Parker — Jan Thompson has picked up an expensive habit. It’s one that helps her forget about her job and keeps her relaxed, but it’s costly: a Koi pond.
“I have to work so I can supply a habit — a hobby,” the Pueblo mortgage banker said.
She and other members of the Rocky Mountain Koi Club spent Thursday unloading and erecting 20 tanks just smaller than hot tubs in preparation for their annual Koi show and festival this weekend, which exhibits information on the fish and pond-building.
The tanks will display about 150 fish for competitive Koi showings. Some of the show fish have sold for tens of thousands of dollars, according to organizers.
Thompson and other members agreed that building a pond and caring for the brightly colored fish, a relative of the carp, can become addictive.
Ron Calvert has traveled to Japan 21 times in the last decade to find the best koi. He started after he moved to Littleton from Atlanta. It was October and all but one of the 65 koi he brought with him died from the cold weather.
Traveling to Japan, the place renowned for generations of raising and breeding the fish, was wonderful, Calvert said.
“It’s like a kid going into a candy store,” he said.
And Calvert admits he has little restraint.
“It’s the craziest hobby in the world,” the 59-year-old said. “It’s worse than drugs because you never have enough fish, but you always have too many.”
For those considering starting a koi pond, Calvert urges moderation so that the fish have room to grow.
It’s also important to understand that a pond needs to be regulated with the same filtration and care of an aquarium, said Rocky Mountain Koi Club president Steve Johnson. That also means making sure the water is properly aerated, he said.
Members urged people considering a koi pond or water garden to join a local club because of the wealth of information and experience they can gain.
“It’s a never-ending learning process,” said Bob Winkler, co-chair of the festival and a certified Koi judge. “It’s like an onion or a rose — you keep peeling it back and finding more.”
Staff writer Sara Crocker can be reached at 303-954-1661 or at scrocker@denverpost.com
Visit the Rocky Mountain Koi Show and Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Tagawa Gardens, 7711 S. Parker Road.
There is no cost for this event.
For more information about Koi ponds visit the Rocky Mountain Koi Club’s website, .
