Tag Archives: Koi Carp

Fishing Strategies

What You Need to Know about Koi

The term “koi” actually means “carp” in Japanese. They are domesticated common carps. Koi breeding started in Japan in the 1820’s. To date, koi breeding is very popular and an extremely  lucrative business. Koi fish now come in various color patterns and combinations that can involve black, red, orange, yellow, silver and green.

Backyard koi ponds, with the wonderful sound of running and cascading water, can provide relaxation to the mind and soul. They give owners their desired peaceful and tranquil environment.  These ponds can be amazing sights especially when koi owners introduce living plants to the koi ponds, replicating in the process a real pond environment.

In a few instances, though, these koi fish and plants cannot seem to co-exist.  Koi fish could at times be very difficult to manage especially when mixed with plants.  Owners often try to place these potted plants on the pond floor and allow them to sit there.  Larger koi can sometimes knock off these potted plants and create real problems to the owners.

Koi can also have the tendency of “digging” up the soil.  But, that does not mean you cannot have any plants in your pond at all.  Koi pond owners can be really creative in finding solutions to these problems.  You can wrap netting over the tops of the pots to keep the koi from digging in them.

Pea gravel placed on top of your plants can also solve the problem.  Larger and bigger pots can take the weight of river stones.  With the stones on top of the pots, the koi fish will have a harder time knocking them over due to their weight and they will not be able to get to the dirt underneath the stones in order to dig it up.

Water lilies can provide a great look to your koi pond.  They come in several different varieties including ones that grow well in shallow water and ones that grow better in deeper water.  They really provide your koi with shade and shelter even if they are not oxygenating plants.  Plus, having plants in the water will attract insects.  Koi fish are omnivores and will search the plants’ foliage to seek out insects and larva to munch on.

Other than the insects that the koi fish search out from the plants, they can also be looking for some other types of food.  It is not unusual for koi fish owners to mention that they successfully trained their fish to eat out of their hands.  Koi fish have the ability to be able to recognize the person who feeds them and will approach that person during feeding time.  Watermelons, lettuce and peas are favorite foods of the koi fish, other than the usual pre-made koi food.

It is really an amazing experience to watch your koi fish in various colors swim with grace in your backyard pond. They give their owners so much pleasure and in return, these owners reward the koi with unrestricted generosity and care.

JAMES FIELD is a koi fish expert. For more great information on koi fish, visit http://www.koifishadvice.com/.

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Koi Carp Ponds – Essential Guide to Getting Started Part 2

A great way to begin planning for Koi carp ponds is to view how others of have successfully designed and built their ponds. Searching online is the fastest and easiest way to get started, as there is an endless resource of photos and information to be found there. Seeing how others have done things can spark wide imagination and creative ideas into how you would like your Koi pond to look, and the potential of how it could enhance the overall impression of your garden landscape. Decorations of plans, stones, statues, wooden ornaments and fixtures can have a dramatic and pleasant impact on the dynamics of your Koi garden. However, in regard to including any plants in your pond, be sure to take into consideration that Koi will eat certain plants as well as dig into the soil, which could lead to a potential messing of the pond water thus leading to more frequent cleaning and maintenance. There are plants that are suited well for Koi carp ponds, and covering the plant soil with stones or large gravel can alleviate much of this potential problem. Another great way to include plants in your pond development and keep them safe from your Koi is to put them in a floating island pond planter. Floating islands are great for decorating your Koi pond with beautiful plant life while at the same time providing needed shade and protection from predators for your Koi fish. Again, professional advice is golden.

When seeking the help of an expert, it is wise to do your research first. Get an understanding of the specific questions you should be asking as well as a general sense of the answers you should be getting. Talk to several specialists as apposed to only one or two. Visit your local pet stores to gain knowledge on Koi keeping, Koi supplies and pond equipment, along with construction and maintenance of Koi carp ponds. Get yourself familiar with why you need a Koi pond filter, a Koi pond pump and maybe an aerating device, and how these vital necessities work together to provide a natural, stable Koi fish environment while supplying healthy clean water for your Koi to live and thrive. Develop an awareness of the consistent routine work of Koi keeping and pond maintenance, including water pH level testing, pond and filter cleaning, Koi feeding and inspection of any parasites or diseases, along with any general garden maintenance such as weeding and algae removal.

Protection from predators is a factor to take into consideration at the planning stage of Koi carp ponds. Koi supplies such as overhangs or pond net covers could prove invaluable in keeping your Koi fish safe from other hungry animals. Also, ensuring that the pond water has enough depth for the Koi to submerge out of sight from predators, as well as shading themselves from direct sunlight when needed, is a necessary element in the planning of your Koi pond.

Budgeting for the costs of running and maintaining your pond should be well thought out before hand. Shop around by researching online, as well as visiting your local pet stores, for prices on all things necessary and get a clear idea of what Koi carp ponds entail in regards to buying Koi fish, Koi food, pond cleaning supplies, water testing and treatment supplies, pond filter media, the potential energy costs of running pond filters, pond pumps, fountains and waterfalls, along with the construction materials and tools required to do the job properly. Making a concise list sorted into categories with sub totals of each will allow you to develop a clearer idea of potential monthly and yearly running costs.

Get your FREE 10 day Koi Carp Fish Care mini course, today. Michael C. Harris is a Koi fish specialist. Get more great tips on Koi carp ponds today. His successful Koi care secrets e-Book “Koi Fish School”, is an inspiring guide of easy follow techniques for every Koi fish enthusiast.

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Koi Carp Ponds – Essential Guide to Getting Started Part 1

Koi carp ponds are a combination of creativity and artistic design supported by engineering and mechanics, all to produce as natural of an environment as possible for your Koi fish. Part of the creative side in designing a Koi pond is figuring out how it will enhance the beauty and serenity of your garden. Water is an element of calm and peace, and Koi fish are believed to be a symbol of good fortune. So with these ideas in mind, one could start from there as to how the overall feel of the garden and Koi pond will develop. Or perhaps just the simple desire to add dynamics and life to your garden is inspiration enough to want to have these delightful fish as part of your garden paradise.

Koi carp ponds around the world have brought joy and happiness to many people throughout the centuries. And many of these have expressed their own personalities in the design and creation of their Koi ponds. So why not introduce a bit of your own eloquence into the makeup of your Koi pond, as Koi fish themselves tend to exhibit individual personalities of their own. Developing a Koi pond is a wondrous opportunity to ad ones own influence of self-expression to the landscape.

Safety should be a number one factor in planning your Koi pond, especially if you have small children. Consider the fact that even the shallowest of water can pose a serious threat to small children.

The mechanics of a Koi pond are fairly straight forward, however, it is recommended that you seek professional advice on construction layouts, drainage systems, pond liners, electrical supply for Koi pond pumps, Koi filters and any pond fixtures, such as waterfalls or fountains, to be installed. The artistic side of building Koi carp ponds requires a recipe of ingredients including innovation, creative research, imagination and the determination to achieve your desired goal, just to name a few. Through creative design and mechanical engineering, it is possible to fashion a Koi garden pond that is stunning to behold as well as being easier to maintain. You must keep in mind that a Koi carp pond requires regular cleaning and maintenance, as do the Koi pond filter, the Koi pond pump and all other water circulating and aerating fixtures to be built-in.

Planning and development of Koi carp ponds requires attention to detail right from the start. Patience is most definitely a virtue here, as missing elements in the design and construction phase could cost dearly to correct later on. Failing to plan is a plan to fail. After all, your Koi pond should be taken as a fixture to be around for years to come. Keeping in mind that Koi fish can grow exceptionally large at a relatively fast rate depending on the frequency of feeding and the amount of space provided. With this understanding of Koi carp ponds, you must have an idea of how many fish you will be starting with and consider any plans to add new Koi fish at a later date in time.

Get your FREE 10 day Koi Carp Fish Care mini course, today. Michael C. Harris is a Koi fish specialist. Get more great tips on Koi carp ponds today. His successful Koi care secrets e-Book “Koi Fish School”, is an inspiring guide of easy follow techniques for every Koi fish enthusiast.

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    Choosing The Right Magnoi Koi Carp

    Without seeing a picture of the koi it is very difficult to correctly name it. I also have a 2 solid yellow koi, one is what they call a ginrin yama butterfly. The koi are a mix of jap and magnoi with sturgen. The closer the koi is to the natural carp the hardier it is. Any koi that does fit a type of koi falls into the Kawarimono class which is all other koi.


    My husband and I planned on purchasing 3 koi this spring. I picked it out by accident as just an interesting dusty looking little koi then winter came and he turned mostly white. What is nice about the white koi is they do stand out in the pond. So it will not be a problem and not all Platinum Ogons are a problem it is just that they are the only type of koi that have demonstrated this type of behavior. I guess when you see a lot of pattern koi, it is nice for a change to have a few solid ones in the bunch.


    Compatible Pond Fish Koi Gold Fish


    All ornamental goldfish varieties, koi, and golden orfe are compatible with each other in a water garden. It seems that a lot of people start off with a few goldfish and then add koi later, which is fine, but why not just start with koi? Koi and goldfish actively maintain a natural balance of electrolytes in their body fluids. Excellent condition,comes with two filters and a large amount of bio balls witch are in side the canister ,works wonders on Koi and gold fish ponds. Koi eat plants including water lilies and bog plants.


    Healing and tissue regeneration in koi and goldfish can usually be seen in the first four days of treatment. Pond Salt can also be used to reduce the toxicity of nitrite to koi and gold fish. Goldfish are cheap, but quality koi are not that much more. Koi are a different fish species, Cyprinus carpio, and will certainly grow too big, swim too fast, eat all the food, and nip on all the types of Goldfish in Groups 2 and 3. Compatible fish include rudd, tench, orfe and koi, but the latter will require specialized care. Koi also have a greater growth potential, rapidly outstripping the goldfish clan. For the control of anchor worm (Lernaea) in ornamental ponds, water gardens, Koi ponds and display tanks containing fish including koi, goldfish and tropical ornamental fish.


    But sometimes Koi and Goldfish from Group 1 get along for a while, but not always. Melafix has been used for many years for the treatment of external wounds and fin damage in koi and goldfish. Koi are best kept in a deeper, unplanted pond compared with a traditional garden pond. Anchor worm infestations are most common on koi and goldfish.


    Japenese Koi Carp Tattoos


    Koi and tattoos of koi are traditionally considered lucky. Koi varieties are distinguished by coloration, patterning, and scalation. Koi fish have been used in Chinese artwork and carvings and some Chinese rulers kept . Oriental Outpost has a number of images of artwork for sale with all different types and styles of koi fish. Koi breeding is generally held to have begun around the 17th century in the Niigata prefecture of Japan. These are the most common type of koi, white with red markings. Koi have many different colors.


    In myth, the very strong koi will be able to swim upstream and leap the waterfalls, being rewarded at the end of the journey by being turned into a dragon. A legend tells of how any koi that succeeded in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate (on the Yellow River) would be transformed into a dragon.


    Koi Fish belongs to the same family as Carp and is often mistaken for large goldfish. Ghost koi, developed in the 1980s are metallic hybrids of wild carp and Ogon koi and are not considered true Nishikigoi. Koi are descendants of the common carp, Cyprinus Carpio .

    All about Magnoi Koi Carp.

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      Colorful Koi Carp

      From their humble beginnings as fish food for Chinese rice farmers, these colorful Koi carp were brought to Japan in the 17th century, not only to be cultivated for cheap nutritious food for their own rice farmers, but also for their aesthetic appeal.

      The colorful Koi carp are the domesticated varieties of the common carp. In fact, the word Koi comes from the Japanese word meaning “carp” which was where they were bred for the first time around the 1820’s.

      Now Koi are considered to be one of the most popular fresh-water pond fish,, and can be found gracing the waters of millions of outdoor ponds all over the world.

      They are not only loved for their variety of colors but also for the longevity of their lives.  The longest living Koi ever recorded in history died at the rip old age of two hundred twenty-six.

      Koi come in a huge variety of patterns and colors including, red, orange, yellow, black, white, silver or even blue or green. There are potentially thousands of different types of Koi, with about 20 different popular versions. Koi are popular because of their beautiful colors and designs.

      Although Koi is simply a carp, modern specimens are products of selective breeding over many generations.  Outside elements such as the environment that they live in and the diet they eat can also affect the color of Koi.

      It is easy to understand the patience and skill it took for the first Japanese breeders to develop such a magnificent fish.

      Koi are extremely social with other breeds of fish as long as they are not small enough to be eaten by these opportunistic

      feeders.  In a smaller pond Koi may seem to school together, but in larger areas they tend to split up into small groups.

      Most fish owners understand that most fish will only grow to the size of their enclosure. However, because Koi can grow to be a large fish, they require and thrive in ponds that are about five hundred gallons or more.  

      It is important to keep the number of fish in a pond relative to the amount of water that the pond holds.  The depth and size of the pond is extremely important.

      A pond that contains a depth of at least four feet provides enough room for the colorful Koi to thrive.  The health of the fish depends a lot upon the amount of space that Koi fish owners provide their fish with.

      Koi can be kept outside in the winter. As the winter temperatures begin to drop, the colorful Koi fish will begin their winter hibernation, and their digestive systems will slow almost to a halt.

      However, undigested food in their stomachs can grow rancid and could cause the fish to become sick.  Because of this, Koi should not be feed in weather less the fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

      Outdoor ponds can be relaxing when the sounds of the rippling water flows through the yard but, no pond is complete without a gorgeous ornamental fish like the Colorful Koi  

      Many Koi owners consider themselves lucky to be able to have these fish touch their lives and brighten up their worlds.

      Don Miller has been breeding Koi for over 25 years. If you found the article on Koi Care of interest, you will also find further information and articles at the Koi Guide website
      http://www.go-to1.com/koi