Koi Care Basics Blog

Today I’m posting a letter that I just sent out to my email
list. The content is important so I wanted to make sure that my blog
readers get it too!

“I thought I’d send along an article I came across the other day.

Hopefully you know that you don’t want to place your Koi pond at the
bottom of a slope. That way if there is any pesticide runoff from a
garden or from your lawn it won’t be directed towards your pond.

Koi are fairly hardy but contaminating their water with pesticides
can kill even the hardiest of Koi.

In fact the three most important components of Koi care are:
1. Water Quality
2. Water Quality and
3. Water Quality

It’s that important.

I hope you find the article interesting and that it drives home the
point. You probably won’t ever run into this extreme (hopefully) but
it won’t hurt to keep this in mind.

Here’s the link to the article:
Pesticides Article
More about water quality next time!

Take Care,
Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

Water Koi, otherwise known as Koi or Nishikigoi, require proper care. Sometimes these vibrant fish become more lethargic and less playful than they usually are. This is when they need extra care.

Water Koi are known as one of the oldest species of fish and they can live to over a hundred years old but they are also considered among most delicate species of fish. These brightly colored creatures need special care. But if you do not know how to care for Koi don’t worry! It is not very difficult. To take proper care of them, you must pay attention to their maintenance.

Also known as Cyprinus Carpio, these ornamental varieties of Common Carp are known as symbols of love and friendship. These native Japanese fish are available in multiple colors including white, black, red, yellow, blue, cream and silver. Koi are slightly bigger than Goldfish and to take care of them, you need to be just as cautious as you are when taking care of Goldfish.

The preliminary steps of caring for your Water Koi include proper cleaning of your pond. In order to know how to properly care for your fish you need to be knowledgeable about Koi pond maintenance.

Your pond should be filled with water at all times and it should be both aerated and filtered.

Any sudden changes in temperature can cause problems for your Koi, thus you should monit\or your water temperature closely. These temperature changes stress your fish and cause suppression of their immune systems.

Debris in your pond must also be removed on a regular basis. You should keep the water as clear as possible. To maintain this clarity the filter should be cleaned daily.

You need to get special pellets to feed your Koi fish. These pellets contain all the essential ingredients that are important to keep the fish healthy, happy and active. They should usually be fed twice a day. (although this depends on temperature/season).

Other measures of  Water Koi care include gentle handling of your fish. These fish are very delicate so you need to be quite attentive and handle them very carefully.

Koi are covered with a protective slime. This slime should not be stripped. It helps protect them from fungus and bacterial diseases.

You must keep your other pets away from the pond, as the bright colors of Koi fish attract dogs and cats. These pets can easily make a meal of your prized Koi. Racoons and herons are also common pond predators that will enjoy making a tasty snack out of your fish!

Nets, motion detectors and even decoys can help to protect your Koi and having pond plants helps by giving them a place to hide.

You must remember that as your Koi grow they need more oxygen. They can get to be quite large so don’t be tempted to fill your pond with too many fish if you purchase them when they are smaller. Overcrowding creates a variety of problems in your pond.

Even though there is much more to learn these are some of the most effective measures of Water Koi care.

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

The Koi pond liner is one of the most important pieces of equipment will get for your pond. It’s main purpose is to prevent the pond water from leaking into the surrounding soil.

There are numerous types of liners available. Concrete, fiberglass, rigid plastic and flexible liners are the most common and every pond liner has positive as well as negative features.

Knowledge of the positives and negatives of each will help you determine the best Koi pond liner for your pond.

* Concrete pond liners used to be considered the longest lasting liners. People who were building a permanent Koi pond used concrete to line their ponds. Some of the drawbacks that have been discovered with concrete include the leakage of toxins from the concrete into the pond and the higher price of purchase and installation.

* The fiberglass Koi pond liner is considered one of the best pond liners available. The average lifespan of this type of liner is approximately 50 years. They can be installed easily and they expand for ice without cracking. Their only disadvantage is an unnatural look and the extra care needing to be taken with the landscaping to disguise it.

* Rigid pond liners are considered the cheapest in the category and they have a natural look. They are considered good resistors of sharp roots as well as rocks but their drawback is installation problems. These pond liners can not be installed easily. It is very difficult to dig the right size hole to lay the liner in. But it is a great choice for Koi enthusiasts in warm areas. They are rated highly in terms of controlling leakage.

* Flexible pond liners have a minimum lifespan of 20 years and are believed to have a firm resistance against weathering and cold cracking. They are completely non-toxic and you can get them for a fraction of the cost of concrete pond liners. These pond liners are best for almost every climate. Due to their wonderful flexibility you can install them with great ease. This particular type of Koi pond liner is probably the most often purchased.

Prior to installing a Koi pond liner you must decide upon the location where you want to place the pond. The procedure is to outline the shape and size with chalk and colored string. Following this is excavation of the soil from the marked area.

If the hole is deeper than three feet you will probably require a permit from the municipal department in your town or city.

Finally you will fill the bottom of the hole with sand and salt to bring the bottom level. Now the excavated area is ready to accomodate your carefully chosen Koi pond liner!

It is important to know what symptoms to look for when protozoa or parasites invade your fish and how to treat them. If left untreated they adversly affect Koi health.

We will start by covering some of the more common types of protozoan disorders.

In Chilodonella the entire body of the fish is covered with a heavy slime coat. Treatment for Chilodonella requires the use of Metronidazole or quinine sulfate..

When Koi health is affected by Eimeria your fish appear emaciated and have sunken eyes. To treat them you must make a medicated food with either tetracycline or oxytetracycline and feed this to them once a day for 10 days.

Another comon protozoal disorder is Ichtyobodo (Costia). Koi that are affected with this disorder have small areas on their bodies that have a blue-gray tinge that looks like excess mucous. Treat these fish with a fungicide/protozoacide dip/bath treatment in the water or quinine sulfate.

When ICH (Ichphyophthirius) strikes your Koi will appear to be covered in white sand or grit and some fish breathe heavily. These fish need to be treated with quinine sulfate or copper sulfate

When Koi health is affected by Heteropolaria (Episapylis), the fish can be seen flashing (Flashing is a fish behavior characterized by rapid, glancing contact with a solid object in an effort to displace an external parasite or other irritation, so called because the light colored underbelly of the fish is thus exposed to momentary view.) and rubbing on objects in the pond, even in the spring when they don’t have any visible signs of the disease. Then in the summer they develop ulcers and bacterial infections.

Usually, if you have treated your pond for parasites and your Koi are still flashing, then Heteropolaria is the cause. Treat this Koi health issue with quinine sulfate and then treat the secondary bacterial infections.

Hexamita, also known as Hole-In-The-Head Disease, is indicated when your Koi exhibit erosions on their heads and gill plates. In severe cases the disease follows the lateral line. The preferred treatment for this disease is the use of quinine sulfate.

Finally, in Trichodina, symptoms include heavy breathing, the fish have a heavy slime coat and appear to have round, flat parasites on them. This protozoal disease should be treated with a fungicide/protozoacide dip/bath treatment in the water.

Next we’ll discuss how parasitic disorders affect Koi health.

When the problem is Gill Flukes, also known as Dactylogyrus, the Koi will gasp for air at the top of the pond. They also sometimes flash, rub against objects in the pond and their gills may develop bleeding. To cure this disorder you need to treat your pond water with an anti-parasitic powder. Treat secondary problems, if there are any after the flukes are gone, with an antibiotic product.

A goldfish with anchor worm

In the case of Anchor Worms, or Lernaea, your Koi will exhibit small pimples on the skin or reddened areas with a white threadlike worm sticking out. To treat Anchor Worms you need to treat your pond water with an anti-parasitic powder.

When Koi health is affected by Fish Lice (Argulus) the fish will have small, round clear to white objects stuck all over them. Your Koi will flash and scratch against objects. Again you should be treating your pond water with an anti-parasitic powder.

If your Koi are infested with Leeches you will see flat and thin brown objects stuck all over the body of your fish. As before treat your pond water with an anti-parasitic powder.

A Tapeworm infestation will cause your Koi to have swollen bellies even if they have not been fed in a couple days. While there is no suitable treatment for severe bloating you can treat for Tapeworm with an antiparasite powder.

In summary you need to be vigilant about keeping a close eye on your Koi and also be aware of what types of treatments are appropriate for different conditions. This article is not meant to replace the advice of a liscenced veterinarian. It is intended for informational purposes only. If you are ever unsure about the cause and/or proper treatment of your fish, make sure to contact your veterinarian so that you can ensure optimal Koi health.

To learn more about Koi health, Koi keeping and Koi ponds visit my website.

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

What is the optimum Koi pond alkalinity level?

Generally levels of 50-170 are what is recommended although some Koi keepers are keeping their pond levels even higher at around 180. The reason for this is that alkalinity will decrease over time as the good bacteria in your pond consume bicarbonates which slowly decreases alkalinity.

Alkalinity can also be referred to as carbonate hardness or German carbonate hardness. It is the measure of the concentration of the capacity a solution has to neutralize acid without changing pH. It both maintains and controls water pH. Koi pond alkalinity level can be measured in parts per million of calcium carbonate (ppm of CaCO3), milligrams per liter (mg/L), grams per cubic meter or degrees (dKH).

Test kits measure alkalinity as carbonate hardness or dKH and often in degrees of German Hardness (odH).If you want to convert German Hardness to parts per million (ppm) you can simply multiply by 17.

In spite of the fact that that a pH of 7.4 is best for Koi fish it can be a good idea to keep th pH level a little higher. pH levels can crash quite quickly when your alkalinity (KH) begins getting lower than 80 ppm. Since alkalinity is the buffer that helps maintain pH it is important to test it regularly. You may find that it’s better to keep your Koi pond alkalinity level above 100 or 120 pm. It will give you a bit of a buffer zone to help maintain your pH.

There are several ways that you can add alkalinity to your pond. One way to do this is through water changes. This can help introduce new minerals and can also increase alkalinity. However, if you have softer water it’s alkalinity can be less than 80 ppm. You can increase both the pH and KH by adding Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to the water. One third cup of baking soda per 1000 gallons of water will raise the KH level by 25 ppm.

Make sure that you take care not to raise the KH level more than 25 ppm a day. If you do it will cause undue stress to your Koi. An exception to this is if you are losing fish to a pH crash. A pH crash is when the pH level hits 5.5 or lower. In this case you have nothing to lose by adding a bit more baking soda to the water.

Water doesn’t have to have a high pH to have high alkalinity. Alkalinity is related to the dissolved amounts of calcium, magnesium and other compounds in the water. This is why alkalinity tends to be higher in hard water as opposed to soft water.

There are various reasons that Koi pond alkalinity level will decrease over time.

Decreases occur naturally over time due to bacterial action which produces acidic compounds which combine with and decrease alkaline components.

Ponds with fiberglass construction or vinyl liners tend to exhibit a higher decrease in alkalinity over time and might need supplementation to help them maintain proper levels. Alkalinity can be raised by adding calcium carbonate, oyster shells, concrete blocks, egg shells or limestone.

High alkalinity can be prevented by routinely changing out the water if the water you are replenishing with has a lower alkalinity than the pond water.

An established pond usually maintains an equilibrium in it’s pH value if you keep it clean by removing sludge and any organic materials before they have time to decay. Scheduled water change outs (i.e. 10% / week for small ponds, less for larger ponds) can also help maintain proper pH and Koi pond alkalinity level.

You should definitely purchase a test kit and use it on a regular basis!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

Many think that the the Koi fish originated in Persia, Eastern Asia and China. Wild carp are called Koi by many Japanese. The term itself was later applied to all carp, both wild and colored.

The Japanese now call the wild carp “magoi”, and colored and inbred magoi are called Koi. Koi that are bred for color are called “Nishikigoi” which means colorful cloth (nishiki) and carp(goi). The depiction of the Koi fish is also one of the most popular and beautiful of the Japanese tattoo symbols.

Surprising to many Westerners is the large amount of ancient myth that surrounds the Koi fish and their elevated status in the Orient. Their glorious colors and color combinations may contribute to these tales. The colors include silver, gold, white, yellow, orange, black and even calico.

Some legends say that Koi fish can climb waterfalls bravely. They also say that if the fish has been caught, it will lay on the cutting board awaighting the knife without a quiver. In Koi symbolism this has been likened to a samurai warrior facing a sword.

This theme dates back to ancient China where a legend tells of how any Koi that succeeded in climbing the falls on the Yellow River at a point called Dragon Gate would be transformed into a dragon. Based on that legend the Koi became a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement.

A beautiful Koi watercolor painting

Eventually the fish came to be associated with so many masculine and positive qualities that it became Koi symbolism for the annual Boys’ Day Festival in Japan. In this festival, colorful streaming Koi flags are traditionally displayed for each member of the family.

The various colors of the koi fish represent each of the family members. Black Koi symbolism stands for the father, the red and orange Koi symbolize the mother, blue-and-white Koi flags stand for the son and the red and pink Koi flags stand for the daughter.

In tattoo imagery, especially in combination with flowing water, the Koi fish symbolizes many of the same characteristics such as courage, the ability to attain high goals and the strength that enables one to overcome life’s difficulties.

Many people are drawn to Koi fish art for the colors and meaning hidden within. Koi tattoos have become more popular in recent years. People believe that the placement of the fish on the human body is symbolic.

They think that if the Koi is swimming down the body it symbolizes that the person is trying to overcome hardship, while if it is swimming up the body it means that the person has already overcome many of the hardships in their life.

Buddhist monks say that humans “swim” through the “ocean of suffering” without fear like a fish swims through water. Thus, many people view the Koi fish as the symbol of how we should persevere in life. According to tattoo websites, Koi symbolism represents good fortune, prosperity and riches. Also the Japanese feel that the depiction of this fish on the human body represents male strength.

In Japan Koi symbolism represents perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose. The strongest Koi will swim upstream until it reaches the final waterfall where it vaults into the mists and becomes a water dragon.

Based on that legend the Koi has become a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement. Because of its strength and determination to overcome obstacles it stands for courage and the ability to attain high goals.
Others say it means good luck and good fortune especially in China where seven golden Koi represent good luck. Another example of Koi symbolism is that the larger the Koi, the richer you are. This probably stems from the fact that large specimens are very expensive.

It has been said that if you are determined and don’t conform to what society expects, you are like a Koi swimming upstream against the current. Koi symbolism represents yin and yang in ponds. Normally there is a balance of one black to nine gold.

Koi are referred to as “living jewels” or “swimming flowers”. The positive attributes associated with Koi fish have made them popular choices for body art, jewelry and paintings for centuries. If you look into oriental art you’ll find many beautiful examples of the Koi symbolism.

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com