Koi crazy!

Once Mike found that koi can survive Minnesota winters with the proper pond construction, water filtration, and aeration systems, he and the boys worked around the clock digging, scraping, hauling, making forms, pouring concrete, and putting plumbing together for the koi ponds. "They learned what work was all about," he says. "Now, they're not afraid of a little work."

It's paying off. All three of the boys are involved in koi. Michael Jr. and Tayler work with their parents, and Devin is in Niigata, Japan, studying with a top Japanese koi breeder.

"We helped set our kids up in business to make their own money" Mike says. "College wasn't in their immediate plans. So instead of college, they've learned to work hard and figure out business issues for themselves."

In Japan, Devin is learning breeding, culling, and what makes quality koi. He has an eye for picking show fish, which can fetch upwards of $30,000 each. "No small fry, that!" says Janel. "He's learning from the masters day-to-day care for the fish, too."

Mike adds, "The Japanese growers gave him his own mud-raising pond there, and he's learning breeding, incubation, and other techniques that would take us years to figure out. It's an honor to have him invited to be there."

Mike goes to Japan periodically with clients to help them find special fish. Japanese koi are superior to other types of koi, Mike says, and better than fish bred in Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines. "The Japanese cull about 96% of the fish they breed," he says.

Japanese breed koi for conformation, skin lustre, and pattern. Another type of carp, called magoi, is raised for food and is a staple of their diet. Magoi are raised in rice paddies and are used to fertilize the rice.

Mutant-colored carp were noticed more than 200 years ago and bred for their beauty. Now, various colors carry names that are known throughout the koi world. Yamabuki Ogon are bright yellow; Kohaku are red and white; Showa are red, white, and black; Ochiba are gray with a green-orange pattern; and Kumonryu (also called dragon fish) are white with black markings.