish not a fish - - when its a koi! :-)

Jo... I get very confused too. I used to have a bit of a clue, but the memory isn't what it was o/

Congrats on the pond too!

Phil V

Jo, all fish have a lateral line just that some have sacales along it, but the scale patten doesnt affect the colouring class of a koi, often it just adds to its charm or beauty, only scales that change the class of a koi are the ones along its back, the lateral line isnt in it, and Kazzies tancho is not a doitsu its the pic taken at night with a flash, it lost the scale pattern, it takes a little practice Jo, but its not hard to learn the differences for classing.

Chris... once again I can't remember the gallons, I'll ask Terry tomorrow 'cause I'll need to know. It was dug 5' down, but after sand, felt and liner its nearer to 4' now I expect. I'm not so good on technical things so bear with me... no bottom drain but a side one?. I know there is a handy tap so I can drain the filter (gonna have to plant a small tree to hide it):

There are 2 water outlets... one can be hardly seen, but in the first pic on this thread you can see the ripples from outlet one - this is unfiltered water. The second is obviously the waterfall - filtered. New sleepers were used, then painted.

Now I have a pump in the bottom pond (no filter), just needed to introduce oxygen (didn't want a fountain). Anyway, in true form... I took a pic, but captured 2 imposters too... I give up!!!