So, Labor Day is about here and I wonder where the heck summer went. Summers are just way too short for me but it has been a busy year and I am looking forward to my trip to Japan. I have already got the date set to leave on the 22^nd of October, and will be there for sixteen days.

Well, this would be a good time to start checking out the Koi in our ponds for sores from spawning or however they seem to come up with these injuries. We need to do it now so if we find any problems we can get them healed early enough to be ready for the long winter coming up. If they go into winter with even a small sore, it will only get worse by spring and could cause them to die in the long winter.

If you have to, catch each Koi and put it in a plastic bag (hopefully you saved them when you brought your Koi home) hold each koi up so you can see them from all sides and the bottom of the belly, too. Watch for parasites like anchor worms or fish lice, these are the ones you can see with the naked eye, however, you should take a few scrapings from the Koi and look at them under the microscope, if you have one and have it available for members to use it. Microscopes are a must for Koi Keepers, you can get one for around $200 which is less than the cost of a good show Koi.

If you find some problems, treat them and treat the pond for parasites. I like to treat my ponds in the fall with Potassium Permanganate because it will not only kill parasites but also helps to get rid of built up sediment and crud that has collected over the summer in our ponds, so it is double acting. For your money, I personally think it is the best you can get for treatment on water as well as our Koi.

At this time of year you must clean your pond the best you can, flush bottom drains, clean skimmers, settling chambers, and filters. When fall comes and the leaves start to fall, keep them cleaned out of the pond. The Koi will be sitting on the bottom and the leaves offer a good place for bacteria and parasites to hide. It is important that we give our Koi the best and cleanest environment we can so they can get through the winter with as little problems as possible. Also, some leaves can put off a chemical when rotting in water that will be bad for the Koi if the leaves are not removed when they fall into the pond.

I feel if you do these things it will help to keep your Koi safer and healthier for the long winter sleep. However, don’t forget to go out and check them once a week or so just to make sure no problems have come up.