Page 62 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 11

KOI CALCULATOR to be professionals. Below that is a band of around
20% of experienced hobbyists that know enough of
APP 2.0 the hobby to take good care of their Koi and pond.
They may already know how to even improve their Koi
or are in the process of learning this. Many volunteers
Koen Gevers tells us about a mobile app he in the hobby that help in Shows, and share their
has created to help Koi Keepers look after knowledge reside in this category.
their Koi and hopes you will find it an easy to
The rest of the pyramid is the largest part of the hobby.
use, cost-effective, addition to the hobby.
Those that do not have enough knowledge yet but are
learning fast or slow and already share their interest in
the mysteries of Koi. Finally, there is a group on the
Koi app, an app for Koi? A Koi doesn’t need an app. bottom of the pyramid that doesn’t want to learn or
In fact, when I think of it, a Koi needs very little to
knows it all.
survive. When a Koi resides in a volume of water,
preferably a bit murky so it feels safe, with a small food The largest and most important part, I believe, is the
source, and temperatures somewhere between having middle of the pyramid where knowledge on all aspects
its gills freeze up and frying its brain – a Koi can really of the hobby is required, wanted and often sought
handle a lot. When that water is somehow cleared of after. These are the future volunteers, the future
its waste a Koi could even survive a long time and feel owners of Show Koi, the future of the hobby. I believe
happy wanting little more. What about its owner? Let’s the top 30% of the pyramid can do a lot and is already
call it a Koi hobbyist. Well these Koi hobbyists want to trying to help them by sharing there gathered
see their Koi in the preferably crystal clear pond, have knowledge. This app is my part in that.
them grow, to often large proportions, maintaining a
fantastic skin quality in the meantime, have zero stress
because they should eat out of your hand, and do all
this in a pond which most of the time contains many
more specimens than any carp containing open water
per cubic metre. So what about these Koi hobbyists?
Do they need an app? Well, in this article I will try to
explain why I believe that a lot of Koi hobbyists could
experience many advantages in using the app.
NO ONE
All Koi hobbyists and professionals have gone
IS BORN through a learning curve
POSSESSING No one is born possessing all knowledge about Koi. In

KNOWLEDGE fact, many of the most experienced Japanese
breeders have stated in several interviews that one
ABOUT KOI never stops learning about Koi. There are different
experience levels however. I look at the hobby as a
Koi Learning Curve Pyramid
pyramid which can be applied both local and
worldwide. The top contains the 5% which are the ■ Professionals
most experienced, being breeders, top hobbyists and ■ Experienced hobbyists
dealers. Below that are the 5% of very experienced ■ Starting/Learning to keep Koi healthy
Koi hobbyists, that like the first 5% know a great deal
■ The ones that know it all already
about most facets of the hobby and can be considered
63 65