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.

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.

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!