PKWS Off to a Busy Start in 2011

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1 February 2011 Issue PKWS Off to a Busy Start in 2011 By Don Manus Editors: Carol Mathis & Lisa Freeman Well, we have another Koi season upon us. We started the year off with our January meeting held at Hibachi Sushi Bar and Buffet in Matthews. We had 15 members present which were a little less than I had hoped for, but ended up being okay since they put us at a table that held 16 people. The noise at the venue made the meeting a little difficult, but we managed to chat about several events that are coming up--one being who was going to be responsible for securing members to hold socials at their homes for the rest of the year. Luckily, Rebecca Trull accepted this challenge and has already secured locations for all of our meetings, some of which you will find in this newsletter. There was discussion about hosting a koi show this year, but this was tabled until our February meeting which is set for Feb. 12 th at the Captain s Galley Seafood Restaurant on Highway 74 in Matthews. I would again challenge members to bring a guest (mine canceled out at the last minute for the January meeting). There was also discussion about going on several field trips, including one to Tarheel Fish Farm owned by Ron and Mary Stroud (who recently experienced a devastating fire), and another to Lotus Land Koi in Marshville owned by Brady Brandwood. There was discussion about going to the Charleston S.C. pond tour this year as well. This is a great trip as anyone that has been will tell you. This tour is usually held in June. There was also discussion about going to Lisa Warren s place for a social and pond pull in 2011 I contacted Lisa about this and was told she would be glad to do have us since she only does a pond pull every 2 years and she did not don one in Thanks, Don Manus, President 2011 Memberships Are Due Any of you that have not yet submitted your dues, kindly submit your renewal membership form and $24 to Allen Lee. All checks should be made payable to PKWS.

2 PKWS FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE PAGE 2 MINUTES OF JANUARY 2011 MEETING The first meeting of 2011 was held at the Hibachi Buffet and Sushi Bar in Matthews, NC on January 15. Thirteen (13) members were present. A short business meeting followed dinner led by President Don Manus. Old Business Return any pond tour signs to Tracy McCorkle in person. New Business Questionable Koi Show this year. Discussion to follow. Motion made by Carol Mathis to table vote for or against show at February meeting. Second: Don Penix Motion passed. February meeting to be held at the Captain s Galley. Rebecca Trull will set up venue for monthly socials for Motion to adjourn by Carol Mathis Second: Leo Bollinger Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 7:10. FEBRUARY SOCIAL MEETING Saturday, February 12th at 5:30 pm Captain's Galley Restaurant Address: East Independence Blvd, Matthews, NC Telephone: Upcoming Social Meeting Dates: Mark Your Calendars! February 12...Captain's Galley March 12...Larry & Phyllis Rosen (new members) April 9...Brannon & LeeAnn Raines April 16 or 23..Koi Sale at Leo Bollinger & Carol Mathis May 14...Terry & Mary Ellen McClain June 11...Don & MaryAnn Penix July 9...Russell & Rebecca Trull August 13...Lisa Freeman September 10...Allen & Regina Lee October 8...Mike & Heather Long November 12...Eleanor Ubry December 10...Tracy & Tanya McCorkle PKWS 2011 OFFICERS: President: Don Manus Secretary: Mary Ann Penix VP: Terry McClain Treasurer: Allen Lee APPOINTED OFFICES: Show Chairs: Rebecca & Russell Trull Membership: Allen Lee Property Manager: Tracy McCorkle Newsletter: Carol Mathis & Lisa Freeman Webmaster: Mike Long Treasurer s Report: $

PKWS FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE PAGE 3 Cheap DIY Spawning Mops By Lisa Freeman Are you interested in breeding your goldfish or koi this spring and catching the eggs in an easy way?

You can pay up to $50 dollars for expensive spawning brushes, but this is a great dirt cheap alternative that requires very little DIY knowledge.

3 PKWS FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE PAGE 3 Cheap DIY Spawning Mops By Lisa Freeman Are you interested in breeding your goldfish or koi this spring and catching the eggs in an easy way? Well, just make yourself some cheap spawning mops so your fish can lay their eggs and you can easily collect them. You can pay up to $50 dollars for expensive spawning brushes, but this is a great dirt cheap alternative that requires very little DIY knowledge. This is a terrific project to start now so you can be ready for the early spring. You will need the following: 1) A wine cork 2) 12 to 15 strips of thick yarn (just buy the cheap kind at Wal-mart) 3) A plastic zip-tie or something to tie with Okay, wine drinkers rejoice! Here's an excuse to get to drinking for the betterment of your fish (at least that's what you'll tell your significant other). Get yourself a cork to use as the perfect long-lasting floating device. If you are not a drinker, as a friend or neighbor for a cork Depending on how deep your pond is, cut 12 to 15 pieces of yarn, I wanted mine to hang 12" into the pond, so I cut my yarn pieces 24" long to double them up. If you want your mops to hang 15" into the pond, then cut your yarn 30" in length. IF you want it shorter, than just cut smaller strips. Do whatever works for you. You simply fold your yarn strips at the half way point over the cork. Give it a good twist so it grabs the cork and then tie it in with your zip tie, fishing line or whatever you plan to use to keep it all together. Here is what your finished product will look like when done. Simple!

Here is what my lovely mops looked like covered in koi eggs last spring!

4 PKWS FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE PAGE 4 Cheap DIY Spawning Mop - Continued from page 3 Now, just float your new mop in the water. You will notice that for a little while the yarn strings will float up to the surface of the pond. After a few days they will get water logged and start to hang down into the pond. Here is what my lovely mops looked like covered in koi eggs last spring! Now you will need to remove these mops and either put them in an aquarium, a hatchery in the pond or some safe tank of water so that your koi don't eat the babies. After a week or so, you will notice tiny baby fry, and they will hide in your spawning mops when frightened. After all the eggs have hatched, and the fish are swimming about freely, you can remove the mop, and use it again. Next month, stay tuned for a How-To article on how to make a cheap DIY hatchery that will cost less than $15 bucks! If you d like to learn more, you can visit my pond forum at Pond Rescue Endeavors By Don Manus Back in August, I received a call from Jack McNeary about a friend of his that had been having problems with his pond. Jack explained that the water stayed green and that the man who owned it had the maintenance man put a bottle of algaecide in to kill the algae, which subsequently ended up killing the fish. Jack asked if I would look at the pond and give him some advice, so I contacted the gentleman and agreed to come over that Friday since I would be in the neighborhood. The pond is a small concrete watergarden in the backyard of a home on Queens Road West that belongs to Jim Gross; and it was definitely a nasty green with no fish and no filtration that I could see. There was only a small pipe shooting water straight up about 4 inches high. I called Jim and asked what he wanted done, and he said he wanted the pond cleaned and made ready to put koi in it. Not knowing how much he wanted to spend I tried to keep it simple, and I suggested a small internal filter and a small UV light to help keep the water clear. I argued with Jim about how many fish the pond would hold, as he

5 PKWS FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE PAGE 4 Pond Rescue Endeavors: Continued from page 3 said there were 20 koi in the pond before. I made a trip to Brady Brandwood s Lotus Land Koi Farm, and picked out 12 fish around 3 to 4 inches in size of different varieties and put them in the pond. The following day Jim s secretary called and said this was not what he wanted, as he preferred all orange colored fish since he was a graduate of Clemson. She told me to find him some orange goldfish as this was what was in the pond before. I called Tracy McCorckle and asked if he had any goldfish and we worked out a swap with one of Brady s ochiba in the group I had purchased for Jim. I put the fish in the pond, and he was happy as could be. Around the middle of October, Jim s secretary called and asked if I would go look at the pond because the water was green again. When I arrived the UV light had been removed and put into the garage. I phoned her and let her know that if they wanted the water to stay clear the UV light would have to stay on the pond at all times. Unfortunately, she told me that Jim thought that after the water cleared up he could take it off. The UV was replaced and we were back in business. Two weeks later she called again and said the pond water level was low and could I check it. I could not find any leaks anywhere, and I re-filled the pond. Two weeks after this, I received another call from Jim that the pond was low again. I checked again and still could not find the leak, but after some discussion with Jim we decided to remove the fish to a quarantine tank at my home, clean and reseal the pond then put the fish back in. At present the fish are still at my house. Shortly, you will hear more from me on how the club will get more involved in pond rescues. If you d like to participate, do give me a ring. Thanks, Don Manus, President PKWS This chart is copyrighted by the International Nishikigoi Promotion Center

6 PKWS FEBRUARY 2011 ISSUE PAGE 4 January 2011 Koi Social Highlights

7 PKWS M E M B E R S H I P F O R M The Piedmont Koi and Watergarden Society (PKWS) is a not for profit organization. The membership year runs from January 1st through December 31st. Annual Membership Dues for a family for the first year are $55.00 AND INCLUDES UP TO TWO (2) NAME BADGES. Additional nametags may be purchased at a cost of $15.00 each. For renewing members the dues are $24.00 Please complete the following form and return it with your membership dues to: ALLEN LEE 900 Club Drive Monroe, NC Please print clearly (this information will only be used for club records). Please print your names) as you would like them to appear on your name tag(s). You can also find an electronic copy of this form on our website. Last Name: First Name(s): Address: City: State: Zip: Signature: Date: Address: Telephone # Membership Dues: (New member) $55.00 or (Renewal) $24.00 (Circle One) Additional Name tags ($15.00) TOTAL ENCLOSED: Visit us on the web at Newsletter Layout & Design: Lisa Freeman

HAPPY 4 TH OF JULY. Mike Long has our web site up and running again... Check it out.

HAPPY 4 TH OF JULY. Mike Long has our web site up and running again... Check it out. July 2011 Issue Editor: Carol Mathis HAPPY 4 TH OF JULY If you missed last month's meeting, you missed a good one. As always a meeting at the Penix' home is worth writing about. The BBQ was out of this