The Mystery Of Koi

Koi fish are the domesticated variety of the common carp. In fact, the word “koi” is actually Japanese for the word “carp”. The Japanese started breeding koi for the first time around the 1820’s. Today, due to their popularity, koi fish come in a large variety of patterns and colors like black, red, orange, yellow, silver, green and blue. Follow this link for fish koi information.

Outdoor koi ponds can be relaxing as the sound of the rippling water flows through the yard. Creating visually pleasing koi ponds is almost an art form. Cultivating living plants and replicating a natural environment in the koi pond is no small task. But when someone is talented at creating the necessary synergy, the result is captivating. Some people do not realize that certain koi and plants do not live harmoniously together. Koi can be somewhat difficult when it comes to living alongside potted plants in the pond water. It can be a challenge to get a good mix.

Some owners try to place potted plants within the pond that are meant to sit on the pond floor. When you place a plant that should be rooted in the sod of the pond free and loose in the water, the koi themselves inadvertently knock the plants about. This not only muddies the water, but can create havoc in the pond environment. Koi are notorious for the digging up the soil at the bottom of the pond. But, that does not mean you can not have any plants in your pond at all. Find more koi colors information here.

There is more than one way to solve these pond issues. You can wrap netting over the tops of the pots to keep the koi from digging in them. Another method of circumventing the digging efforts of the koi is to use pea gravel along the bottom of the pond and on the tops of the plants. If you have a really large potted plant, then river stones would be an appropriate measure. The weight of the stones will prevent the koi from being able to knock the plants over. The stones will obviously outweigh the fish themselves. The stones also keep the fish from being able to loosen the dirt underneath the plants. Thus, the plants cannot be dug up by the koi.

A plant that works quite well in a koi pond is a lily. Lilies are available in a wide assortment of species. Many will root in shallow water, while others will develop in much deeper water. Lilies are not a good choice when what you need oxygenation, but they do bring shade and shelter for the koi. As a bonus, lilies are attractive to look at. Another bonus of the lily is that insects will be drawn to the water. Koi fish are omnivores and will search the plants foliage to seek out insects and larva to munch on.

Koi eat other things besides insects. They have a varied diet and can be fed many different things. It is not unusual for koi fish owners to mention that they successfully trained their fish to eat out of their hands. In fact, koi are able to discern one human being from another. They will typically pick out the person who routinely feeds them. Koi will swim to the person when it is feeding time. Although you can buy koi food, koi fish also like to eat food human beings eat. They’ve been known to consume peas, watermelon and lettuce.

Having koi fish grace the waters of an outside pond is truly an enjoyable and unique experience. They area able to add a great amount of pleasure to their owners lives and in turn are rewarded by the generosity and good care of their owners.