• Amused
  • Angry
  • Annoyed
  • Awesome
  • Bemused
  • Cocky
  • Cool
  • Crazy
  • Crying
  • Depressed
  • Down
  • Drunk
  • Embarrased
  • Enraged
  • Friendly
  • Geeky
  • Godly
  • Happy
  • Hateful
  • Hungry
  • Innocent
  • Meh
  • Piratey
  • Poorly
  • Sad
  • Secret
  • Shy
  • Sneaky
  • Tired
  • Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
    Results 1 to 20 of 34

    Thread: Momotaro - Koiphen Breeder Seminar II

    1. #1
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081

      Momotaro - Koiphen Breeder Seminar II

      Momotaro - Koiphen Breeder Seminar

      Momotaro Koi Farm is run by Michio Maeda, together with his son Daisuje Maeda. Their goal is to be the top breeder in Japan and they only produce high quality koi. Their breeding stock is very large with most of the breeders over 90cm. Momotaro is known for breeding large koi and has attained 55 cm of growth in a tosai, 73 cm of growth in a nisai, and 84 cm of growth in a sansai.

      In November of 1996, a Momotaro bred 96cm Kohaku named “Bentely” owned by Mr. Takigawa, of Shimane Prefecture, Japan won the Grand Champion award at 42nd ZNA annual show.



      Maeda initially was a koi dealer, not a breeder, and only started the farm in about 1993 after they built their 1500 ton pond house. The pond holds 330,000 imperial gallons of water. (An imperial gallon is about 20 per cent greater than a US gallon). The pond was intended for jumbo koi and oyagoi. Initially, the filters beneath the decking were filled with Japanese matting. Now, they are filled with bacteria house medium which Maeda selected as the medium to use in the bakki showers that he created, and which is now used as the only filtration on most of his ponds. Bacteria House media was created for treating effluent water.

      In 1997, Momotaro completed two 500 ton ponds also for the breeders and jumbos. Momotaro built the Exhibition House in November of 1999 containing 17 ponds between 10 and 100 tons of water. The Exhibition House is primarily for exhibiting and selling koi between the ages of 2 and 6.

      As of 2003, Koi bred or raised by Momotaro had won 7 of the last 9 All Japan Grand Championships. The 2002 All Japan Sanke, a 101 cm jumbo was raised by Momotaro. Mr. Maeda’is very particular about creating a balanced diet for his koi and providing proper filtration, which is why he designed the bakki shower. Mr. Maeda does not like to sell his koi to those who do not have the proper conditions to allow the koi to develop to its full potential.

      The “New House: was built in 2003. That was their first new pond system that used only Bakki Showers for filtration. It contains six 10 ton ponds and two 100 tons ponds.



      The New Tosai House was completed in 2004. These hold the tosai that were harvested from the mud ponds. There are seventee 100 ton ponds in this house. The Male Pond House was build in the same year and contains five 80 ton ponds. These male ponds house the male parent koi and male show koi. The ponds in the New Tosai House and the Male Pond House are filtered using only the Bakki filters.

      The breeding facilities at Momotaro Koi Farms includes the old Tosai House containing nearly 60,000 meters in man made mud ponds and several heated concrete ponds consisting of 22 20 ton concrete ponds and four 10 ton concrete ponds. Maeda has natural mud ponds, but finds that natural ponds leave the koi more susceptible to predators and theft. The concrete ponds are used for fry selected to be held for the following year. Once in these concrete ponds, they are evaluated for sale.




      http://www.tewakoi.com/

      http://www.koi.lu/momotaro-pond.pdf
      Last edited by Carl; 04-01-2007 at 06:32 PM.
      -- Carl --

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    2. #2
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      Members Momotaro Koi
      Attached Images Attached Images     
      -- Carl --

    3. #3
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      Please review the above narrative regarding Momotaro for accuracy. I will correct any errors as they are noted.

      Please provide us with any additional information, pics or anecodotes that you may have about Momotaro. If you have pictures of the facilities, please post them even if they are similar to the ones in the narrative. The pics in the narrative are links, and if the original pics disappear, so will the pics. Any pics with which you provide us will remain with the thread.

      Please contribute anything you can.
      -- Carl --

    4. #4
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      The Two Prominent Momotaro Blood Lines

      Momotaro Koi Farms have two prominent Sanke bloodlines, the Ryu bloodline and the Mako bloodline. The Ryu bloodline was started by a Momotaro Female parent koi that grew to 98 cms. The Mako bloodline is Momotaro Koi Farm’s most famous and most productive bloodline. The Mako bloodline was started by a magoi bloodline Sanke that grew to 92cms. This bloodline produced many oyagoi that are breeders at Momotaro Koi Farm.


      http://www.momotaro-koi.org/english/news/max.html
      Last edited by Carl; 04-01-2007 at 08:15 PM.
      -- Carl --

    5. #5
      Ronin-Koi's Avatar
      Ronin-Koi is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      May 2005
      Location
      Ohio, USA
      Posts
      1,791
      As a reference on Momotaro and Mr. Maeda, the best and most enjoyable source that I have seen is the DVD produced by Koi-Bito/Brian Sousa which was a free item with the purchase of a subscription to the magazine a couple years or so ago. One of my favorite Koi DVDs, including a lot of footage of the Momotaro farm activities, breeding, ponds, filters, filter media, visitors, and the AWESOME quality of some of their best fish.

      - Wayne, definitely wants to get a nice Momotaro kohaku (when he and his pond are ready).
      Wayne - Ohio, USA - Koiphen MVP.

    6. #6
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      The Mako Bloodline


      Maeda has said that the children of Mako always had strong sumi regardless of how it appeared as tosai. ( I believe Mako is no longer with us) When he culled these fingerlings, he paid most attention to the hi pattern and the conformation because the sumi always came through well.

      In the second year, the sumi would rise on the tosai that had none, the sumi on the ones with too much sumi would retract, and the ones with scattered sumi would have their sumi combine. Also, in the second year the beni would thicken and their bodies would become large. These are the traits of the Mako sanke line.
      -- Carl --

    7. #7
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      Breeding at Momotaro Koi Farm

      All of the spawning at Momotaro Koi Farm is natural. Maeda mates anywhere from 1 to 3 males per female at a time. They will use 1 male when they want to be sure to preserve the characteristics of a particular male in order to ensure that the offspring are from that particular male. When Maeda wants to experiment with new types he may use 2 or 3 males. In most cases where there is no special purpose in the pairing, he uses 2 males per female. They introduce new koi into their breeding every year.

      Maeda won’t use parent koi that have begun to lose their color or shape because he believes these traits (early decline) will be passed onto the offspring.
      Last edited by Carl; 04-02-2007 at 07:28 PM.
      -- Carl --

    8. #8
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      Growing Jumbo Koi

      Meada is known for growing jumbo koi. He believes that in order to grow jumbo koi, all of the necessary elements must be optimal. It is important to use the best food and the best quality water. It is also important to have good parent stock. Maeda believes that in order to grow jumbo koi, it is important to maintain the koi in perfect conditions from when they are fry. If not, it is very difficult to try to make up for the lost time.

      Maeda is so committed to good husbandry, that he makes his own line of koi food and developed his own filtration system. Maeda believes that a primary difference between his food and other good foods on the market is in the way it’s preserved. Maeda packs his food in aluminum bags that are vacuum-packed with nitrogen gas. It stays fresh and safe until the seal is broken. Maeda has done a great deal of research and experimentation in developing his food. The food he sells is the same food he feeds his koi.
      -- Carl --

    9. #9
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      Bakki Shower Filtration


      Maeda experimented with many filtration media including various ceramic media. He used four, 10 ton ponds to test different media using the same koi load in each. Maeda concluded that bacteria house was the best of those he tested. His tests showed that bacteria house media retained between 10% and 20% of the sludge the other media retained. The media stays very clean and breaks down the waste very efficiently. Now all of his ponds have been converted from Japanese mat to Bacteria House media.

      Maeda developed the bakki shower system as a result of his dissatisfaction with the chamber based systems. He felt that since the bacteria in the chambers consumed oxygen, this resulted in the return to the pond of water with a low level of oxygen. Maeda concluded that placing a shower system on the end of the circuit would provide much needed oxygenation to the pond. He now relies on the bakki showers, using bacteria house media, almost exclusively for filtration and aeration.
      -- Carl --

    10. #10
      Carl's Avatar
      Carl is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2006
      Location
      RI, USA
      Posts
      12,081
      Maeda's Unique Approach to Mud Ponds

      Maeda has a very different approach to mud ponds. Although he has natural mud ponds, most are made of concrete and use bakki showers for filtration. The best of the man made ones use ground water as their water source.

      Ordinarily, there is a substantial risk of losing koi to predators when they are placed in mud ponds. Maeda favors the artificial mud ponds as they are safe from predators and theft. All of the mud ponds are located on the Momotaro Koi Farm premises. Customers are able to visit their koi whenever they choose to.

      It is difficult to believe that Maeda can grow the jumbo koi for which he is famous in man made mud ponds, but the facts speak for themselves. Maeda has a reputation for doing so.
      -- Carl --

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    11. #11
      dick benbow's Avatar
      dick benbow is offline "The Koi Coach"
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Mar 2007
      Location
      Seattle, Wa
      Posts
      4,734
      Momotaro, a former top restaurteur, started his efforts with brood stock from the sakai's.....Isawa and Hiroshima. In developing his own bloodline he crossed
      sanke beni in with his kohaku to get his own particular hue or color. His most important contribution in my opinion was his ability to grow his own and other breeders koi into gogantic competitors in the all japan show and to position them to be conditioned to win. The man knew water and what it took! Much has been chattered about his Bakki shower, both pro and con but there may be something to it.....

    12. #12
      ahhuhz's Avatar
      ahhuhz is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2004
      Location
      Drums, PA
      Posts
      0
      Two more of my Momotaro babies. They are about 16 months old now. These pics are from July 1st.
      Attached Images Attached Images   
      Chuck

    13. #13
      sundan's Avatar
      sundan is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2004
      Location
      Lake Wales Fla
      Posts
      2,000
      I'm sure you have seen these guys before?
      1500 ton greenhouse
      Hiroshima airport garden not to far from Momotaro farm
      2004 kohaku Grand Champ
      I think this is Momotaro monster sanke...
      Attached Images Attached Images      

      Click for Lake Wales, Florida Forecast

    14. #14
      koiman1950's Avatar
      koiman1950 is offline Supporting Member
      is semi retired
       
      Feeling:
      Tired
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2008
      Location
      San Jose, Ca
      Posts
      19,244
      The fish is very large, but the angle of the photo is what distorts the actual size of the fish!

    15. #15
      CHICHI's Avatar
      CHICHI is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Apr 2008
      Location
      UK
      Posts
      6,717
      Quote Originally Posted by koiman1950 View Post
      The fish is very large, but the angle of the photo is what distorts the actual size of the fish!
      Does anyone know what the Fish actually measured ? It does appear extraordinarily Huge

    16. #16
      mikona is offline Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2008
      Location
      LA
      Posts
      75
      That "Monster" Sanke is now in the UK. In fact it won the BKKS GC twice, the dealer was Mike Sneden.

    17. #17
      mikona is offline Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jul 2008
      Location
      LA
      Posts
      75
      I also wanted to note the 3 step kohaku pictured was breed by Ogata, which was sold to Khanh in Florida by Kevin.

      Also talking to Kevin, there are many breeders like Toshio Sakai and Hiroji Sakai who look for oyagoi from Momotaro as well as vice versa.

    18. #18
      Russell Peters's Avatar
      Russell Peters is offline Supporting Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Dec 2007
      Location
      Thorntown, IN
      Posts
      24,730
      Quote Originally Posted by mikona View Post
      I also wanted to note the 3 step kohaku pictured was breed by Ogata, which was sold to Khanh in Florida by Kevin.

      Also talking to Kevin, there are many breeders like Toshio Sakai and Hiroji Sakai who look for oyagoi from Momotaro as well as vice versa.
      You must be joking. Toshio Sakai does not get oyagoi from Momotaro, in fact, he GAVE Momotaro some of his first Oyagoi. Hiroji Sakai did the same thing. Kevin has it backwards.
      people like to vehemently defend their purchases and find it incredulous that anything could be better

    19. #19
      Mollie is offline Senior Member
      is A fish Addict
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Apr 2006
      Location
      alabama
      Posts
      5,131
      Here is my Momotaro, it is male and around 3.
      Attached Images Attached Images  


      YADA YADA YADA YADA Baby

      There is no greater gift than the Love of Family and Friends

      When you build your pond decide what you want then go wwaaaaaaaayyyyy bigger


    20. #20
      CHICHI's Avatar
      CHICHI is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Apr 2008
      Location
      UK
      Posts
      6,717
      Very Nice Molly

      I Love MOMO His Koi - Bakki`s - everything really

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •