October 7,2008
The Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park suffered a tremendous loss on Tuesday morning when twenty-two of their koi fish were discovered dead. Only one fish survived. A gardener discovered them floating at the surface of the pond when he arrived in the morning.
Koi experts, Linda Pluth and Jack Chapman, members of the Koi Club of San Diego concluded that the fish were killed from chlorine poisoning. The auto fill system malfunctioned and failed to shut-off automatically thus untreated tap water flowed into the pond causing the chlorine to burn the gills.
The koi collection was acquired over the years and each koi valued from $800 to $3500 depending on the size and type. Some of the fish were award winning, receiving a number of accolades from Koi clubs around the world. The Koi Pond has been featured in numerous magazines for various Japanese garden and koi enthusiasts. One of the oldest fish was around 15 years of age. The loss is devastating with a prized collection completely depleted.
Koi fish symbolize strength, peace and grace. With their contrasting, vibrant colors they are also known as living jewels. The koi collection was an integral part and one of the main attractions of the Japanese Friendship Garden.
Each individual koi had its own distinct personality and character. The friendlier ones liked to be rubbed and pet. They are very social by nature and a favorite amongst children and adults alike. The loss of the koi collection is not only a loss to the Garden, but also a loss to our community. Chapman generously loaned seven of his personal koi collection while the Garden reestablishes its own.
The mission of the Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego is to create a Japanese-style garden dedicated to the well-being of all people which provides educational programs that encourage understanding of the Japanese heritage among people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and cultures.
The Japanese Friendship Garden Society o f San Diego has established a Koi Fund to rebuild our collection and continue to maintain the Koi Pond to the highest standards.
Your support will enable our new koi to live long healthy lives and continue to give joy to all our visitors, young and old.
Please email Miho Ishida @ mihoi@niwa.org for more information.
****************************************************************************************************************
The gentle koi in the pond will reach for your hand to greet you then glide away, proud to show you their brilliant colors flashing in the pond. With cooler water, the koi movements are slower and their appetite becomes less as their digestion is slowed. As spring turns to summer they become more active and require additional food.
