Koi Fish, History Bits

Koi fish are an every changing fish, from breed to breed and with the ever changing generations, the Koi fish varies. If you are looking for the highest quality and the purest breeds of Koi, you will be happy to know that they do still exist but these pure breeds are more expensive. Most of the purest Koi fish are still found in Japan where the Koi originally was ‘found’, but in some fish breeding stations around the world, they still try very hard to keep their Koi blood lines in tact but it is difficult. Most Koi are cross bred and interbred so that the colors of the Koi and the hardiness of certain fish are ‘brought’ out for the amazing displays that are seen in the water gardens around the world.

Most all modern Koi fish keepers are happy with the lesser pure breeds of Koi because these fish keepers are looking for the colors, the habits and the hardiness of certain fish. Pedigree Koi are more difficult to raise in some areas of the world which is the main reason behind the interbreeding to begin with. While the quality of the ‘pure’ bred Koi is reduced, the quality of the overall fish that are still named Koi fish are better for fish keepers everywhere, but be sure you know what you are looking for so you don’t pay for expensive pure bred fish when you don’t live in an area that can support this need.

complete koi fish history article here

Buying Koi

You have decided that you want to stock your pond with koi. Knowing what to look for when koi shopping is the next step. Consider fish shopping in the same way you would when car shopping. You need to observe the fish, watch it’s movements, notice it’s color and size and most of all, make sure it’s what you’re looking for.

 

First of all, watch the way the fish moves. Its movements should be smooth and fluid, not jerky. Consider how it interacts with its surroundings and other fish if applicable. Check to make sure that its gill movements are slow and steady, using both gills. The gill plates of a healthy fish are close to the body. Fish with gills that are protruding and show irregular movement should be avoided.

 

Keep a mental checklist of deformities to be aware of such as white blooms (Ichthyobodo-parasites), raised scales, holes, cloudy eyes, fin rot, bumps on the gills or the head, to name a few. These illnesses can be treated but can get costly and lengthy in treatment time. Find a dealer that will allow you to “bowl” the fish you want to consider buying so you can examine it closer and away from other fish.

 

Once in a smaller container, check for redness on the body or around the fins. If it shows signs of redness that could mean it has just been imported and is stressed but could also be the starting symptoms of internal problems. Check closely for parasites at this time. Fish lice (Argulus) and anchor worms (Lernaea) show around the dorsal fin and tail area. Again, this can be treated but knowing about it before you buy is advised either way.

 

Once you have found the fish you wish to purchase, be sure to ask the dealer what variety you have chosen so you can have a better understanding of what to look for in the future. Dealers can indeed be very helpful but just as you wouldn’t buy a car just because the dealer wants you to, be sure to keep your personal preference a priority when shopping for your new pet koi.

Water Garden Containers

If planning and executing the building of a backyard pond sounds too daunting or you’re just looking for something a step up from a bird bath, container water gardening could be for you. Practically any container can be used for your intentions. All you’ll need is some sealant and plenty of imagination. Urethane is a great sealer for wood, concrete and pottery containers. Neoprene paint is more expensive but gets the job done for bonding plastics and woods in doubly layers. Silicone can also be used as a glue for watertight results. Fortunately, all these products can be found at your local hardware or building supply store.

 

If you are looking to fashion a spouting ornament or a waterfall in your container, a pump will be necessary. Because the water flow through a small water feature may be only 50 gallons per hour, the pump itself and the cost will be small. Container pumps are submersible and usually don’t require filtration but usually come with an attachable filter screen. Be sure to support the pump either at the bottom of the container or suction cup it to the side of the container so it’s not just dangling by its cord. The pump should never be allowed to run dry as this will ruin it. Also, these pumps usually can’t withstand freezing due to cracking that will occur.

 

The rules and guidelines for keeping fish in a pond and a water container differ greatly. Because air temperatures and sunlight affect the water containers much more than a vast pond, choosing fish takes some consideration. Goldfish, for example, are cold water fish and would get stressed out and may even die due to higher water temperatures and the constant rise and fall of water temperature from day to night. Thus, tropical fish are a popular alternative. In most cases, water containers are dismantled during the winter at which time the tropical fish can be moved to an inside aquarium.

 

Popular fish choices for water containers include smaller species of the semi-tropical and tropical variety such as mosquito fish, white clouds, guppies, swordtails and Chinese algae eaters. Beta and Siamese Fighting Fish are also popular choices, although they live in solitary by nature. A general rule of thumb for stocking fish in water containers is on fish per gallon to avoid over-stocking. Containers are usually too small to provide enough food for the fish so be sure to feed them lightly with floating food that can be netted out if not eaten so as to avoid mucking up the water.

Spring Spawning

With spring coming around the corner, it’s good to know a bit about the activities that may be happening in your pond. Spring is the ideal time for spawning because the conditions are most comfortable for your fish. Ponds in the temperate zones are just beginning to awaken from the winter months. Although to some pond owners, this is a difficult period due to blanket algae and green water, but to fish it’s the perfect scenario because the extra algae attracts microscopic bugs to eat on the algae which in turn creates food for the fish which makes it a great time for breeding because the little critters feeding on the algae are a perfect meal for newly hatched fish. The green water and blanket algae is unsightly of course, but you should be careful to use products to clear the algae or flush the pond because this will disrupt the natural cycle of breeding. 

 

Fish are classified as either egglayers or livebearers when it comes to breeding. Just as it sounds, egglayers lay eggs while livebearers give birth to live young. Most fish that are kept in ponds are egglayers. These fish will scatter their eggs among plants and then basically be done with it. The remaining eggs and surviving fry will be left to fend for themselves from that point on.

 

When trying to figure out the sex of your fish, there’s unfortunately no sure fire way to tell whether you have males or females and it depends on what species you have. Guppies, for example, are more colorful and also smaller than females.

Paradise

fish, on the other hand, are larger and have bigger fins than the females. Common pond fish such as goldfish and koi are the most difficult to tell apart. They are very similar to one another, especially outside of the breeding season. However, the males tend to be thinner than the females and have a more square shape about them.

 

Oxygen Depletion

Oxygen depletion can happen for various reasons from shutting off the pump to fish over-population to something as simple as a hot summer’s day. Why doesn’t matter nearly as much as how you can fix the problem or avoid it completely. Low oxygen levels can result in the sudden death of fish and ruin the effectiveness of bio-filters. If a problem arises, additional aeration should be provided immediately. A simple aquarium air pump with an air stone will work just fine for small ponds while a larger pond may require an electric air compressor.

 

If the pond has become over-populated with fish, be sure to relocate the extra fish and keep in mind that the recommended stocking rate is one inch of fish per every square foot of water surface area. The more fish, the more oxygen is required to digest food. During hot weather, feed fish during the cool of the morning or evening.

 

Hot weather, continuous cloudy days, strong winds and heavy rains can all lead to oxygen depletion or “turning” of the water. Because one of these scenarios is likely to be happening at any given time, it is a good idea to have some sort of aeration running at all times. Water fountains or a built-in water fall is an aesthetically pleasing option for any pond.

 

Be aware that chemical treatments for things such as algae can also seriously deplete oxygen levels so be extra careful in reading directions and moving plants and fish as needed while treating your pond.

Over Stocking the Water Garden

Beginner water gardeners often will overstock fish in the water garden when the use of how much water is in the pond is not compared to how much water a fish really needs to thrive. Water gardeners who stock their pond with fish that are replicating and not removing any additional fish can also find their pond overstocked in just a matter of a few years, causing fish to become sickly, die, water that is ‘yucky’ looking, and water that is hard to clean.

What can you do if you find that your pond is overstocked with fish? Depending on how overstocked your water garden really is there are long term and short term tasks you can perform to control how fast the population in your pond is growing.

If you have too many fish in your water garden, change the water to control how much the nitrates and debris in the water is affecting the fish in the water.   

the rest of this article on overstocking the watergarden

Temperatures– Koi and Goldfish

You have been constructing and building your water garden for days or weeks, now detailing your water garden and controlling the environment for both your koi fish and your gold fish will be the next most important things on your mind.

Temperatures, light, oxygen levels and even bacteria can affect your fish and without a little bit of research you could lose your entire fish crop without much notice. Always be on the look out for problems, even if you only visit the water garden once a week, at least watching the water and the fish will be a great start in prevention.   the rest of koi and goldfish temperatures

Choosing Koi

When shopping for koi for your pond, it’s important to have an idea of what you’re looking for, how much you want to spend and more importantly, to go to shops and suppliers who know their stuff. Not only will properly trained and knowledgeable staff be able to answer any questions you have, but you can be confident the koi they sell are taken care of and in good condition.

 

Koi personnel will be able to help you choose the kind of fish you have in mind for your pond. They can help you to save yourself from making mistakes that will hinder you in the long run. One thing you will need to have somewhat of an idea of is how much money you’re willing to spend, and when you’re being ripped off. 

 

When scanning over tanks of koi to choose from, first notice if there is a proper filtration system flowing. Then you can change your focus onto the fish. You’ll obviously want the best looking and healthiest koi. The healthy koi will be swimming all around the tank, have even healthy skin, clear eyes and flowy fins.

 

Once you pick out your favorites, you can usually ask the staff to isolate each koi, one at a time, to get a better look. This is the time to look carefully at the quality of fish you’re dealing with. Be sure to take advantage of the staff at this time so you can get as much information as possible to make a good choice.  

Koi Overstocking

Most all water gardeners feel that they always need more for their garden to be complete, to be balanced, and this leads us to overstocking our water gardens. Over stocking the water garden can actually lead to more work, and more problems in the long run. The fish and the plants alike struggle to find the space needed for their personal growth and living.

In this article I want to talk a little about over stocking koi fish. It is however, important to realize that every water garden is different. The depth of each pond can vary, the temperatures are different, and the size of the fish are different, but here are a few general considerations with the koi fish in the pond.

more of koi overstocking here

History of Koi

Koi are a very popular choice for backyard ponds but many don’t know where they originate from. Today there are many varieties of koi but in fact they all are descendants of the black fish known as Magoi. Even though early records of koi, or carp, date back to some 2,500 years ago, their cultivation started not too long ago. Color changes started showing some two hundred years ago. By the 19^th century, many of today’s koi varieties had been established. Even so, it wasn’t until the 20^th century that koi became a known fish and a popular choice for backyard ponds. Thanks to the development of railroads and air travel, the importing of koi became much more accommodating. Soon, the buying, selling, showing and owning of koi became a popular thing and caused a huge following, mostly in the

US

and

UK

. Since the popularity increase became apparent, farmers have spend much time and energy investing in koi – developing new varieties and showing their best picks. 

Japan

is still the lead producer of koi but lately other countries have caught on and are now growing koi for their own markets. Because the Nishikigoi is such a beautiful breed to begin with, it is likely that the best varieties of koi have yet to be seen.