This is a video from the internet that I wanted to put on my lense, but wasn't able to because Squidoo didn't support it or whatever. But anyway, I thinks it's a cool video for beginners in this koi hobby. It gives you the very BASICS of koi fish care. It's called "How to care for Koi Fish!" Check it out!(Ignore the little 20 second commercial in the beginning...When I first saw this video there was no commercial. But I guess thats the wave of the future. Who knew!?)
I hope you like it. And again, if you STILL have more questions on koi care, check out the website at http://koifishcare.info. It'll give you ALL the information that you need! taking care of koi can be a pain...If you don't know what you're doing. And...if you don't have the right kind of information!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
How To Take Care Of A Koi Pond...
To take proper care of a koi pond,there are a couple of things that you will need. Aside from the filters and uv sterilizer here are some basic steps that you should take.
1. Sufficient pond size - Instead of starting off small because you want to save money, why not spend the extra money and go big. Your koi will thank you for it in the end. Koi fish need plenty of room to swim and a small koi pond will only stunt their growth. They will grow bigger as time goes by and they will need the space. This brings me to my part 2 to answer: Do not overpopulate your pond with koi because they will need the space, and a overpopulated pond will result in a dirty pond because of the waste that too many koi produce. this will result in a host of other problems ranging from bacteria to diseased fish.
2.Sufficient pond depth - Most koi owners prefer that their pond be at least 4 or 5 feet deep. The reason for this is because a pond this deep will protect the fish from likely predators like raccoon and or your very own pet cat. A pond this deep also prevents the pond from overheating in the summer.
3.Keep any kind of insecticides away from your pond. The fish in your pond are very vulnerable to any kind of poison, so common house insecticides will kill them.
4.Make sure that you have a heater for your pond. This will help in those winter months when your koi are just chilling(bad pun, I know!).But this will smooth their transition into the spring and summer months. You do not want your pond to completely freeze over. Doing this will ensure that your fish grow all year round.
If you follow these and other steps outlined at this website, then your koi pond will be properly cared for and your fish will live long and happy.
1. Sufficient pond size - Instead of starting off small because you want to save money, why not spend the extra money and go big. Your koi will thank you for it in the end. Koi fish need plenty of room to swim and a small koi pond will only stunt their growth. They will grow bigger as time goes by and they will need the space. This brings me to my part 2 to answer: Do not overpopulate your pond with koi because they will need the space, and a overpopulated pond will result in a dirty pond because of the waste that too many koi produce. this will result in a host of other problems ranging from bacteria to diseased fish.
2.Sufficient pond depth - Most koi owners prefer that their pond be at least 4 or 5 feet deep. The reason for this is because a pond this deep will protect the fish from likely predators like raccoon and or your very own pet cat. A pond this deep also prevents the pond from overheating in the summer.
3.Keep any kind of insecticides away from your pond. The fish in your pond are very vulnerable to any kind of poison, so common house insecticides will kill them.
4.Make sure that you have a heater for your pond. This will help in those winter months when your koi are just chilling(bad pun, I know!).But this will smooth their transition into the spring and summer months. You do not want your pond to completely freeze over. Doing this will ensure that your fish grow all year round.
If you follow these and other steps outlined at this website, then your koi pond will be properly cared for and your fish will live long and happy.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
How To Tell If Your Koi Is Sick...!
There are many signs that your koi fish will show you to let you know that they are sick. The most extreme being your koi jumping out of the water, but thats waaaaayyy too extreme!!! (Believe it or not, there have been reported cases of koi jumping out of the pond.)First of all, as a koi hobbyist, you must watch your koi like a hawk, because the last thing that you want to do is to be burying fish! It sucks...trust me!
Some koi will appear to be lethargic or lazy, swimming slower than normal, coming up to the surface for air longer than normal. These are all signs that maybe you introduced the fish to the pond maybe a little too early. To combat this, I recommend a partial water change. This will dilute some of the alkali in the pond. You could also use pond ph buffers.
Sometimes your koi and the plants surrounding your pond will BOTH show signs of sickness. Your fish will become stressed and the plants surrounding your pond will discolored and wilted. There are a number of reasons for this.
Your area might have just recently experienced a heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall into a koi pond is not always good for your pond. Depending where you live, your rainwater will be very acidic due to pollution. This in turn will cause your pond to lose its buffers. And this in turn will cause your ponds PH level to fluctuate. Which will cause your fish to become stressed.
To solve the problem I recommend regular partial water changes. Including cleaning your filter and replacing those lost pond buffers with pond buffer salts.
These and other suggestions can help you to better take care of your koi. But for the best advice I recommend that you visit http://koifishcare.info. It can and will answer ALL of your questions concerning your koi fish.
Some koi will appear to be lethargic or lazy, swimming slower than normal, coming up to the surface for air longer than normal. These are all signs that maybe you introduced the fish to the pond maybe a little too early. To combat this, I recommend a partial water change. This will dilute some of the alkali in the pond. You could also use pond ph buffers.
Sometimes your koi and the plants surrounding your pond will BOTH show signs of sickness. Your fish will become stressed and the plants surrounding your pond will discolored and wilted. There are a number of reasons for this.
Your area might have just recently experienced a heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall into a koi pond is not always good for your pond. Depending where you live, your rainwater will be very acidic due to pollution. This in turn will cause your pond to lose its buffers. And this in turn will cause your ponds PH level to fluctuate. Which will cause your fish to become stressed.
To solve the problem I recommend regular partial water changes. Including cleaning your filter and replacing those lost pond buffers with pond buffer salts.
These and other suggestions can help you to better take care of your koi. But for the best advice I recommend that you visit http://koifishcare.info. It can and will answer ALL of your questions concerning your koi fish.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Different Kinds Of Koi Fish
There are entirely too many kinds of koi fish to name. Presently, you can find more than 1000 kinds of koi, (according to wikipedia.com). The varieties are endless! But the most popular categorie of koi is the kohaku. It is distinguished by the large red markings on its body.
Believe it or not, most people make the mistake of saying that the koi is nothing more than a goldfish. That's true, to an extent. Goldfish and Koi are both bred from carp , but goldfish are bred from what is known as the Prussian carp and the koi came from the common carp. And yes they can interbred, but the problem is that their offspring will be sterile.
The Butterfly Koi or Dragon Koi, is one of the most beautiful koi, in my opinion. But, believe it or not, outside of the United States, these koi are not liked very much. Some of the more traditional koi hobbyists feel like they are inferior to traditional Koi. Matter of fact, it is hard to even get the Butterfly Koi outside of the United States. But here in the states, we love the Butterfly Koi or Dragon Carp. We love it so much that the rest of the world nicknamed it the "American Koi"
It even has its own club, the AKCA, the American Koi Club Association. This is because the Butterfly Koi is banned from the annual Koi exhibitions, where Koi are judged. But in America, we came up with the AKCA. And the AKCA judge the Butterfly Koi at these annual competitions.
To find out more information about the Japanese Koi fish, click the link.
Believe it or not, most people make the mistake of saying that the koi is nothing more than a goldfish. That's true, to an extent. Goldfish and Koi are both bred from carp , but goldfish are bred from what is known as the Prussian carp and the koi came from the common carp. And yes they can interbred, but the problem is that their offspring will be sterile.
Butterfly Koi
The Butterfly Koi or Dragon Koi, is one of the most beautiful koi, in my opinion. But, believe it or not, outside of the United States, these koi are not liked very much. Some of the more traditional koi hobbyists feel like they are inferior to traditional Koi. Matter of fact, it is hard to even get the Butterfly Koi outside of the United States. But here in the states, we love the Butterfly Koi or Dragon Carp. We love it so much that the rest of the world nicknamed it the "American Koi"
It even has its own club, the AKCA, the American Koi Club Association. This is because the Butterfly Koi is banned from the annual Koi exhibitions, where Koi are judged. But in America, we came up with the AKCA. And the AKCA judge the Butterfly Koi at these annual competitions.
To find out more information about the Japanese Koi fish, click the link.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Koi Fish Care: The Basics
Koi fish care is vitally important for anyone looking to enter into this wonderful hobby. There are certain vitally important things that you must know to properly maintain your koi. Things like:
What type of filtration do I use?
Whatever type of filtration that you intend to use, make sure that you have a UV sterilizer. The water should be pumped through the UV sterilizer and then through the filtration system. This prevents the water from going green.
Your filter should consist of layers of foam, that will need to be cleaned regularly. But make sure that you DO NOT use tap water to clean the filter foam, because this will kill any bacteria that is vital for your pond's ecosystem.(You will need bacteria to maintain and to keep your Koi healthy.)Instead, use some of the water from your pond to clean the foam and then discard the water. DON'T PUT THE WATER BACK IN YOUR POND!
What type of food should you feed your Koi?
You should feed your koi a wide variety of food because it will help them maintain a balanced diet. You should also make sure that you have the right food for the season.
There are different kinds of food for your Koi. You have Summer food and Winter food. Summer food you feed your Koi in the summer when you can feed them more than once a day. Winter food you feed in the winter when their metabolism slows down and they digest less protein. Regretfully, you get what you pay for, so the most expensive koi food is usually the best quality. The most expensive foods will also make your Koi exhibit the brightest colors.
Now that you know the basics of koi fish care, I know that your koi are in good hands. If you have anymore questions then I recommend that you visit http://koifishcare.info. This website can answer ALL of your questions pertaining to koi fish care. Go check it out! You won't be disappointed!
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