India News

Koi Fish Pond

Koi ponds come in many shapes and sizes, from the relatively modest sized pond that may hold a mixed collection of koi carp and Goldfish, through to ponds of many thousands of gallons, stocked only with top quality Japanese Koi. Many Koi keepers started their interest by introducing a few Koi carp into a small, pre-formed plastic pond to provide a colourful addition to their Goldfish.

However, whilst you may have some success in ponds like this, there is no doubt that the koi will not achieve their full potential. The size of the Koi is limited by the build up of waste in the water and the shape of the Koi is likely to be affected by limited swimming area and a lack of depth

Pond Size:
Koi-Pond

A Koi pond needs to provide clean, well oxygenated water in order to produce a healthy environment for fish to live and grow. The basic requirements are: To be large enough to accommodate the potential size that Koi can grow to ( 24 inches / 60cm plus). A pond of around 8 feet x 6 feet and 4 feet deep (2.5m x 2m x 1.2m) containing approx’ 1200 gallons (5500L) would be a sensible minimum for keeping Koi in the UK or other temperate climates.

The larger the volume of water the more stable the pond will be. Fish are cold blooded and their body temperature matches the temperature of the pond. Sudden changes in temperature will cause physical stress and may lead to disease. This also applies to Goldfish and other pond fish. But Koi carp have been progressively interbred over many years to develop their colours and like most pedigree animals are relatively delicate. For this reason they may develop health problems in conditions where Goldfish are living quite happily. The stability of the water temperature is also greatly affected by the ratio of surface area to volume.

In addition to helping create a more stable environment, a good depth helps to exercise your Koi. Swimming up and down helps develop the muscles and maintain a good streamlined, cigar shape to their body. Koi that have been kept in shallow ponds typically develop a somewhat obese rugby ball shape.

Koi varieties

Kōhaku
Taishō Sanshoku
Shōwa Sanshoku
Tanchō
Asagi
Utsurimono
Bekko
Goshiki
Shūsui
Kinginrin
Kawarimono
Ōgon
Kumonryū
Doitsu-goi
Ochiba
Koromo
Hikari-moyomono
Ghost ko
Butterfly koi

Koi Fish Varieties(Video)