Care
When the fish arrive
A printable guide for the first hour, the first week, and a dead-on-arrival photo.
Show-Me Koi care guide · therrance@thurrsolutions.com
If the note in your box says something different, follow the note in the box.
The first hour
1
Be home, and keep the box in the shade
Plan to be home when your fish arrive, and keep the box out of direct sun.
2
Float the sealed bag for 15 to 20 minutes
Keep it closed and in the shade so the water temperatures can even out.
3
Mix in pond water gradually
Open the bag and add a cup or two of pond water. Wait a few minutes, then add a little more, until the bag feels like the pond. Give this about 15 minutes.
4
Net the fish in
Count every fish before they all go in, then net them into the pond. Keep that live count with your photo if something is wrong.
5
Discard the bag water
Shipping water can carry ammonia, so it never goes into the pond. Pour it on soil, away from the pond and away from any creek or storm drain.
Also. Never release pond fish into local waters.
The first week of feeding
1
Wait until morning
Let the fish settle. The first feed can wait until the next morning.
2
A small pinch
Use the food that came with the pack. They should finish a pinch in a couple of minutes.
3
Scoop leftovers
Uneaten food clouds the water. Take it out.
4
Skip a day if they are stressed
Do not feed if the fish are gasping, hiding, or the water is under about 50°F.
Water, in plain language
1
Treat tap water
Chlorine and chloramine harm fish. If you top up with tap water, use a dechlorinator made for ponds.
2
Have the filter running
A new pond should already be filtering, with shade and a place to hide, before the fish go in.
3
Bag water stays out
The water in the shipping bag does not go into the pond.
4
If they gasp, test the water
Stop feeding. Test ammonia, nitrite, and pH. Cloudy water and fish at the surface are a water problem first.
If a fish arrives dead
Draft 14-day live-arrival and health guarantee. If a fish arrives dead, email a photo within 24 hours of arrival. For any other health concern, contact us within 14 days.
1
Photograph within 24 hours
If a fish is dead on arrival, take a photo within 24 hours of delivery. Include the bag or the box if you can.
2
Count the living fish
Write down how many arrived alive.
3
Email the photo
Email the photo, the live count, and your name to therrance@thurrsolutions.com. Add an order number if you have one.
4
Other health concerns
If a fish declines after a live arrival, email within 14 days of delivery. This guarantee is a draft. Checkout is not open, so the waitlist does not charge you.