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>.