If you wish to keep Koi in your water garden, you must also be prepared to take care of them. Attending to their welfare is something that you must not ignore at all. Koi became popular because of their attractive features, but don’t let the appeal of the Koi entice you to run out and buy them immediately.

There are so many things to consider when owning Koi. It takes a lot of effort, time and money. The first thing you must do before buying Koi is do extensive research and planning. Since Koi became popular, many have become experts at keeping them. Always be sure that the information you are receiving is accurate and can be relied on.

Providing a good environment for the Koi

A preparation for their proper habitat is necessary. Koi are cold water fish. It will be better if you can keep them in a larger pond based on their number. The pond should have good filtration to keep the water clear. All the dead algae, insects and fish wastes should be removed. It is important that you have a biological filtration that makes a nitrogen cycle. It will keep the waste from turning into ammonia that can kill your Koi. The only way to keep the Koi alive is to have quality water. You have to ensure that the pond is ready and well prepared before introducing the fish to it.

You must look for a quality protein food for Koi. Medium-sized pellets tend to work great for the larger fish, and bits of fruit as a tasty snack. You must ensure you give them a good variety as too much of one thing is never good. Remember it's important not to over feed them as leftover foods can rote and contaminate the water.

You also need to be aware of what predators will endanger your Koi. As an example, cats and raccoons are a common threat, and prowl by the water’s edge in anticipation for a quick meal. Planting a variety of aquatic plants around the perimeter of the pond won’t allow predators such easy access to the water’s edge.

Breeding the Koi

When you are ready to spawn your Koi, make sure you have a moderate temperature of water. You must also know the kind of breeder that you want for example the color combination and the pattern. This will help you determine your choice of breeding partners because the offspring will vary on the combination of parents that you have chosen. You must be careful in choosing so that you won’t be disappointed by the result of the offspring. When the fry hatch, it’s necessary to keep them from their parents. Koi are prone to eating their young.

It is important that you keep the proper balance of oxygen in the water to help you reach success in your koi breeding. Not keeping the proper amount of water in your pond with the right amount of oxygen could easily cause the fry to die.

When making your decision on how many successfully bred Koi to keep, you need to consider a couple of factors. How much space do they need? A quick rule of thumb for Koi ponds would say, “One inch of fish per 10 gallons of water”. Larger fish require more space so be sure to do a rough calculations. Koi are sociable and like to swim in groups but if you overstock the pond then the fish could become sick or die.