Trying the Azayaka ranchu pellet

I will be trying the Azayaka Ranchu Pellet with my ranchu and I will report on the results.  The bags arrived quickly direct from Japan and were very well packaged with bubble wrap.  I will begin feeding the juvenile formula (blue bag)to some of my cbr & junior tosai straight away.  A lot of my adult ranchu are currently asleep in their winter hibernation, so I will test the balance (green) and color enhancing (purple) when the time is right.  Azayaka is available at my friend Alexander's blog here:http://highranchu.blogspot.com/p/azayaka-ranchu-sinking-pellets-azayaka.html

Update 3-20-15 My initial impression is that the Azayaka is a very high quality food. I will continue to use it this summer.

This is my ranchu world

Spawn 3 of 2013. Photos from Oct 2014

These ranchu represent the entire group I kept from Spawn #3 of 2013.  I'm documenting the whole group as a way to see how ranchu that are selected as "most perfect in the group" at a young age can evolve over the course of growing into adults.  As these ranchu have now become oya age most exhibit strong swimming motion, superior body & high degree of balance but the problem with this group is unremarkable heads & wen.  This group shows none of the twisted backbone problems that arose in the next spawn, no.4.  2013 spawns #3 & 4 share the father Oishi Red & White and are from separate mothers.  Mother for spawn #3 has superior body, movement & balance with inferior head.  Mother for spawn #4 has superior head but lacks balance.

Video each of these ranchu here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7ZyYavO96AWXsEIWJf8MARTlSygRa3ak

Spawn 4 of 2013. Photos from October 2014

These ranchu represent the entire group I kept from Spawn #4 of 2013.  I'm documenting the whole group as a way to see how ranchu that are selected as "most perfect in the group" at a young age can evolve over the course of growing into adults.  As these ranchu have now become oya age many faults have become apparent.  Herein lies the challenge with ranchu: fish that exhibit exceptional qualities may still develop structural issues as time passes.  Although there are some high quality ranchu in this batch I also see many defects in others.  Some of the worst problems are twisted backbones near the tail region.  Sadly the fish with the worst twists also have the best headgrowth, or wen.  There are videos on my Youtube channel of each of these ranchu, designated with the number shown on these photos:http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7ZyYavO96AUYCwwuCCjZvPLqtqu6hMxb

My "Keepers" From Spawn #3, 2014

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Update 10-16-14

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Nov. 8th 2014

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Feb. 23 2015

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Aug, 2015

Instructions for new kuroko (bbr) owners

Culling Station

Details on Culling: Backbone

Details on Culling: Split Oza

9 weeks of summertime growth

First video is from June 2nd.  Second video is same group on Aug. 9th.

One of my favorites from the group:

Spawning has begun!

Yesterday the first eggs of the season arrived.  However the oya and nisai that delivered the eggs were not part of my scheduled breeding pairs so I let the eggs go.  This morning I was please to find one of my planned breeders making eggs and paired her with my most powerful oya male.  Two nisai were making eggs as well but I have chosen to only take eggs from oya age ranchu.  Adding water hyacinth plants to the ponds seemed to stimulate breeding as the first batch of eggs seemed dark in color making me think she's been holding them awhile.

2015 Potential Breeders

Article I wrote for the American Goldfish Association Newsletter

Thompson Ranchu 2014 Oya Breeders TVR

Thompson Ranchu TVR Nisai

Information for newly arrvied ranchu

Thompson Ranchu Nisai 2014

These ranchu are from a late summer spawn of 2013.  They have been raised slowly in my garage all winter.