Today we are at the Airport here in Amsterdam, waiting for the new Koi that arrives from Japan
Shipping live animals by plane is a complicated and time-consuming task. And there is no exception for sending Koi fish.
In addition to the many paperwork that has to be done in the country of origin and the country of the final destination..
..the health of the fish is the most important factor off shipping Koi.
The route and the timetable are planned so tightly that the fish suffer as little as possible..
The Koi can easily live Up to 48 hours in the water without having to be replaced.
On the inside of the box, above the water, there is a small bag that works as a catalyst.
It converts the nitrogen into oxygen again. As a result, the fish arrive in much better condition in the country of destination.
After the boxes have been filled with fresh water, they are weighed and then ready to picked up by the carrier.
When the Koi arrive in the country of destination, a number of important procedures follow immediately.
A veterinarian and the customs authorities must both carry out checks independently of each other before they before the fish are released by both parties.
After unpacking and inspecting the Koi, I immediately take 2 fish to a customer with their own quarantine shelter.
The koi will stay here before they can enter the main pond this spring.
The fish look healthy and have passed the journey well. It is not a luxury to check the fish for possible parasites.
The fish from Japan are clean from parasites. The most common parasite is the skin fluke.
On these old images you can clearly see how a skin worm can be discovered with a microscope.
After the last check, the fish can enter the pond.