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

Keep the chemical balance correct in the water by checking it on a weekly basis. Buying your own testing kit is the easiest way to make sure this gets done regularly. Kits can be purchased at almost any pet store. If you don’t feel confident about doing it properly yourself you can always take some of the water into the pet store and have them do the analysis for you.

Koi fish need a quality filtration system in their pond as they are more sensitive to water quality than many other fish. I recommend you buy the best pump and filter that you can find.

A waterfall or fountain can help oxygenate your Koi pond.

A pond filter will keep the environment in the water well balanced. In their natural environment waste produced by the Koi fish is removed in many ways. The volume of water plus the water’s current both make a contribution to the waste removal process in nature.

Your Koi pond filter needs to serve a dual role. You don’t want the ammonia, or Ph, to build up as it is very harmful to Koi fish. The biological function of the filtration system will break the ammonia down to less harmful substances such as nitrates.

You want to keep Ph and nitrates at a low level in your pond or they can become harmful to your fish. The mechanical function of the filter cleans all types of particles from the water. Whoever takes care of your pond will remove these particles as part of it’s regular maintenance.

A quality pond filter will only work with the water circulating through it. This can be attained by properly installing the water pump. Don’t skimp here as this is one of the few working parts in your Koi pond. With a good pump pushing the water and circulating it through the filter your Koi fish will be happy, healthy and content.

A waterfall or fountain not only adds serenity to your Koi garden, it will improve the health of your fish. A constant oxygen supply will be enhanced by these items. They will churn up the water and fold air into it. This process is called aeration.

To keep your Koi fish healthy and give them brilliant color they need a good, clean pond. This objective can be obtained by investing in a quality Koi filter.

To learn more about Koi filters and general Koi care visit KoiCareBasics.com

Alan Deacon