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To continue meeting the demands of the US Koi market, Blue Ridge Koi is proud to offer Biosecure Imported Koi sourced from Aquamade, a collection of biosecure indoor facilities in Israel.
An Indoor Biosecure Koi facility.
Biosecure Imported Koi FAQs
What are Biosecure Imported Koi?
Biosecure Koi are hatched and raised inside a completely self-contained indoor grow facility. Each fish’s entire life is spent inside the indoor facility, from spawning until being sold and shipped out.
What makes an indoor facility biosecure?
Fish only leave from an indoor biosecure facility and no new fish ever enter an indoor biosecure facility.
When new bloodlines are needed for spawning, broodstock is purchased and quarantined off-site for one year. After one year, eggs and milt are harvested from the new broodstock and brought into the facility.
Access to a biosecure facility is closely controlled, with only employees and approved visitors allowed to enter.
Why does biosecurity matter?
The biosecure model was created and is in use today to eliminate any chance that the Koi grown in the facility can be infected with SVC or KHV, highly deadly and untreatable Koi viruses.
Because no new fish ever enter the facility, and fish only leave the facility, there is no opportunity for either virus to ever enter the facility and infect the stock inside the facility.
How do you know the viruses are not already present in the facilities?
Regular and randomized testing is performed on the stock inside an indoor biosecure facility. The testing is monitored by the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture Veterinary Services and each facility is certified virus-free.
Is an indoor biosecure facility sterile? Do biosecure fish have natural defenses against common Koi health issues?
No, an indoor biosecure facility is not sterile. While virulent and untreatable viruses are not present in the facility, routine and treatable subjects of koi health (bacteria and parasites) are present, just as they are in any mud pond or non-biosecure system.
The fish in an indoor biosecure facility are not sick or in poor health from the presence of bacteria and parasites, but they are exposed to them and so have the normal, natural defenses that Koi are expected to have.
Are Indoor Biosecure Koi vaccinated for KHV?
No, Biosecure Imported Koi sold by Blue Ridge Koi are not vaccinated for KHV.
Other growers in Israel have Koi vaccination programs, but Blue Ridge does not buy or import from these sources.
We are uncertain about the science and overall safety of Koi vaccinated for KHV, and we believe that Indoor Biosecure Koi are a safer and superior option to vaccinated Koi. For these reasons we only import Indoor Biosecure Koi. We do not import vaccinated Koi.
Are there other benefits to Indoor Biosecure Koi?
Absolutely! Because Biosecure Koi are indoors and under such tight control, the quality of fish offered for sale is very high.
Hatching and growing in one location also eliminates much of the harvesting and moving that fish undergo in traditional Koi farming, meaning that damage and stress to the fish are reduced.
Indoor Biosecure Koi are also fully acclimated to small and crowded spaces, meaning they feel right at home in a hobby pond and do not have to go through the same acclimation process as fish from mud ponds.