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Perhaps after keeping and growing koi successfully, the next challenge is to breed them. Fishkeepers of all disciplines are generally regarded as having achieved a higher level of fishkeeping once they have successfully bred and reared a species, having researched and planned carefully how . . . → Read More: How to breed koi. A comprehensive guide
Feeding time is arguably the most enjoyable koi keeping activity.
It brings koi and koi keeper together and reaffirms the relationship we have with our koi. Depending on the size and stocking density of our pond, and the nature of our koi, feeding time can be . . . → Read More: How to feed your koi pond fish.
A surprising number of people who own a pond were introduced to water gardening by accident. Their foray into the outdoor aquatic world arising as a result of a house move, having a pond fall into their lives.
Little did they realise that by buying . . . → Read More: How to inherit a pond, fish and koi in a house move.
I’ve just realised why I have such fond memories of my summer holidays as a child; they were not my responsibility to organise. I was blissfully unaware of all the arrangements that my parents had to make for both home and abroad.
Not so now! . . . → Read More: How to look after your koi pond while on holiday
If you are a keen gardener like me, you love to try new ideas that will add further interest to your garden, encouraging transient wildlife to stay a while or even take up residence. Trees can be planted, bird boxes and feeders erected all . . . → Read More: How to raise home-bred koi
Whether you like it or not, at this time of the year all ponds have two things in common. They will have experienced a winter period (of varying descriptions), and will be fast approaching the immovable deadline of spring by when any jobs need . . . → Read More: How to restart your koi or goldfish pond in Spring – after a long cold winter
When planning a new pond, we are careful to create a water feature that blends in well with our garden, in its size, shape and design. Our pond must also be designed with our fish and plants in mind, making sure that the finished . . . → Read More: How to run in a New Pond
In our current times of political correctness and equal opportunities, gender should no longer be considered an issue. The view held by society is changing, accepting that the sex of an individual is less of an issue when considering roles in secular work.
Perhaps a . . . → Read More: How to sex Koi. Male or female?
Time and time again we read and are told that water quality is of paramount importance when keeping fish, especially koi.
It should lie at the centre of every serious koi keeper’s plans, from the moment we start to consider the plan and design of . . . → Read More: How to test garden pond water
You can’t smell it, taste it, see it or hear it, in fact you can’t even bottle it – So what is it? – pH
Being aware of the many water parameters which we should test for, such as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, these are . . . → Read More: Is a pond’s pH important for fish and plants?
Jumping
An activity that koi keepers would rather not see in their koi. Very rarely an indicator of koi being full of the joys of life but more likely, unfortunately a behaviour borne out of irritation. If jumping is a symptom of irritation, then it will . . . → Read More: J & K: Pond keeping J to K … Jumping to Koi
The goldfish can be regarded as the standard bearer of all ornamental fish. Initially kept and prized by the wealthy rulers of China over 1500 years ago, their legacy for us today is the world’s most widely kept pet, probably the first ornamental pet . . . → Read More: Keeping Goldfish in a pond
What if….I want to prevent a heron from taking my fish?
Considered to be the world’s best fisherman, herons have an unmistakable shape and are superbly equipped for their lifestyle. This magnificently marked bird has a keen eye for ponds, however small and are particularly . . . → Read More: Keeping herons off a garden koi pond
One of the most widespread problems encountered by koi keepers is green water. A suspension of microscopic algae will bloom under specific favourable conditions, causing the appearance of the pond to deteriorate into a pea green soup in only a couple of days.
Green water . . . → Read More: Killing green pond water with a UVc
Koi or nishikigoi (Japanese for coloured carp) originate from the paddy fields of Asia and Japan. Like most ornamental pond fish, koi were discovered quite by accident as coloured genetic mutations (accidents of nature) from native black carp which the farmers had introduced from . . . → Read More: Koi – Background and origins
Koi or nishikigoi (Japanese for coloured carp) originate from the paddy fields of Asia and Japan. Like most ornamental pond fish, koi were discovered quite by accident as coloured genetic mutations (accidents of nature) from native black carp which the farmers had introduced from . . . → Read More: Koi – Nishikigoi – Cyprinus carpio.
Niigata is respected worldwide as the centre of the koi keeping hobby. The Niigata Prefecture is situated on the northern coast of Japan, directly north of Tokyo, approximately 2 hours’ travelling time on the Bullet train.
The journey is quite an ear-popping experience as you . . . → Read More: Koi Breeding Farming in Niigata
One of the many appeals of fishkeeping is that it can be enjoyed by such a wide range of people. If that were not true, then I wouldn’t have been able to start keeping fish all those years ago funded only by my meagre . . . → Read More: Koi clubs and societies
I have just returned from my local koi dealer who has taken delivery of a shipment from Japan that included some magnificent 8-10″ Sanke. I didn’t buy any because I have some from the same breeder in my own pond. However, when I returned . . . → Read More: Koi colour is fading. What can I do?
Not a very pleasant headline, but all the same a very realistic issue that in the experiences of a pond owner or koi keeper, will at some stage, probably become a reality.
The background to such a fatality may be along the lines of the . . . → Read More: Koi dies suddenly
The ‘living Koi pond’, whether a clear and circulating or natural and clay-based, consists of a living highway of biological processes that interact with each other to form an aquatic environment. In a natural water body, food and energy will cycle through a chain . . . → Read More: Koi Digestion Excretion
The more we know and understand about certain aspects of our life, the more we can appreciate them. I remember the first time I learnt and understood how an engine worked, I was amazed that our family car actually worked knowing its old age . . . → Read More: Koi digestive system. How it works
Every single koi that is produced in Niigata, Japan, is the culmination of generations of talent and expertise dedicated to the production of the world’s most beautiful koi. In fact, it is fair to say that even with everything else that Niigata has to . . . → Read More: koi farmers of niigata
Every environment shares problems if the inputs into the system are out of balance with the rate at which they are removed or broken down. Currently, on a global basis, this is the case with CO2 and the earth’s atmosphere and it is also . . . → Read More: Koi food affects pond water quality
A koi food is formulated to satisfy many different demands – performing a host of different functions
Function 1: Complete and balanced diet. A koi food must satisfy the basic nutritional needs of our koi, so that they are able to maintain their health and . . . → Read More: Koi food functional ingredients
As we saw in the previous article, our koi depend upon us for a complete and balanced diet. That is, a diet that not only provides them with all the nutrients required for health, growth and colour, but also in the correct quantities. Besides . . . → Read More: Koi food ingredients formulations
As consumers, we’ve never had access to as much information abut our purchases than we do today. Our biggest problem in this ‘Information Age’ is that we just don’t have the time to take it all in. This means we have to be more . . . → Read More: Koi food label. Understanding a koi food label
Fried, scrambled, poached, or boiled (soft or hard). Eggs are such a convenient, tasty and versatile food that we can choose to cook them in one of many ways. And whatever form we choose to accompany our bacon, their nutritional content will largely be . . . → Read More: Koi Food Types
The two most widely debated topics amongst koi keepers are nutrition and filtration.
This is very understandable when these two areas of the hobby are likely to have the greatest combined impact on koi health. As filtration is a very ‘hands-on’ and practical aspect of . . . → Read More: Koi Food. Feeding for health.
Q: I am aware that there are many different types of Koi food available, which seem to offer different benefits to my Koi. What is the purpose of the different foods? Should I change my Koi’s diet at different times of the year? Should . . . → Read More: Koi food. Feeding koi throughout the year
Koi eat to live (except Chagoi that obviously live to eat!) and a koi’s physiology is adapted to be able to consume and digest a vast array of living and dead food materials. The processed and manufactured artificial diets that are routinely offered to . . . → Read More: Koi goldfish digestion
We have already seen how the carp is an adaptable fish by being so productive in a varied and changing food environment. The carp’s productivity is even more remarkable when taking a closer look at its digestive system.
Generally, digestion takes place in the gut . . . → Read More: Koi goldfish digestion – Stomachless fish.
Koi eat to live (except Chagoi that obviously live to eat!) and a koi’s physiology is adapted to be able to consume and digest a vast array of living and dead food materials. The processed and manufactured artificial diets that are routinely offered to . . . → Read More: Koi Goldfish Digestion.
The koi keeping hobby in the UK is served by a truly global industry. A combination of climatic, cultural and historical influences has lead to the vast majority of koi that are traded in the UK each year being produced and imported from abroad.
In . . . → Read More: Koi Herpes Virus (KHV). What is it?
I am about to start building my first ever koi pond but wanted to ask some advice first on which style to have.
My garden has a lot of clay in the soil and is very rich in minerals and nutrients (I’ve had it tested), . . . → Read More: Koi in mud ponds
Koi are just like any other fish or animal in that they have particular nutritional requirements. After water quality, koi nutrition comes a very close second to having the greatest influence on the health and appearance of koi.
A koi’s diet will affect its growth, . . . → Read More: Koi nutrition and food. Back to basics
Unfortunately, the numbers of koi suffering from ulcers has increased over recent years. The majority of koi keepers will have experienced this problem and had mixed results in successfully treating koi with ulcers. In many respects, an ulcer represents a real challenge to a . . . → Read More: Koi or gold fish has ulcers
Koi is an abbreviation of nishikigoi, a general term given by the Japanese to coloured koi with markings which are bred for their ornamental value. Their origin can be traced as far back as 2500 years ago when the word koi was first used . . . → Read More: Koi origins. What are they and where have they come from?
Aeration … Oxygen is the essence of life and is required in abundance in a well stocked koi pond.
Oxygen quite readily dissolves passively diffusing from the atmosphere, but this limited amount is insufficient to satisfy the demands of koi and other oxygen-loving pond organisms . . . → Read More: Koi pond aeration
Choosing a method of aeration for your koi pond is quite different from say choosing a pond pump or UVc. Firstly, not all ponds may need additional aeration. How you currently manage the water movement through your system will have a bearing on whether . . . → Read More: Koi pond aeration options
Koi pond aeration … Before we even start to think about the oxygen requirements of our koi, our pond is already full of oxygen consuming organisms.
Not only do these organisms demand oxygen, they must receive it insufficiently high concentrations so that the function and . . . → Read More: Koi pond aeration. Things you should know.
As koi keepers we are more water keepers than biologists, and as water consist of H2O (as well as everything else dissolved within it) we owe it to our koi to understand a little chemistry. This will then increase our success and fulfilment, ultimately . . . → Read More: Koi Pond Chemistry
When considering the design and location of a garden pond, it helps to take into account the type of pond you want to build. This will determine the design and final location for the new pond.
If our aim is to encourage wildlife by providing . . . → Read More: Koi pond construction
The most appealing part of koi keeping is marvelling at a pond full of ornamental beauty. The challenge in achieving that ultimate goal is to be able to understand and master the many practical demands put on a koi keeper. Some of these practical . . . → Read More: Koi pond filtration
Installing a bio filter is the price we have to pay for wanting to keep koi in an artificial pond. It performs the functions that occur naturally in a lake or river within a compact unit and is arguably the single most important factor . . . → Read More: Koi pond filtration
Koi and all other fish are just like us in that they have particular dietary requirements. Naturally, koi will scavenge and root around a pond bottom as an aquatic pig eating worms, algae and debris, but where they are stocked in an artificial garden . . . → Read More: Koi pond fish foods
Fishkeeping should be available on prescription from the NHS. Scientifically proven to cause a drop in blood pressure and reduce heart rate, watching fish should be recommended to anyone who feels they need some stress relief.
Be it lounging by a pool, lapping up the . . . → Read More: Koi pond fish stress
Despite the apparent efforts of global-warming nibbling away at either end of our winter, our ponds continue to experience several months of near-zero and freezing temperatures in winter. Our cold-blooded koi have no choice but to become inactive, well before our ponds freeze over, stopping . . . → Read More: Koi pond heaters. How they work.
Which are the best materials to use for covering a Koi pond, and which ones aren’t? How much gap should I leave above the water surface? And how long should I cover my pond for?
Dear James, Covering your pond overwinter can prove to be a very . . . → Read More: Koi pond insulation to prevent ice and freezing in winter
Koi breathe by pumping water over their gills to extract essential oxygen, which is invisibly dissolved in the pond water.
Fortunately, compared to other fish species, koi do not require an especially high level of dissolved oxygen (DO) which makes them relatively undemanding in this . . . → Read More: Koi pond oxygen
My Koi pond has been up and running for three years now with no problems. But when I went out to the pond this morning the water had stopped circulating down the waterfall and everything had gone quiet.
Luckily my neighbour who is also a . . . → Read More: Koi pond pump filter failure
I found it difficult to follow and understand, could not see at the time why I needed it and having scraped through the exam promptly forgot most of it – ‘O’ Level Physics!
One law I do remember though (and thank you ‘Chopper’ Williams, for . . . → Read More: Koi pond water affected by pond medications
The vast majority of us don’t heat out ponds. Whether this is because we can’t afford to, don’t feel our fish require it or we just haven’t got around to it yet – what this means is that our koi will be exposed to . . . → Read More: Koi pond winter management. Frozen ponds and freezing weather.
Koi are vertebrates, clearly benefiting from having an internal backbone and skeleton. Koi belong to the most advanced group of fish called teleosts which describes their bony skeleton (compared to a less rigid cartilaginous skeletons found in sharks and rays). We should not think . . . → Read More: Koi skeleton
Koi are blessed with a multi-layered external barrier consisting of both skin and scales that protects them from the perils of pond life as well as gracing them with a magnificent livery. We can be guilty of regarding scales a the koi’s primary means . . . → Read More: Koi skin scales
Fishkeeping should be available on prescription from the NHS. Scientifically proven to cause a drop in blood pressure and reduce heart rate, watching fish should be recommended to anyone who feels they need some stress relief.
Be it lounging by a pool, lapping up the . . . → Read More: Koi Stress. How to reduce it.
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, man has been struggling with the problems of an imperfect world such as weeds, death and disease. This is very true for the koi keeper who over the years has been forced to . . . → Read More: Koi treatments pond medications
Unfortunately, the numbers of koi suffering from ulcers has increased over recent years. The majority of koi keepers will have experienced this problem and had mixed results in successfully treating koi with ulcers. In many respects, an ulcer represents a real challenge to a . . . → Read More: Koi ulcers
The naturally occurring high quality livefood encountered by fish in the natural pond environment is the envy of commercial food manufacturers who try to match the high standard set by nature in an artificial bait. In a totally natural pond or lake situation the . . . → Read More: Koi, goldfish natural pond diet
I remember at school, when asked to write a story as part of an English exercise, immediately asking the teacher ‘How long should it be, Sir?’ I would be surprised if a large number of us have not been in that position, and received . . . → Read More: Koi. Feeding for growth.
Lateral Line
The lateral line is similar to a dot-to-dot picture, where the dots found along the flanks of a fish link to form a clearly visible line. Each dot is a hole in a scale which links to a tube running beneath the series . . . → Read More: L: Pond Keepers A to Z – Lateral Line To Leather Scales
Malachite Green
Malachite is an intense dark green dye that is widely used in the treatment of many koi ailments. It has even historically been used as an antiseptic in the treatment of wounds in humans. Different grades are available but the less toxic zinc-free . . . → Read More: M: Pond Keepers A to Z – Malachite Green To Mucus
Keeping fish is not like keeping any other pet, such as a cat, dog, rabbit or guinea pig If four-legged pets take a disliking to their surroundings or become stressed in their environment in which their owner wishes to keep them, they can retreat . . . → Read More: Managing Pond Water Quality
Keeping fish is not like keeping any other pet, such as a cat, dog, rabbit or guinea pig as they are unable to escape from their pond. If four-legged pets take a disliking to their surroundings or become stressed in their environment in which . . . → Read More: Managing pond water quality – Regular testing
Whenever koi pond filtration is discussed, attention tends to be focused on the biological aspects, with the emphasis being placed on maturation rates, testing for ammonia and nitrite and avoiding new pond syndrome at all costs. But effective pond filtration results from the combination . . . → Read More: Mechanical pond filtration
House prices are rising, interest rates are low and apparently on average, there are 5 people wanting to buy each house that comes on the market. There has never been a better time for you to sell, but for your koi, there is never . . . → Read More: Moving house with koi or goldfish? Step by step guide
Q: We have just sold our house and are in the process of packing up to move in a couple of weeks. Thankfully the new house does have a pond so I am not worried about where to put my Koi when we get . . . → Read More: Moving house. Moving koi
Koi keeping can put many unnatural pressures on koi that these artificially selected fish have not had to contend with in their wild ancestral form. Over thousands of years, their physiology has adapted to a sedentary, slow moving existence in the mid to deeper . . . → Read More: My koi have stopped feeding
Ooh, down a bit, down a bit, a little to the right, a little more, just a bit harder, yes that’s just the spot! Why is it that when we’ve got an ‘itch’ we just can’t reach it and no matter how well you . . . → Read More: My koi keep flicking flashing?
Ooh, down a bit, down a bit, a little to the right, a little more, just a bit harder, yes that’s just the spot! Why is it that when we’ve got an ‘itch’ we just can’t reach it and no matter how well you . . . → Read More: My koi keep flicking or scratching.
I’ve been experiencing a drop in the water level of my pond over the past few weeks. How can I find out if my pond is leaking? What can cause a pond to leak, and how can I fix the problem?
Unfortunately, leaks are an . . . → Read More: My pond is leaking and the water level is dropping.
At some time we are likely to have asked questions such as ‘ How do they keep their water so crystal clear?’ or, ‘what are they doing that I am not?’ when we have seen truly clear water.
Some of the most impressive koi collections . . . → Read More: My pond water murky cloudy
I became a koi keeper by accident two years ago when I bought a house, complete with koi pond.
It is approximately 15 ft long by 8 ft wide and by my reckoning holds about 2500 gallons. It seems quite easy to maintain, especially as . . . → Read More: My pond’s pH is too low and unstable.
Netting (Noun)
Netting is a must to prevent koi being attacked, injured or removed by predators, be they herons or cats. Usually sold in a similar way to liners, where larger expanses are cut and sold off the roll, and smaller sizes are available pre-packed. A . . . → Read More: N: Pond Keeper’s A to Z: Netting to Nutrition
Dear Ben,
I have got a little pond, only 5ft x 4ft, and 18in deep, I have six little koi (5in long) and eight little orfe (2in long maximum). My pond has a filter pump going through a UV clarifier and into a box filter, . . . → Read More: New Pond Problems in a small pond.
When travelling through Niigata in search of koi to bring back to the UK, it’s not long until you discover the infrastructure that works behind the scenes to meet the world’s insatiable demand for world-class koi. Along the meandering roadside, painted signs that try . . . → Read More: Niigata Japan – Koi Farming Centre
Some of the world’s greatest discoveries were discovered quite by accident. Penicillin, X-Rays, Teflon and even Post-It Notes were discovered by people who were preoccupied by unrelated areas of work. They have all since been developed and made available to rest of the world.
Looking . . . → Read More: Niigata the birthplace of koi.
I wrote to you last month with a query relating to murky water in my newly constructed pond. In your reply, you asked me to test for ammonia and nitrite as you suspected my water quality might be having an impact on the health . . . → Read More: Nitrite and ammonia pond problems – New Filter Syndrome.
Osmoregulation
Osmoregulation is concerned with the koi’s regulation of its internal tissue fluid concentration. Koi, like any other fish are essentially bodies filled with fluid, living in a liquid environment. Consequently, due to the process of osmosis, koi wage a constant battle against being diluted . . . → Read More: O: Pond keepers A to Z … Osmoregulation to Oxygen
Winter is a period of transformation in the garden, when plants release their foliage in preparation for the ravages of winter and the growth rate of everything else (including weeds!) seems to take a well earned break. It can also be a time of . . . → Read More: Over-wintering fish and koi ponds. How to winterize your pond successfully
Whether plagued with blanketweed or afflicted by disease, there will come a time when a pond will require medication to treat a problem.
Fortunately, the majority of common ailments such as whitespot, fin rot and ulcers can be treated and controlled by adding a recognised . . . → Read More: Overdosed my pond by accident
Each Christmas, with only a few days before Christmas Day, supermarkets are absolutely packed and so are our trolleys, full of choice items that will make the festive period a happy one.
Most of us are probably guilty of over-buying at this time, getting carried . . . → Read More: Overstocking problems with koi or goldfish.
Parasites
Just as a predator attacks and eats its prey, and a scavenger lives off dead organic matter, a parasite needs another animal on which to live. The relationship between parasite and host is quite a natural one, with a balance being maintained between the host . . . → Read More: P: Pond Keepers A to Z – Parasites to Pond Pumps
Aeration
Oxygen is the essence of life and is required in abundance in a well stocked koi pond. Oxygen quite readily dissolves passively diffusing from the atmosphere, but this limited amount is insufficient to satisfy the demands of koi and other oxygen-loving pond organisms such . . . → Read More: Pond aeration
My wife and I are planning a two week holiday abroad but we are worried about leaving our Koi and pond. How can we ensure that the Koi are fed in our absence? Do we have to do anything to our filters and equipment . . . → Read More: Pond and fish care during summer holiday
Do you believe in the ‘7 year itch’? An innate desire to try something different, becoming bored of what you set out with several years ago. All evidence in fact, suggests that the urge arrives far sooner than 7 years for pond keepers.
Our first . . . → Read More: Pond bridges pond lighting stepping stones
As August turns into September, our pond enters its last scene her before the final curtain of winter approaches. Even at this late stage, the story could still have two endings, either as a tragedy or with the pond’s players living on happily ever . . . → Read More: Pond care from August to Autumn just before Winter
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