Found a floater today . . .

[Reedman]

This afternoon I found one of my 10" all-black midnight shubunkins floating dead.  The ice just all melted yesterday during heavy rains.

I saw him on the bottom a few weeks ago on his side - thought he was dead.  I  tried to net him but he swam away and hid.

He was at least five years old, but that's the way it goes.

This spring I am planning a trip to the midnight shubunkin breeder to buy at least four more.  Haven't been there in 3-4 years - time to restock - been saving my pennies since midnights are pretty expensive.

[Kittyzee]

That's a bummer Reedman.  I've had that happen a couple times in the very early spring-later winter with fish 'listing' on their sides after the pond thaws.  Mine came out of it though and I don't know why or why they did it to start with.  I have lost fish though and I hate not knowing why...  

Sounds like fun going to the breeder and picking new ones!   

[miguynmkoi]

Sorry to see that  :'(  I know how special your midnights are to you and how it sparked interest to everyone here.  Did your midnight shubs ever reproduce?

[Reedman]

Miguynmkoi,

I have about 12-15 midnight shubunkins.  I usually get fry each spring because I float plastic asparagus ferns when they start spawning.  I then net out the plastic plants and put them in a 100 gallon stock tank and raise them all summer. 

I rarely get midnights though.  Several reasons: there are also sarassa comets and regular shubunkins in the pond; midnight shubunkins do not breed true - most are half orange or more.  Even the breeder only gets 20,000-40,000 a year after culling the non-midnights from their breeder ponds.

There was a pet store just down the street that had someone my area selling midnight shubunkins to them.  The pet store did not know they were midnights and were selliing them at shubunkin prices (about 1/3 of the price of a midnight).  I bought some from them two years ago. But, unfortunately they closed later that year.  If I only could find out who the local breeder was, I wouldn't have to drive an hour to MD to the original breeder farm.

[miguynmkoi]

Interesting!  Too bad they don't breed true.  I did the same like you at a local pet shop when I came across a few black/blue and gray/white shubs.  Bought them all, about 8, for baby shub prices ($1 something).  Love the ones that are spotted black on a blue gray body.  Most have very long fins. Not sure if most fit in the sky blue category.

[Reedman]

Miguynmkoi,

There are midnight blue shubunkins and there are sky blue shubunkins - both originated by same breeder.  They schooled me on everything one of the times I drove there.

They said the sky blue shubunkins never really sold.  Not sure if they even breed them any more.

I like to hand-select mine so I drive the hour trip and check each one.  A lot of the ones they sell as midnight blue shubunkins have too much orange for my interest. I used to buy ones that were mostly/all black.  But know I buy the ones with the cream colored heads and blue and black and grey bodies.

[Pa Nancy]

Ahhh sorry to hear that Dave. DANG I wished I lived closer. I want some Midnights BADLY! Wonder what they would look like bred with a Wakin? Hmmm

Back when I had my Midnights, I lost 2 of them in the spring, the only fish I lost. I don't know if it's they can't handle the fluctuation of the water temps or what?  Hope you find a mess of them this year.

[tootsie]

Hi Reedman, sorry about your fishes   And YES you will have so much fun picking out your new ones  
One thing, where do you get your Asparagus Ferns?  I  have lots of real ferns growing everywhere    Last year when the ice and snow melted I was walking down to the edge of the pond and saw so many little? Yep, it looked as tho there was  a an orange carpet   I ducked behind a few huge pine trees and was able to tip toe a little closer.  WOW, there were so many of the Shubunkins Some of then were actually down in the grass   Then when they saw me, swoosh, like they all had small motors on their tail!! I am going to offer them to some people,  if there are any left then try the pet shop, I hate to go there tho;(  The darn great  blue herons took many of my Koi last year too. Darn heron, decided to get into the deep end of the pond and started swimming and dunking his head down EATING MY  KOI

Tootsie

[Reedman]

tootsie

I bought those plastic asparagus ferns at a local petstore.  Sometime they are stocked in the reptile section.   Pretty expensive since they are so large, but their small needles are excellent spawning medium.

Every spring my fish get busy in them - I just float them.

[Jerry]

Funny it happend to me too

[tootsie]

Jerry,
I like that, just too funny and cute, LOL

[tootsie]

Hi Reedman,
I am going to hurry to the pet store and look for the ferns:)  I can tie them up with fishing line then add an anchor to the bottom. The pond is so big, with all the melted snow and run off, the pond level now is at the top edges. There is still a lot of ice.  I sure hope all the fishes are alright. I can't wait to see their little faces when they see me walk by
Thank You Reedman for all your information
Tootsie

[Julles]

I had to Google them - they sure are pretty!