Keeping Koi

The common carp is a hardy fish, and koi retain that durability. Koikeepers can keep koi in anything from small containers to large outdoor ponds, although they quickly grow to 30 cm (1 ft) and can get much bigger, so the traditional indoor aquarium is less desirable than a round plastic tub. Koi are basically cold water fish, so it's advisable to have a half-meter or more of depth in areas of the world that become warm during the summer.

Koi's bright colors put them at a severe disadvantage against predators; a kohaku looks like a visual dinner bell against the dark green of a pond. Herons, kingfishers, raccoons, cats, foxes, and badgers are all capable of emptying a pond of its fish. When keeping koi a koi keeper must keep this in mind.

A well-designed outdoor koi pond will have areas too deep for herons to stand in, overhangs high enough above the water that mammals can't reach in, and shade trees overhead to block the view of aerial passersby. It may prove necessary to string nets or wires above the surface. Sometimes your pet dog is useful in keeping predators away from your koi pond.

The koi pond should include a pump and filtration system to keep the water clear. The water returning to the koi pond not only helps aerate the water but also lends a pleasant sound to your garden area. Leaves should be frequently removed from the koi pond to prevent them from building-up on the bottom and decomposing. For a complete and easy guide to koi fish pond construction Click Here!

Koi are bottom-feeders, so koi food is not only nutritionally balanced, but designed to float so as to encourage them to come to the surface. Koi will recognize the person feeding them and gather around at dinnertime. They can even be trained to take the food from the koikeepers hand.

In the winter the digestive system of koi slows nearly to a halt, and they eat very little, perhaps no more than nibbles of algae from the bottom, and the appetite of the koi won't come back until the water warms up in the spring.

Keeping koi can be a very satisfying hobby and for many koi keepers it becomes an obsession. With a little planning you will have a beautiful koi pond and will get many years of enjoyment watching your koi swim and grow and get to know you as their koikeeper and friend.