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  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Mature Champion smartin's Avatar
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    where to purchase koi

    My wife and I on Friday went to the Koi Barn at Coolings, what a facility, the new installation certainly helps to showcase the fish there, the fish looked bright and vibrant with a great selection of age and varieties, we were going to have a look at Gatwick Koi today but they were closed so will go another day to have a nose around and get acquainted with the costs !!
    For a trip out we went to Hawkhurst fish farm today and had a look at the selection of English koi that they sell, 14" to 16" fish at £295 each, from what we could see again were no experts but they also looked bright and vibrant, fish were a few years older than what we saw at Koi barn i guess the water temp is colder so they are smaller v Japanese koi at the same age ? anyone on here have any Uk Koi......we are looking forward in choosing our first ever koi, we will be buying at the 10" to 16" with maybe 2 or 3 slightly bigger, will the bigger fish "bully" the smaller fish?, is there a size range that should not be exceeded due to feeding problems as the bigger fish will eat majority before the smaller ones get a look in or not ?

    We are near Eastbourne are there any koi dealers worth looking at other than Gatwick koi / Koi Barn / Icklesham koi thanks Steve.



  2. #2
    I got a tosia gin rin matsukawabake last year and it can certainly handle itself in amongst the big fish lol. But I also got a tosia showa who has been knocked into the skimmer basket before when going to feed, luckily it was fine but its not really ideal.

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  4. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Working in the approximate South East area and just sticking to ones I've visited / can vouch for...

    For Koi that are rigorously quarantined and heat ramped / chilled:
    Gatwick Koi
    Koi Water Garden


    For very friendly and helpful Dealer (not sure what his current quarantine regime is):
    Koi Waterlife


    Other well known Dealers but not sure / confident of their quarantine procedures:
    The Koi Market
    Koi Water Barn

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  6. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    Let me know when you are in the Dartford area as I have a few koi for sale...... About 400. When KWB closed down to move I accidently bought all their koi to grow on.
    I have Sakai and Hirasawa koi
    My missus thinks I'm mental and wants to know what I was thinking
    5000 Gallon Fibreglassed Pond With 54" x 27" Infinity Window
    BD300 Drum Filter
    Artesian 0.5hp - Aquadyne 4.4c Beadfilter - PS4 Protein Shower
    Badu Eco Touch - EP20 UV Sterilizer - ASHP - Venturi
    Hi Blo 60 - Medo 45 - Spindrifter Bottom Drain
    Wide Mouthed Skimmer

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  8. #5
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Bloody hell Andy,that is a lot but a good move I think.
    John

  9. #6
    Member Rank = Nisai AJB's Avatar
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    My experience as a novice is: with my first foray into Koi, 20 years ago, I had a large pond and stocked it with quite large Koi from a dealer at Gatwick. The dealer also installed filtration etc but I lost several Koi because the filter was not matured. That put me off for many years and what I learned from it was lesson 1 - take it slowly.

    My second attempt started about three years ago and we have built up the fish stock gradually and focus on looking after the water rather than the fish. We have a few Koi in the 20" to 22" range, several smaller ones, and perhaps a dozen in the 6" to 8" range. No bullying goes on at all: the large and small fish co-exist happily.

    My experience is that a couple of the moderate fish (around 14 - 16") are very greedy, but when I feed it is usually the smaller fish that get in first. It is noticeable that the bigger fish seem to prefer to feed in the evening.

    I have acquired fish from 2 or 3 different dealers and one member here. With what I know now, starting from scratch, I would try to source my initial stock from only one place, to cut down disease risk. Probably I would see if a member here such as Dave is ready to move some fish on later in the season. You may well get much better fish, and much better value.
    Last edited by AJB; 23-04-2019 at 11:52 AM. Reason: typo

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  11. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Mature Champion smartin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AJB View Post
    My experience as a novice is: with my first foray into Koi, 20 years ago, I had a large pond and stocked it with quite large Koi from a dealer at Gatwick. The dealer also installed filtration etc but I lost several Koi because the filter was not matured. That put me off for many years and what I learned from it was lesson 1 - take it slowly.

    My second attempt started about three years ago and we have built up the fish stock gradually and focus on looking after the water rather than the fish. We have a few Koi in the 20" to 22" range, several smaller ones, and perhaps a dozen in the 6" to 8" range. No bullying goes on at all: the large and small fish co-exist happily.

    My experience is that a couple of the moderate fish (around 14 - 16") are very greedy, but when I feed it is usually the smaller fish that get in first. It is noticeable that the bigger fish seem to prefer to feed in the evening.

    I have acquired fish from 2 or 3 different dealers and one member here. With what I know now, starting from scratch, I would try to source my initial stock from only one place, to cut down disease risk. Probably I would see if a member here such as Dave is ready to move some fish on later in the season. You may well get much better fish, and much better value.
    Thank you very much for the information, appreciated AJB.

  12. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Mature Champion smartin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy1671 View Post
    Let me know when you are in the Dartford area as I have a few koi for sale...... About 400. When KWB closed down to move I accidently bought all their koi to grow on.
    I have Sakai and Hirasawa koi
    My missus thinks I'm mental and wants to know what I was thinking
    Thanks Andy, i will get in touch if we come over that way.....nice of you, Steve..

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