Koi Fish Information

The word "koi" comes from the Japanese word that means "carp". Koi fish are actually a domesticated variety of the common carp. The Japanese started breeding koi fishes for the first time around the early 1800s and since then they have maintained their popularity. They come in a wide variety of patterns and colors such as black, red, orange, yellow, silver, green and blue.

The sound of the rippling water of an outdoor koi pond can be relaxing. It is even more entrancing and interesting to look at when a koi pond's owner mixes it with living plants in order to give it a more natural environment. Unfortunately, sometimes koi fish and plants do not co-exist well together. Koi fish can sometimes give their owners a hard time when it comes to potted plants within the pond. Some owners try to place potted plants within the pond that are meant to sit on the pond floor. Larger koi may be able to knock the plant over which will lead to a messy pond and can create real problems for the owner. Koi can also have the tendency of “digging” up the soil. But, that does not mean you can not have any plants in your pond at all. There are several solutions to combat these problems. You can wrap netting over the tops of the pots to keep the koi from digging in them. You can also place pea gravel on top of the plants. Larger pots can withstand 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. Lilies are a wonderful choice to place within your koi pond. They come in several different varieties includes ones that grow well in shallow water and ones that grow better in deeper water. Although they are not oxygenating plants, they will be able to provide your koi with shelter and shade. 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.

In addition to the insects that search out from plants, koi fish enjoy many 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. In addition to pre-made koi food, koi fish enjoy a variety of people foods like peas, lettuce and even watermelons.

Having koi fish grace the waters of an outside pond is truly an enjoyable and unique experience. They area able to add a great amount of pleasure to their owners lives and in turn are rewarded by the generosity and good care of their owners.