Archive for July 30th, 2009

Koi travel by net from their transit tank to the pond at the Fort Worth Japanese Garden

About 60 large Koi, or Japanese Ornamental Carp, were added to the Botanic Garden’s Japanese Garden’s pond system yesterday morning. The new additions, which came from Weatherford’s Clear Fork Koi, cost around $100-250 each and will hopefully live many years, somewhere between 40 and 150 depending on who you ask. The koi appeared in high-flopping good health. They came along with two catfish which were headed for the Botanic Garden’s reflecting pond.

These fish are to help replace those lost last winter, when about 100 Koi died during a water replacement procedure at the garden. Chlorinated water was poured into the ponds due to a miscommunication with the Municapal Water Department. The Water Department has pledged $23,000 to pay for the damages related to the fish die-off.

The new fish, which were each 18-20 inches long or more, travelled to the garden in a large bucket-like travel tank that nearly filled the bed of a pickup truck. After they arrived at the garden, no lack of care was shown about them getting just the water they needed. After some of the pond water was mixed with water in the ravel tank and time was allowed for them to acclimatize, the fish were transfered to the pond by  workers using large nets. The fish objected but they were overruled.

Another addition of replacement Koi is planned to bring the total replaced over 100.