-Sandra Yosha, DVM, phD (62, KOI USA Jan/Feb Issue 2003)

We understand Koi Health is a top priority in Koi hobby and believes that this is the must for Koi hobbyists as well as Koi dealers.

What is quarantine? /   Why do I need to quarantine?
Separate quarantine tank is a Must-tool for Koi hobbyists.

Newly purchased Koi could possibly still carry parasites, bacteria, fungus etc., even though your Koi dealer including us did their very best to eliminate these. Besides, if they are shipped to you in a box, they are usually extremely stressed and exhausted. It is important to provide them a nice surrounding so that they can recover quickly.

Keeping and treating new Koi in the separate quarantine tank for 21 days is the best way to decrease the risk of disease before introducing them to your main pond. In addition this will give your new Koi a chance to rest.

We strongly request the quarantine of new Koi to every customer who purchase Koi from us.


How to I quarantine?
Prepare:
         Tank
         Net to cover the tank
         Small filter and pump
         Air pump
         Test kit: ammonia, nitrite, pH and salt
         Salt
         Melafix
         Supaverm
         Water thermometer
         Ultimate
         Heater

Before you receive your Koi:

1. Prepare a separate tub or tank for your Koi to rest. Although it depends on the size of Koi, 100-300 gallon tank will do. You can use blue show tanks as well.
2. Fill in with fresh dechlorinated water, well water or better yet water from your exiting pond, providing your existing pond stock is in good condition.
3. Filtration system for the tank is ideal. If you do not have a filtration system, provide sound aeration by air pump.
4. Keep the water temperature at 72 F or more. If the tank was small enough, one or two aquarium heaters will do the job.
5. Please add salt to make 0.3% concentration. (3 lb salt per 100 gallon water)

When you receive your Koi:

1. Please check the condition of Koi. (If they look very exhausted, leaning on one side, moving very little, lifeless release into the aeration water tank right away.)
2. If they look OK, please float the bag for 15-30 min. for water temperature adjustment.
3. After that, please release only Koi. Please do not allow bagged water into the quarantine tank. If they looked extremely exhausted, please open the bag and release them as soon as possible.
4. Also add anti-biotic such as Melafix to the quarantine tank.
5. Please cover the tank entirely. Koi tend to jump out to escape, especially when they encounter a totally new surrounding.

While you keep your Koi in quarantine tank:

1. Please observe them carefully to see if the Koi develops any problems for 14-21 days.
2. If you do not have the filtration system, please make partial water change every 2-3 days (about 25%). Add salt and Melafix accordingly.
3. After about three days, Supaverm is recommended.
4. Feed digestible food to your Koi every day such as Manda Fu.
5. Check Ammonia and nitrite every day. If you find Ammonia, use Ultimate.

How does JKO quarantine?
Japan Koi Inc. will not release any new shipments of Koi until all intensive 3-weeks-quarantine has been completed. Every shipment will not be released until it finishes our intensive 3 weeks-quarantine.


University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
Not only are the Koi treated with adequate and proper medications, scraped to microscope and observed thoroughly, with careful, caring hands, we instituted additional quarantine procedure as follows:

1. Every new shipment is quarantined at the isolated and restricted greenhouse in the farm for a minimum of three weeks.
2. The pond is heated at least 72 F. We purposely create the surroundings where bacteria, parasites, fungus and even virus can break out.
3. During this period, they will also be kept with registered pathogen free Koi (no immunity.) These pathogen free Koi will act as much as canaries did in the old coal mines. If there is any problem in the shipment, the pathogen free Koi will catch it right away.
4. After the 3 weeks of quarantine, regardless if the pathogen free Koi becomes sick or not, we will send them to the laboratory to make sure they do not have any hidden or invisible diseases.
5. No Koi will not be sold from this shipment until the results has been confirmed from the laboratory.

In Addition:

1. When we imports Koi directly from breeders, Mamoru Kodama carefully examines Koi before we purchase them.
2. When we import Koi that we stock at Miyoshiike, there will be another 3 weeks quarantine performed under the careful health management of Kazuya Takayama, manager of Koi Health of Miyoshiike. He will even select several Koi from each breeder randomly and tests them at 72 F. It is a long and stressful journey from Japan to the US. So Miyoshiike ships only healthy Koi. We will not have Koi shipped if the Koi are not healthy to travel. Combined with 3 weeks of quarantine in California, and an additional prior 3 weeks quarantine in Japan will assure the health of Koi thoroughly.

How does JKO conduct Health Control of Koi?
Every pond has its own dedicated and identified nets and disinfected very frequently.

Other tools such as tubs are disinfected each time of use.

We do not accept any returned Koi. Because we have no control on Koi's condition as well as customer's pond, once Koi leaves our facility, we do not allow them to return back to us.

We open to the public only on the weekends. Nobody but our staff members are allowed to touch the nets, water and Koi. Every staff member is trained to bleach their hands and arms every time they go into the pond area and handle the water before they move to another pond.


Is your quarantine done before or after auctions close?
We quarantine Koi prior to the auction. So as soon as auction ends, they are ready to be shipped.