Basic Care for New Koi & Goldfish (3 Months Old)

Two koi, four goldfish, 3 months old. Gender? Type? Care guide?

Impossible at this age. In spring (1+ yr), females plump with eggs; males stay streamlined and develop breeding tubercles on gill covers/pectoral fins.

**Koi:** Barbels (whiskers) at mouth corners. Many varieties (Kohaku, Sanke, Showa, etc.).
**Goldfish:** No barbels. Comet, shubunkin, fantail, etc.

Water Quality: Test ammonia, nitrite, pH, KH weekly. Cycle filter first!
Filtration: Pump + biofilter rated for 2× pond volume/hour.
Feeding: High-quality pellet 2× daily (what they eat in 3 min). Stop below 50°F.
Shelter: Plants, caves, netting for predators.
Quarantine: 4 weeks for *any* new additions.

Download the **Pond Care eBook** at pondmarket.com for step-by-step guides.

Pond and Water Gardening: Recurring Red Rash on Koi in Overstocked Tank: Parasites, Bacteria, or Stress?; Koi Vanish in Winter: Predators, Not Cold, in Richmond VA; Spotted Catfish in a Koi Pond: Predator Risk, Not Cleaner Crew; Breeding Koi and Goldfish: Patience Over Intervention; Shy Koi Hiding by Day, Active at Night: Predator Pressure?; Koi and Goldfish Jumping Out of Pond: Causes and Fixes; Turtles and Koi: Compatibility and Predatory Species; Identifying Tumors and Spinal Deformities in Koi; Goldfish and Koi Attacking Each Other in Overcrowded Winter Tank; Multiple Koi Deaths: Tannins, Plant Fertilizer, and Gill Issues

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