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Today's Date -- 25 April 2002, The Straits Times

Ban on koi from some parts of Asia prompted by viral outbreak fears

"ORGANISERS of the ninth Singapore Koi Show and Championships have stopped those from five areas in Asia from taking part in the annual competition, which will be held this weekend.

The barring of China, Hongkong, Taiwan, Indonesia and Thailand, has reduced the participants to just those from Japan and Singapore, and the number of fish from more than 1,000 to about 700.

The move is one of the precautions being taken after a viral outbreak in Guangzhou, China, wiped out about 400 koi, worth about $2 million, that were taking part in a show in the city last month.

Koi from Japan have been given the green light as the country did not take part in the Guangzhou event, and because it does not import the fish from China.

Mr Richard Tan, president of the Koi Club (Singapore), said the decision was taken ''for the safety of the participating koi, and to help prevent any further outbreak''.

He also said that the virus is similar to herpes, an infection. A similar virus affected koi in the United States and Israel two years ago.

Affected koi will show white spots and red veins on their skin, and their gills will turn black. Within 72 hours, 90 per cent of the fish that contract the disease will die.

Apart from a regular ''koi benching'' exercise, where the fish are examined individually before the competition, the club has also invested $1,500 in a chemical called Biotalk, which will be added to the show tanks during the two-day event to kill any potential virus in them.

Koi dealer Max Ng, 30, who has been taking part in the competition since it began in 1991, said that the virus is unlikely to break out among koi here. He is entering about 30 of his fish in the competition.

There are 700 trophies and prizes to be awarded. The grand champion koi owner will receive the Lim Kim San Challenge Trophy."

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Last modified: April 27, 2002