Koi, or Nishikigoi, are quickly becoming popular in the United States. However, few know of their origins.
photo credit: zigiella

The first Koi ever were grown by breeding carp fish such as the Asian and German Carp. After years of selective breeding, distinct color mutations started showing up.

It is at 1805 that the first design of koi fish is registered. Today, there are actually a lot of of color variations available. The popular colors we can find today are white, silver, yellow, orange, red, black, blue and green. Combined with the designs available, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Every noticeable pattern and color have their own names, which are actually as unique as the color they are referring to. Yet the preferred design are diversified by people in varied countries.

It is already known that people most often produce Koi in wamer American nations, Japan and Singapore. Koi can be bought at most local pet stores.

People can order koi fish, if the stores do not have stock on hand Ordering Koi has its rewards and disadvantages. You have more selections if you order Koi, since you do not have to pick from the stock on hand, but the disfavor lies in the fact that you will not be able to pick specific Koi.
photo credit: sarniebill1

Koi, unlike most other fish, will continue to grow until they reach their breeds dictated size, no matter the environment that they are in. Baby Koi can be found as small as 3 inches. Jumbo Koi have even been know to reach lengths of three feet or more. The most common size found is around two feet in length.

Koi are omnivorous fish, which means they will eat both meat and plants. This means that they have very versatile diet. Koi will eat pretty much about that you throw in the pond with them, doesn’t matter if it is good for them or not.

As Koi do not know what is bad and good for them, so you need to control their diet. Another possible problem is over feeding them.Again, Koi do not know when to stop eating, and weight issues may occur from overfeeding none nutritional foods.

The safest foods for Koi are what they can find in their ponds naturally, such as earthworms, but it doesn’t hurt to feed Koi treats such as Lettuce, bread, fruit, and veggies.

You should pay special care to the particular foods such as corn, beans, and grapes, as they contain an outer shell, that cannot be properly digested if swallowed by Koi. If you must feed this type of foods to your Koi, always remember to completely remove the outer casings before giving it to your Koi.

Koi are none-aggressive fish. This means that they are suitable to live with other fish such as goldfish or comets. The only issue you may find is smaller, less able fish may suffer from lack of food, as Koi are quick eaters.

Koi are so mellow that they have even been known to be trained to eat out of their owners hand. Koi do not have teeth, so you will not get bit if you decide to attempt to feed your Koi out of your hand.

Koi have been known to live up to 30 years under the appropriate conditions, so you buy a Koi, you must consider this. The oldest Koi ever known to history is a Japabese Koi, who was 233 years old when he died.

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Today more and more people are discovering the great joy of keeping a Koi pond and are learning as much as they can about these fascinating fish. Thought to be one of the most beautiful types of fish of all, Koi can be found in a wide variety of interesting colors, patterns, and markings, which is why they appeal to so many people all over the world.
photo credit: debaird™

Keeping and taking care of Koi is something that should be taken seriously. The fish, much like any other living thing, requires a certain amount of care as well as time and money in order to be as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, many first time Koi owners fail to have a successful pond full of healthy fish as they underestimate what is needed to properly care for them. But don’t be discouraged as the more you learn about the subject the greater your chances are of having a thriving Koi pond of your own.

It is important for you to learn all you can BEFORE you begin obtaining the things you need for Koi keeping. This way, you will not slip up and have to replace anything that you have already done or bought. Planning ahead will not only save your money, but it will potentially save your sanity as well.

Instead of merely relying on the knowledge of others, take the time to do the research yourself about Koi and what’s needed for their habitat. Vendors and manufacturers of ponds and their accessories may have limited knowledge and may even be a bit biased toward their own products. Also, few of them will be accessible when you’re back at home with your new pond and Koi and questions or problems arise.

Building Your Koi Habitat

Before ever buying Koi, you must create a proper habitat for them. This is where information from your pond builder and supplier will come in handy. However, you should not rely on the opinions of just one person. It may be a god idea to do research on your own, before you go to purchase the materials needed for you pond. Because of it’s popularity, an unlimited supply of resources can be found on the topic of Koi keeping. Visit your local library, fishery center, or research online. There are quite a few things needed to sustain a habitable pond.

When it comes to pond size, bigger is always better. Koi have a habit of growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are considering how many Koi you are going to put it in.

The filtration system is another extremely important aspect of keeping a Koi pond with two separate types to learn about, biological or mechanical. Mechanical filtration systems will remove large pieces of solid waste such as insects, tree branches, or dead algae while the biological filtration causes an increase in nitrogen helping to dissolve waste within the water. Without a biological filtration system the water will quickly become inhabitable for the fish as waste will turn to ammonia, which is deadly to Koi within just a few short days.

In addition to all of the things you’ll need to do in order to keep your Koi happy and healthy in their home you will also want to consider adding some landscaping touches to make the area even more visually appealing. Choose from a wide array of shrubs, trees, flowers, and plants for adding both color and interest to your Koi pond.

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Think about how great it would be to add a pond to your garden, it would definitely enhance your garden. Imagine sitting in your garden admiring the sound and sight of a well stocked pond full of happy fish.
photo credit: [3/4 of zer0]

With a pond you will create a focal point in your garden that will be admired by all. Ponds are peaceful and serene whilst also being an enjoyable hobby.

You can go for a wild life pond where you will not put any fish in or you can opt for the full fish experience. What about the type of fish that you might want to keep. Some people just have Koi so there whole pond is all about Koi, which are a beautiful fish and are not as hard to keep as some would have us believe.

Goldfish are a worthy contenders for any pond, they come in many different forms from the fancy Oranda’s, Black Moors and Comets and there are many more, right down to the common goldfish. There are a lot to checkout.

That greenish coloured Tench that has change to a beautiful Gold fish with blue grey fins and darkish red eyes through years of breeding now named quite rightly the Golden Tench. The Tench is a great fish to consider for your pond.

What about the Golden Orfe these are a very lively fish that are fast swimmers and on occasion have been known to jump clear of the water. I like the orfe’s because they are so active.

Before you start to dig your garden over there are a lot of things that need to be thought about before you take the plunge into building a pond. A pond plan is what you need if you want to get the pond of your visions. The more information you can put in your plan the better, it will help you decide such things as whether your pond will have a water feature, how big you want your pond and what plants you want in your pond.

For your pond project to be the success that you want it to be, it is going to take proper research that will make up the blueprint of your pond which you will enjoy for so many years in the future.

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As you plan your backyard design keep in mind the steps previously mentioned in Backyard Design Ideas. And as you move into the next phase of design remember there’s still time to change your plans you have on paper. I myself usually have three of four designs on paper before I select the final landscape design to use.
photo credit: brewbooks

Once you have check for any City or State building codes, Home Association rules if they apply and know your property boundaries its time to start to create you backyard oasis paradise.

These are the final steps you will want to consider when finalizing your plan.

Colors

By landscaping with the colors you like, you will reduce the number of plants that you have to consider and your finished landscape will be more pleasing to you.

Natural lighting

This is critical in pool, pond and plant selection. Pools and ponds need enough light to warm and be a healthy environment. Plants will need to be selected by choosing the right plant for sun or shade. This will control the plants health and growth. If you have gardens you will need six to eight hours of natural sunlight.

Landscape Lighting

If you are planning to use the backyard at night or are adding special effect lighting this is the time to install it, before the entire backyard design is finalized. You don’t want to work around added hardscape and new plants. You may also want to look into solar lighting. It’s less work and going green is good for the environment.

Soil

Improve your soil before you add plants, trees and shrubs. Good soil promotes healthy plants and healthy plants take less maintenance. You can usually tell by the look of your soil if it needs compost or additives to make it drain better. But a test for the proper soil for the plants is not as obvious. Most County extensions will do a soil test for you or you can pick up a soil tester kit at hardware stores and farm supply centers.

My soil is a heavy clay base, rich in nutrients but usually need to have lime added. I also compost the ground heavily to help with drainage.

Plants

Plants add beauty and relaxation to a yard. It’s one of the final steps in creating a backyard oasis paradise. Besides knowing your growing climate and hardiness when you select plants you will need to take into consideration plant maintenance, and one of the most overlooked design in plants: Growth.

Plants may start out small but can quickly grow and you realize the plant, tree or shrub will need moved or cut down. So read the plant tag or research the plant to take into account how large it will grow.

Focal Points

Any yard benefits from having a focal point. These can be Arbors, Gazebos Pergolas, Patios, Unique Plants or Water features. A backyard pool is always a focal point. A backyard theme is also a wonderful focal point and you have room to experiment and change the theme. Most backyards benefit from one or two focal points depending on the size of the yard.

Plan for all Seasons

Plan you landscape design to look stunning in all seasons. Just because flowers are not in bloom does not mean you backyard has to lack color or design. Choose a few plants that won’t lose their foliage or where the structure of the plant or tree has an interesting look. Hardscape also adds form and texture to garden and backyard areas.

As a final thought when planning your backyard design, plan for change.

Families grow and so will the needs of the backyard. Keep this in mind when planning a children’s area, add water features or a pet area. You may find you want less mowing or gardens to tend to or that you want a Koi pond or patio area. The backyard area is meant to be an oasis for relaxation and will need to adjust to your needs in the years to come.

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The backyard koi pond offers relaxation and enjoyment to the backyard oasis.  But your Koi fish may occasionally have a medical issue or it may be that the pond will need major repair or moved and you may have to transport your fish. Moving your koi is easier on you and the Koi if you bag them when moving them.
photo credit: Naomi Ibuki

First, it is always a good idea to have all the equipment needed to transport your Koi on hand. You never know when it may be necessary to move you fish so be prepared. The equipment needed to bag and transport Koi is small, and will store easily when not in use.

If you kept the bags you brought your Koi home in originally, use those. If not you will have to make a trip to your local pet store to get proper bags for Koi transportation. Make sure to get the right size bags to hold your Koi. Note: Garbage bags do not work and may hurt your fish.

You will need quite a few good quality rubber bands for each bag you buy. There will be pressure on the rubber bands from the water so make sure you have high quality rubber bands and use several on the bag.

A paint bucket works well for catching your Koi.  Nets can hurt Koi where buckets will not. Just make sure that your bucket is large enough to hold your Koi. Nets work better for smaller Koi but they still may cause damage to the fish and they definitely cause the fish stress. If using a net lead and direct them into the place you want them to go.

Bagging your Koi for Transportation

First check the equipment to make sure its in good shape. Fill the bags with water to see if they are watertight and check the rubber bands to make sure they are strong. Have the net and bucket nearly. Tip: If you pond is large, you may want the help of your friends when bagging your Koi.

Use the net to guide the Koi into the bucket. Make sure that you checked the bags for leaks. Once you are sure that the bags will hold water, place the bag over the Koi from head to tail. Make sure there is enough water in the bag to completely cover the gills. Leave air room in the bag, this makes the bag lighter and easier to carry. Slip the rubber bands around the end of the bag and continue to double it until the bag is secure. Add one or two more rubber bands to ensure that the bag is securely sealed.
photo credit: OMFGmatt

Next place the bags horizontally in your transport container. Handle the bag carefully and make sure that you do not bend the fish when lifting it. Secure the bag in the transport container so that it will not move with bumps and turns. Also place a cover the fish so that as little heat and sun light can enter the bag as possible.

Treat the transport bag with care at all times. And when its time to return the fish to their pond, place the bag in the water and carefully undo the rubber bands. Let the top open slowly and the fish will wander back out into the pond.

Koi fish have been known to live for up to 30 years so take good care of them and they will be a part of your backyard oasis for years.

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