Pet Fish - Keeping Koi
Koi are quite intelligent and can become very tame. With good care, Koi can live for as many as 200 years.
Are you looking for the information on the following?
|
Koi are simply an ornamental and domesticated variety of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and are relatives of the ordinary everyday goldfish (Carassius auratus). They also are some of the most beautiful and graceful pond fish.
Find Discounted Aquarium Supplies Here
Surprisingly, these fish are really quite intelligent and can become very tame over the
years. With proper care, they often live from 25 to 35 years
and Koi can even live for as many as 200 years. However, the flashy
Koi has some special requirements that make it a bit more challenging
to care for than ordinary carp.
Koi need a lot of oxygen
in their pond and they must have a high quality filtration system,
especially if you'd like them to live for several decades or more.
The best filtration system to use in a Koi pond to maintain
excellent water quality is a biological system. Biological
filters work by processing all of the debris and waste in the pond
naturally so the water can be kept clean and clear.
Of course, it stands to
reason that big fish like Koi need a big pond.
In fact, if your Koi don't have a big pond, they won't grow very large.
The ideal Koi pond should be able to contain 500 gallons of
water. The depth should be at least 24 inches (60 cm),
especially in colder climates. Since a major cause of death
for Koi is being eaten by birds of prey and wildlife, the pond should
have vertical walls to protect the fish from predators and to give the
pond more volume.
In order to prevent your
Koi from becoming ill you'll need to take some precautions.
Just like people, stress is the major cause of disease in fish. You should
change some of the pond water regularly to maintain a good quality.
You'll need to use test kits at least once each season to
make sure elements such as ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are in order.
You will need to check
the pH levels as well, as the wrong PH could lead to low oxygen levels
in the water. You will also need to check the hardness of the
water regularly. The pH level of the pond should be around
7.2 to 7.4. To raise the pH you can change some of the water.
To lower the pH you can use water softeners formulated for
pond use.
Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels should be at zero.
The higher the pH of the water, the more toxic these elements will be
to your fish. You will also need to regularly maintain the
pond surface with a special tool called a surface skimmer to keep the
surface of the pond clear and to allow enough oxygen to pass through
the water.
Koi are omnivorous fish so they eat both plants and animals.
They even eat fruit, especially oranges, lemons and watermelon! Wash any fruits thoroughly to remove all traces of pesticide
before you feed them to your fish. Cut the fruit into slices and remove any seeds to make the fruit easier for the Koi to eat before
dropping it into the pond.
Be sure to remove any
fruit skins after the Koi are done feeding.
Feeding Koi fresh fruits is a way of giving them the necessary
nutrients that may not be available in manufactured Koi food.
Koi can also eat catfish chow, trout chow, bread, peas,
lettuce, fresh shrimp, earthworms and krill.
You can also buy food
that is specially made for Koi in pet stores or from online stores.
Finally, while you're worrying about giving your Koi the perfect home,
don't forget to take some time to enjoy the beauty of these fish.
For more information,
visit Koi Fish Care Made Easy.
Caring for Pet Fish
Koi Care Guide
|
You will find what you are looking for about koi here
Page Generator in association with www.see-search.com
|
