They water level could be disguised by plants trailing into the water; I could buy a vortex later and who heats their pond anyway! (except Terry and Mario)  

I had also attempted to improve my Koi stocks, old fish were moved on, and better replacement fish were purchased. I now had approx 32 fish from 12cm – 60cm. Still room for a few more…!!!!  

So during May, right at the beginning of the Koi season I set off for the dealers show.  I soon found myself staring into a vats of fish at the Selective Koi stand. Andrew Chatton soon bowled me up two Showa's, a nice Nissai Hi Showa and a Tosai traditional Showa.  Janine always teases me for my fascination with Showa's, however on this occasion she did not object to the purchase of the Tosai Showa.  

Arriving home, a potassium dip was prepared and after a three minute treatment, the Showa met his new pals in the pond. All was well and the new Showa grew at least two inches.  During early August I noticed a few raised scales and decided to net the Showa.  

Upon netting the Showa the problem was worse than I had thought, the fish had lost several scales whilst it was in the bowl.  I had learnt how to inject fish the year before thanks to Barry at Karobar Koi, so I decided antibiotics would be the correct treatment, but because of the scale loss I was not confident of a cure.  

During the next week my worse fears were realised, the fish lost its appetite and became much thinner, even worse I could see several scales on the bottom of the pond.  I decided that I must reach for the magic antibiotic in a last ditch attempt to save the fish. I was even more concerned when I was able to net the fish easily and it lost several more scales on the way to the Koi bowl.  

I knocked the fish out and treated the ulcer and then administered an antibiotic.  

I then floated the fish in a floating basket to bring it round from the anaesthetic. To my horror I could not revive the fish, I then held it upright above an airstone, still it would not come round. I held the fish under a venturi in the water-flow, nothing, not a flicker. I could not even see any gill movement. Resigned that the fish had passed away, I had to decide how to dispose of it!!!

I happen to be rather squeamish, so the coward that I am, I thought as the fish was about 20cm to dump it down the toilet! So down the loo it went and I went outside to put away my nets and treatment box etc.

On returning indoors to wash my hands, I needed to use the toilet, imagine my surprise to see a Showa staring at me from the toilet pan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I adjusted my position, and reached down but I could only grab the fish with two fingers. I then raced off to the quarantine tank with the now conscious fish.

As you can guess this story has a happy ending, the Showa did recover, the scales grew back and its appetite returned. I can only think the shock of the colder water revived it, why it did not disappear down the drain I will never know. However I am sure you guess why we named the fish Flush the Showa!

Footnote. Unfortunately Flush never made it to adult hood, during a holiday in Malta two years later, we returned home to find that our UV had failed and that the fish had a terrible dose of White Spot. Of the 34 fish in the pond only 9 survived. A terrible heart breaking loss, Flush was one of the casualties and sadly so were Spot and Chalky the first Koi that we had ever purchased.

Life goes on as they say,  we have now moved house, built a larger and better pond with two Vortexes, this time its level and of course heated!!!!

 I think as a Koi keeper you learn by your mistakes and with every new pond or update of an existing one you make sure you include the things that you missed the time before. The pond I now have is hopefully for keeps and I am delighted with the outcome. Apart from the nightmare when it was being built, but that's another story, so 'touch wood' we now have a professional Koi pond, which we can now enjoy.

Regards

Andy