Fishtanks Blog

Koi Care: Everything You Need To Know About Your Pets

Posted on 16. May, 2009 by admin in Aquariums, Fishtanks

The Koi is one of the most popular among the fresh-water pond fish that has emerged in the fish industry nowadays. The Koi can be seen living in the waters in lots of outdoor ponds throughout the world. These fish are well-loved by their owners because of their patterns and color, and also for their long lifespan that can normally reach about 30 years. These qualities makes them the perfect pets that can be taken care of in ponds.

The Koi are domesticated varieties of carp ("Koi" means "carp" in Japanese). They come in a wide array of patterns and colors, which include yellow, black, orange, red, silver, green and blue. External elements like the environment in which they live and their diet they have affect their color, and with this you can see the amount of patience and skill it took for the first breeders in Japan to develop such a magnificent fish!

They are very social with the other fish (just as long as they're not small enough to be eaten by opportunistic predators). In smaller areas they tend to school together, but divide into smaller groups in larger areas.

They can grow very long, so you're going to need at least 500 gallons of water to contain them. In deciding to house your fish in smaller ponds, just consider how big they can get. If overcrowding occurs, you can change the pond's size completely and make it bigger, or you can choose to give away your larger fish for smaller ones.

As space is important for your pet's health, remember to keep the number of fish you have in the pond with respect to the amount of water held by the pond. As they are very expensive, they can be very hard to be replaced with.

They thrive in cold water tempertures between 61 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the fact that these are amazing fish that live in colder temperatures, they can be kept outside in the winter safely. Ensure that the pond is no less then 3 feet in depth. When winter time comes, they will start their hibernation. Their digestive system will slow down almost is if it will stop. The food kept in their stomach may turn bad and make them sick, that's why it's very important for you not to feed them in weather that fall below the 50 degree mark.

The pond is a relaxing area when you hear its rippling water flows, and the magnificent fish such as the Koi should be added to it in order to complete the scenario. Owners of these fish consdier themselves lucky because they get to have this kind of magnificent pets that they can take good care of, touching their lives!

Tags: Koi, Koi Care