I’ve got fish! It’s taken a while to finish the my water pond project and round up a few fish for the new pond, but finally… it has all come together. Some things about relocating and trying to move fish with you don’t necessarily work out the way you planned. When I left New York, I had secured my chosen fish (seven of them) in the temporary “foster” pond of a friend. I’d talked to another friend, a koi dealer with a license to ship by air. It takes 48 hours to drive down to SW Florida, but only 2 ½ hours to fly down. Therefore, air is the shipping method of choice. It would be the same packing and preparation, but due to high airport security (level orange?) at present (and the possibility that I might be smuggling a bomb inside a fish??) no fish can be shipped without a license. I don’t have a fish shipping license. Luckily I had friends who do.
That was the end of 2006. By the time the pond was built and ready for fish, the person with the legal license to ship fish by airplane informed me that he “didn’t realize the fish would be that big”, even though he’d never seen them. I’d had these fish for almost 14 years. They are koi. What did he think they would look like, minnows? Then I was told I’d have to sign a waiver and pay up front, basically to take my chances. I think my fish are worth more than a risk like that, so I turned it down. So, I sat and looked admiringly at an empty pond.
There are no fish dealers close to my new home. I talked to friends on koi forums to try to figure out another way. There was just one other way- a koi dealer on LI who I’d known for a number of years. Surely he would ship the fish down to me. I know how much they would like this pond. It’s strictly a koi pond, no waterfalls or plants, and no fancy rocks. It has sparkling crystal clear water instead. It is square with two bottom drains, air diffusers, and a Bakki Shower to remove gases. The filter is Alpha One, capable of handling 22,000 gallons of water and 125 pounds of fish. I’ve got a 140-watt UV. I had no fish.
My friend, the foster pond owner, didn’t want to use this dealer. So, basically, I gave up. I was not happy, but I’m in Florida and the fish are in NY. I found someone on the east coast willing to sell me some “new” koi. The happy ending is that I have four lovely koi swimming in the new pond. They are not the ones I’d had, but they are happy to see me just the same. And my new pond does not look lonely anymore.
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