Tag Archives: Koi Fish

Taking Care of Baby Koi Fish

If you wish to breed koi fish you will need to get a spawning tank. It is advisable to make use of a spawning tank rather than let the process take place in the koi pond. To begin with, the koi pond may not be very clean. The size of the tank will depend on how many koi you wish to put in. As a beginner, it is always advisable to put in three or four fish. After all, you would want to have healthy baby koi fish to add to your collection.

The spawning tank must have clean, warm water in an environment conducive for the eggs to fertilize. Make sure to install a good filtration system and use spawning ropes or brushes so that the eggs can stick to them, making it easy to be transferred into the tank for baby koi fish. Between April and July are the best times for spawning. Make sure that the males are not more than two to three years old while the females are between three and five years old. Younger or older koi are most likely to give birth to inferior quality koi.

Once the spawning process is over it is essential to move the adult kois back to another tank to recuperate or back into the koi pond. Kois are notorious for feeding on their young, which is why you must not leave the spawning tank unattended for too long. The eggs hatch within a week, depending on the temperature of the pond. Warmer waters may help the eggs to hatch within four days. Thousands of eggs are produced in one spawn, although only some survive. Baby koi fish do not require to be fed for the first two days, after which they can be fed at short, regular intervals. Packaged fry food and liquids that are high in proteins need to be fed to baby koi fish for about four weeks.

The spawning tank must be kept clean so that any floating debris is not caught in the gills of baby koi fish. The baby koi must reach at least three inches in length before they can be introduced into the koi pond with their parents. During this period, make sure the food you put in the pond is small enough for them to eat otherwise they may starve. Koi fish are strong and sturdy fish, thanks to their ancestors, the carp. They are beautiful to watch, which is why they are popular amongst many hobbyists today.

Koi fish thrive in the mud ponds in the fertile valleys of Niigata, Japan, due to the rich mineral content in the mud ponds. These minerals add to the color and overall health of koi fish. Foods that contain bentonite clay that contains over 60 minerals will help your koi grow up healthy. Bentonite clay can be added directly to the pond water, as it will help stabilize the pH level of the water. Koi need to maintain a high protein diet when water temperatures reach 75° F, when their metabolism is at its peak. They can be fed two to three times a day during this period.

It is advisable not to compromise on the quality of food simply to save a few dollars. Cheap foods are not necessarily the right choice. Healthy food means fewer outbreaks of any illnesses. After all koi fish are costlier, and you wouldn’t want to ruin your proud collection overnight.
 

Nelson writes more about koi fish here: http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com/koi-fish-garden. He has raised, studied, bred and cared for hundreds of varieties of Koi. His twenty plus years of practical experience and research are available in his latest book,<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com”>http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com”> Insider’s Secrets To Raising Healthy Koi</a>.

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Setting Up a Koi Fish Tank

The brilliantly colored and gracefully mobile koi fish make great pets and the ideal ornamental fish for hobbyists. The Japanese specifically bred them for color and have continued to develop different varieties of koi. While they may be colorful, koi are blessed with great intelligence and the toughness of the carp, their ancestors. If you wish to keep these beautiful creatures as pets, you will need to build a koi fish tank.

The most important task is to keep the fish healthy by maintaining your koi fish tank. These fish aren’t difficult to take care since they adapt to different conditions. However, like all other beings they need to live in reasonably hygienic environment. To begin with, you need to keep the water in the koi fish tank clean and remove unwanted fish waste and excess food. Fish waste contains ammonia which can disturb the pH balance of the water, leaving the koi vulnerable to sickness and even death.

A good filtration system is essential for a koi fish tank. This system will filter out the waste, bacteria, and algae that can cause illness. An aeration filter will help circulate the oxygen content in the water, making the fish look more vibrant and colorful. It is also essential to main the water temperature since their food digestion and metabolism depends on it. A water temperature between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect for feeding them twice a day. Anything lower than 50 degrees you ought to stop feeding them since they prefer to eat only algae.

By maintaining your koi fish tank you will be able to monitor the fish well and observe their color patterns. A dull color with unusual spots on the body indicates an unhealthy koi that requires attention. You can try changing the water and their food to see if there is any improvement.

You need to keep plenty of fish supplies for your koi fish tank. Apart from the filtration system and aerator, a UV sterilizer will disinfect the water and reduce waterborne bacteria and algae. The rays from the sterilizer repel bacteria formation and keep the koi fish tank clean.  A water heater is also essential to maintain the right temperature for the fish to survive. A heater is essential for baby koi since they cannot survive in very cold conditions. A strainer is also necessary to gather waste and food particles that gather in the tank. These are essential supplies required for a koi fish tank. Although it may cost you a bit, these supplies will ensure that your koi fish remain healthy. Moreover, it will give you the satisfaction of owning a proud collection of colorful koi.

Studies indicate that simply watching a koi fish tank has a number of therapeutic benefits. For the kids, a fish tank is said to reduce their anxiety levels and bring about a behavioral change in them. Adults too can benefit in the same way and reduce their stress levels by watching a colorful bubbling koi fish tank. The dining room, they say, is one of the best places to keep a fish tank, since it helps you to relax and focus on completing a whole meal. Now you know why some of your favorite restaurants have installed large fish tanks in their dining areas.

 

Nelson writes koi fish here: http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com/koi-fish-tank. He has raised, studied, bred and cared for hundreds of varieties of Koi. His twenty plus years of practical experience and research are available in his latest book,<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com”>http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com”> Insider’s Secrets To Raising Healthy Koi</a>.

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Kinds of Koi Fish Tattoo You Need to Know

Koi fish tattoos are becoming popular right now trending back from its long history during the ancient Japanese times.   The Japanese assigned a different meaning depending on how the fish behaves in the pond or in the wild.  Unlike in China, the word koi means carp which means love, therefore it is a symbol of love for most Japanese people.

In China, the koi means very masculine since they are considered to be tremendously energetic.  The tattoo designs are made up of brilliant and lively colors with lots of variety.  The koi fish itself is dominant to fight the water’s current and it can swim against the stream to get food sources or spawning grounds.   But its strongest interpretation is aspiration, determination, achievement, ambition and perseverance and achievement in journey to one’s goal in life.

The Koi represents strength during trying times as it takes a lot of courage to be able to go against the tide.   Koi often represents victory despite of the terrible adversity; courageous triumphant over the struggle.  Its second interpretation is very independent, proudly going to the grain, little cares for belief of others and society, depicting the animal swimming through a chaotic torrent is a powerful personal image.

A koi tattoo is supposed to represent different things depending on the color, amount and direction they are swimming.   5 golden koi represents eternal wealth and well being.  Each color represents a specific meaning.   It is believed that the color of the koi tattoo on the body should be in harmony with the surroundings.

Tattooing plays an important role in both Chinese and Japanese myths, legends and stories. The varieties of a koi fish in traditional Japanese tattoos include:

Kohaku is a red patterned and white skinned Koi
Taisho Sanshuko (Sanke) is a red and black patterned white skinned koi
Showa Sanshoku (Showa) is a black skinned koi with red and white patterns
Tancho is any koi with the only red circle on its forehead
Asagi is a koi with red scales on its bottom and light blue scales on its top
Shusui  Asagi is the partially scaled version
Bekko is a white, red or yellow skinned koi with black patterns
Utsurimono is a black koi with a red, white, or yellow pattern
Goshiki has a red, white,brown, and blue accents with mostly black koi
Ogon has a red, orange,platinum, yellow and crème combined in one solid color, can also be regular or metallic
Doitsu-goi is a German carp
Koromo koi has areas of blue-edged scales aligned neatly

The decision with the koi fish tattoo is purely based on ones desire and preferences.   Each one can choose whatever color, style, length, position of their tattoo. It is still a matter of one’s own interpretation.

For more information, check out: <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”http://www.koifishtattoos.net/” target=”_blank”>http://www.koifishtattoos.net”>Koi Fish Tattoos</a>

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Koi Fish Information

If you know the common carp, Koi fish are their domesticated version. The name itself comes from the Japanese word “carp”. The Japanese started breeding Koi fish a long time ago – in the 1820’s and they have since bred them into different varieties. You’ll get them I different colors – black, red, orange, silver green and even blue.

Outdoors Koi ponds are considered relaxing – the sound of the rippling water especially as it flows through your yard. If the pond owner is quite deliberate about putting attractive plants in, that makes the environment around the pond even more relaxing. The whole point of the plants is to create as natural an environment as possible for the Koi.

There are cases where Koi and plants don’t live well together though; this may have to do with the way the pond owner has placed the plants – they should not sit in a pot, but they should be sitting on the pond floor, if possible naturally growing there. When pots are used, the larger fish can knock them over, and once the soil in on the pond floor, the fish start to dig it up. The result of course is murky water and a pond that’s that much harder to clean.

If you feel you really want to have potted plants in the pond, there are things you can do to protect them. You can wrap netting over the plant, so that it hugs the pot and the fish can’t reach them. Pouring pea gravel on the plants so that when the pot is upset, it doesn’t pour the soil all over also helps. If you have large pots, get river stones put inside will make them harder to turn over. And the Koi will also have a harder time reaching the soil – they’ll soon give up.

Wondering what flowers would look good in your Koi pond?

Lilies for a start. Just the fact that they come in so many varieties makes them a wonderful option – you can have so many of them sitting in the pond all looking different. And there are varieties that grow in shallow water too, so that should not be a problem – in fact perfect for panting directly at the base of the fish pond.

If you want the ones that grow better in deeper water, you may have to go the pots option to make sure that the fish don’t upset them. Deep water lilies have broader leaves which mean more shade for the fish.

Plants have an added advantage too – they attract insects which are good for Koi fish – they are omnivores and insects and larvae are great for them. Koi can be friendly too, and will eat anything, and right out of your hand. If they are fed consistently by one person, they tend to take a liking to that person and will get used to eating out of their hand. Since they are omnivores, share your peas, your lettuce, and even bits of melon that are left over.

Make the outside of your house a great place if you have the ability to. A Koi pond is one way of experiencing nature right at home – they’ll make you happy and you’ll get the satisfaction of watching them grow.

Ted Sikkink, is an ex music industry executive and is very much into koi fish, photography, music, fashion, food & wine, art, information research and is a “life long learning” adept. He helps people to make better choices using internet marketing and social media.

For more information about the magic Koi fish go to: http://www.KoiColors.com.

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    Koi Fish Information – Rainbow In a Pond!

    How about a live rainbow that shimmers right in front of your eyes, 24×7? Sounds beautiful, isn’t it? For those of you who know Koi fish, such a rainbow must be an old acquaintance! And for those who are just venturing into the Koi fish hobby, it will be a sight that comes in gratis with all the beauty, warmth and friendship that this ‘very social’ fish brings along.

    Koi is a domesticated, cold water fish that thrives very well in outdoor ponds. It is popular for its beauty and adaptability. It is originally a species of Carp that was first bred for colour mutations in ancient China. Koi, in its present form, owes its worldwide popularity to Japan. ‘Koi’ means Carp in Japanese. The fish that is known world over as ‘Koi’ is actually the brocaded carp or ‘nishikigoi’ in Japanese. The Japanese started breeding Koi for colour in early the 19th century. The hobby spread all over Japan in the early 1900s, after the fish was exhibited in the annual exposition in Tokyo. Eventually, the Koi journeyed to various parts of the world.

    Koi fish and Koi fish information is available in most pet stores. But if you want the best quality and information, with all the traits specific to the species, you should buy from a speciality store. There are different varieties of Koi, each having a specific colour pattern. However, the fish is still being actively bred for producing new colour patterns and for increasing the adaptability even further. Some hybrid varieties like the Ghost Koi and the Butterfly Koi have also been developed.
    Based on the colour patterns some Koi varieties are listed below.

    A glance at this list is enough to give you a peek into the colourful world of Koi:

    ?  Kohaku – White Koi with large red markings.
    ?  Taisho Shanshoku – Similar to the Kohaku but with an addition of small black markings.
    ?  Showa Shanshoku – Black Koi with red and white markings.
    ?  Tancho – It’s a term for any Koi with a solitary red patch on it.
    ?  Chagoi – A Koi with colours ranging from pale olive green to brown and bronze.
    ?  Asagi – A Koi that is light blue above and red (or sometimes pale yellow) below the lateral line and on the cheeks.
    ?  Utsurimono – A black Koi with a red, white or yellow markings.
    ?  Bekko – A Koi with a white, red or yellow skin and black markings on the top.
    ?  Goshiki – A dark Koi with red hi pattern.
    ?  Shusui – A koi with a sky blue or grey colour above the lateral line and red or orange below the lateral line and on cheeks.
    ?  Kinginrin – A koi with metallic scales.
    ?  Ogon – Metallic Koi of one colour only.
    ?  Ochiba – A light blue/grey koi with copper, bronze or yellow patterns.
    ?  Koromo – A Koi with Kohaku style pattern with black/blue edged scales only over the high pattern.
    ?  Hikari-moyomono – A koi with two metallic colours.

    Besides these, a Koi that can’t be put into a specific category is categorized as ‘Kawarimono’.

    Koi is very adaptable, but temperatures below 10 C are not very good for them. In an outdoor pond, it’s necessary to use protective measures in order to keep the predators away; as Koi’s bright colour results into being an attractive invitation.

    It’s an omnivorous fish that requires to be fed on carefully designed nutritious food. Feeding is also the time when your Koi will respond to your love and care by eating from your hand, once they recognize you as their regular feeder.

    So go ahead, and take a plunge into the rainbow world of Koi and add some colour for your pond to ponder!

     

    Nelson writes more about raising koi fish here: http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com. He has raised, studied, bred and cared for hundreds of varieties of Koi. Nelson has become a well respected source of information for breeders internationally. His twenty plus years of practical experience and research are available in his latest book,<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’, ‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’]);” href=”http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com”>http://www.koifishinformationcenter.com”> Insider’s Secrets To Raising Healthy Koi: The Ultimate Guide</a>.

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