Keeping Koi

Koi are cold-water fish, but benefit from being kept in the 15-25 degrees C range. They don’t react well to long cold winter temperatures as their immune systems become inactive at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. The koi fish’s bright colors put it at a severe disadvantage against predators therefore a well-designed outdoor pond is very important when keeping koi fish. The pond should include areas too deep for herons to stand in, overhangs high enough above the water so that mammals can't reach in, and shade trees overhead to block the view of birds. It might be necessary to string nets or wires above the surface of the pond as to keep predators out. Also, include a pump and filtration system to keep the water clean and clear. Koi are an omnivorous and will eat a wide variety of foods, including peas, lettuce, and watermelon. Koi food is designed not only to be nutritionally balanced, but also to float so as to encourage the fish to come to the surface and feed. When they are eating, it is recommended to check koi for parasites and ulcers.

Problems as a result of over-feeding your fish

As previously mentioned, if your fish is overfed and the water is not changed regularly there are a number of problems that may result. Firstly, low oxygen levels may occur which virtually suffocates the fish, as excess food decays through aerobic processes. Secondly, fins can develop a moth-eaten appearance that often occurs when fish are stressed as a result of overfeeding or poor water conditions. Thirdly, fish may develop ‘fatty liver disease’ which affects the liver function and may result in death. Overfeeding is a major cause of algae bloom. Algal blooms may not be harmful, but in cases of red or blue algal blooms in the tank, the water may become highly toxic to your fish as well as omit a terrible odour. Finally overfeeding may result in clogged filters. The filters are unable to filter the water resulting in a very poor water quality for your fish and increased exposure to numerous fish diseases.

NOT another bite!

Over feeding your fish may result in serious tank-water problems, which may lead to the death of your fish. Fish are small, and don’t require as much food as we may think. Because feeding is one of the only ways we are able to interact with our pets, we tend to feed them every time we walk up to the tank, or we may misinterpret their swimming at the top of the tank as being hungry, which is not necessarily the case. Uneaten food that accumulates in the tank can produce toxic water chemistry changes. This may result in fish diseases and health problems. To avoid overfeeding feed your fish on a schedule (usually twice daily) and feed your fish the proper amount; generally one only feeds them as much as they can eat within 4 to 5 minutes. Always feed based on the number of inhabitants, not the size of your tank.