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Koi FAQ
1.) Maximum life span is over 200 years in exceptional cases;
average life span is more like 25 to 35 years.
2.) Maximum length is about 3 feet. Koi will reach 18 inches
in 3 to 4 years, depending on the pond size, food, and water conditions.
3.) You can feed your fish once or twice daily day depending
on the season. Koi do not eat when the temperatures are below 50 degrees.
Koi can go for 10 or more days without food without harm. They hibrinate
during the winter and go for months without food They will eat almost anything
but for best results feed them pellets that are specially made for
Koi. These pellets come in different sizes and varieties. Koi can also
be fed dried or fresh shrimp, lettuce cooked rice or cooked oats and
watermellon.
4.) Some fish are imported from Japan by air freight, some
are raised in America. Koi are transported in plastic bags with water and
oxygen and packed in coolers within cardboard boxes.
5.) Ponds are not heated, but the water is constantly aerated
and filtered and cleaned regularly even though the pond water appears
to be clear.
6.) Selling price of Koi is determined by size, body
shape, color, pattern, and availability.
7.) Koi can withstand a wide range of temperatures, however
sudden changes in temperatures are not good for them. Koi can survive
under the ice in extreme cold as long as the water does not freeze
solid. Koi will not move around or eat much if the pond water is very cold.
8.) Some individual fish just inexplicably die, but overall,
Koi are remarkably hardy and healthy fish; much more so than goldfish
or tropical fish. Chlorine or chloramine in city water and windblown
or runoff insecticides are very dangerous to Koi. Smaller Koi have
a much higher mortality rate than larger Koi and are more susceptible
to diseases and changes in the environment.
9.) Koi get along well with goldfish or other tropical fish;
as long as the other fish aren't aggressive or small enough to eat.
10.) Koi can be kept in aquariums as well as ponds. Aquariums
need good filtration and aeration systems. A filter utilizing carbon
is recommended for aquariums.
11.) Koi are not live bearers but lay thousands of eggs
in a single breeding. Koi must be at least 3 to 4 years old and of
sufficient size before they breed. Koi require special water conditions
and environment for breeding. The eggs and baby Koi should be separated
from the adult Koi or they will more than likely be eaten. The baby Koi hatch
in about 3 to 7 days depending on the weather. The survival rate for
baby Koi is less than 50%.
12.) There are several color varieties of Koi with different
names for each variety. Koi with more than one color are unique in that there
are no two that look exactly alike.
13.) Raising Koi can be a fascinating and relaxing hobby.
For the avid Koi enthusiast, there are Koi shows in which Koi compete according
to their size and class.
14.) Raccoons, snakes, muskrates and herons are natural predators
of fish. Raccoons are not swimmers so the minimum 2 foot deep pond
prevents that problem. If muskrats from a nearby water source show
up, they will eat your aquatic plants. Snakes may only present problems in
the south but are not reported as being a serious problem. Herons can
spot your fish from 200 feet high but are easily discouraged by a motion
controlled sprinkler unit placed nearby in regions where herons inhabit.
15.) Raising Koi can be a fascinating and relaxing hobby.
For the avid Koi enthusiast, there are Koi shows in which Koi compete according
to their size and class. |
