5 Tips on Caring for KOI ...

By Aprille

5 Tips on Caring for KOI ...

KOI fish are gorgeous, graceful, and entertaining and perfect for most outdoor ponds. They come in a variety of colors, each as beautiful as the next. There are some basic tips to know when caring for these aquatic creatures. These 5 tips on caring for KOI in the autumn should help you to create a wonderful environment for your fish.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:

5

Inspection Time

This time of year is perfect for checking each of your fish. Make sure they are all healthy. It’s best if you can catch each one for individual inspection, but this isn’t always easy with large ponds. Take time to sit and watch your fish for signs of distress, disease, or any type of injury.

4

Cut Back on Feeding

When the temperatures start to get below 60, the fish will begin to eat less. Feed them once every few days and stay away from food with animal products in it. Wheat germ food is better for their slow digestion, which happens because of the cooler temperatures.

3

Maintain the Proper Water Temperature

Having a shallow pond means you will need to be sure to keep the temperature at the correct degree for healthy fish. Anything below 41 degrees Fahrenheit can allow your fish to suffer from infection or frostbite. Take the temperature on the surface and add a degree for each additional foot below the surface. This figure will give you the temp at the bottom of the pond.

2

Maintain Proper Filtration and Oxygenation

The water pump and filtration system need to be monitored constantly during the winter. It is crucial for KOI to have clean water and plenty of oxygen running through the pond. This will make their dormant period more pleasant. Females that are more than 3 years old need this dormancy time. They will reabsorb the eggs that weren’t spawned, which will eliminate the chance of the eggs hardening. Hardened eggs sometimes need to be surgically removed from KOI.

1

Don’t Feed Too Soon in the Spring

When the KOI have finished their dormant period over the winter, be sure not to start feeding them again until the temperature outside has reached at least 52 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temp drops below 52 while KOI have food in their stomachs, the food rots because they cannot digest it quick enough.

I hope these seasonal care tips are useful to you and you have great success with your KOI. Feel free to add any care tips I might have missed that you feel are important for KOI owners. What size of KOI pond do you currently have or are planning on having? What attracted you to this type of fish for your pond?

Top Photo Credit: BBMaui

Related Topics

learn chopsticks 5 Tips on Chasing off Pests ... 5 Tips on Making a Good KOI Pond ... 5 Tips on Raising Rabbits ... 5 Tips on Raising Ducks ... 5 Tips on Making the Right Pumpkin ... 5 Tips on the Perfect Birdfeeder ... 5 Tips on Making a Patio ... 7 Tips for Great HomeMade Pizza ... 5 Tips on Caring for a Bird Feeder ...

Popular Now