KOI

Have you ever seen koi?  Despite the fame of this creature, many people still are not familiar with koi. “Koi” is a Japanese vocabulary word which means “carp”. 

Koi are cold-water fish that are typically kept inside the pond with a temperature varying from 17 degrees C to 25 degrees C as their immune system turns off at 10 degrees C.  Japanese classified koi as wild carp or “inbred Magoi”. They believe that koi is a symbol of ambition and progression and is usually associated with insistence in difficulties and strength of purpose.  Koi also means love, affection and friendship as illustrated from the short story of Koi-san by Mukoda Kuniko.

 In 1820’s, Koi were first bred for color in Japan which started in the Niigata region situated at the north eastern coast of Honshu island.  Several color patterns had been established, most commonly the red-and-white Kohaku.  Most of the breeders are not knowledgeable on the color variations only when the Niigata koi were displayed in the annual exhibit in Tokyo.  By that time, the interest and desire for koi breeding spread throughout the archipelago of Japan. 

The hobby of keeping koi has become remarkably popular all over the world.  It is not only enjoyable but also takes responsibility and knowledge in the maintenance of the whole aquatic ecosystem which determines the koi’s strength and health. Therefore, maintenance and breeding of koi requires complete awareness and enough funds.  The bigger it has become, the more expensive it is.  And for some, it costs thousands of dollars.

Koi were first bred for color mutation in China. Nowadays, Koi have many different colors.  Their main colors are cream, blue, yellow, red, white and black. The major named varieties are:

• Asagi – a koi that has luminous blue scales on its top and red scales on its bottom
• Bekko – a yellow-skinned, red-skinned, or white-skinned koi with a black pattern
• Kawarimono (kawarigoi) – other types of koi with normal scales
• Kohaku – a white-skinned koi, with a red pattern
• Taisho Sanshoku (Sanke) – a white-skinned koi with a red and black pattern, named after the Taisho Emperor
• Showa Sanshoku (Showa) – a koi that is named after the Showa Emperor.  Its skin has black shade with a red and white combination.
• Tancho – it is the only koi with the red circle design on its forehead. This type of koi can be a Tancho Showa, Tancho Sanke, or even Tancho Goshiki
• Utsurimono – a black koi with a red, white, or yellow pattern

Varieties of koi are available for you. You can either search the world wide web for inquiries and online distributors of the said koi fish will be more than wiling to accommodate you.

Knowing the type of pond to be built based on preference of the owner must be considered first. 

According to some professionals, a pond should be created in such manner that fish or plants will have enough space even after several years which will also not limit the quantity of plants and fish to be grown inside.  And besides, a large pond is easier to maintain and clean.

The ideal pond size must be between 1200 – 3000 gallons volume and 3-5 feet deep.  Water garden requires only about 2 feet deep to raise the plants and water lilies.  It is also best to choose the right location of the pond.  Others are building it far away from rain gutters to avoid runoff that hold chemicals and other organic wastes into the pond.  Some are constructing their ponds far from trees due to falling leaves.  For ponds with at least 6 hours direct sunlight, it is advisable to cultivate plants and lilies for protection against too much exposure to sun.

 When excavating the pond, its surface must be higher than the adjacent area and a bog shelf space must be provided. There should have at least 3 different layers for several purposes.  The outer layer being the shallow one must be between 1–1.5 feet deep wherein shelves should be inclined towards the bank to hold the rocks in place since koi are fond of slotting in to the gravel and rocks. The secondary layer is designed to clutch the skimmer which must be dug around 1.5–2 feet deep. Pond skimmers and filters should be placed at a suitable location where the water level will be around an inch under the inlet gate.  A water pump must be installed right at the bottom of the skimmer.  Lastly, the innermost layer and deepest level must be between 2-3 feet deep.  There should have a plant receptacles or slopes to keep trivial plants and gravel in place.

Spread out the rubber pond liner all over the excavated area connecting it to the skimmer with a minimum of a foot to coat the uppermost part which is the bank area.  It is better to check the liner for water leaks by adding the rocks and gravel and filling it with water. If bulky rocks will be placed, it would help to add another piece of liner to where the rock will be set up for protection against liner damage.  Put up the hacking stones around the boundary of the pond fairly above the water height on top of the pond liner to hold it tightly into place.  Furthermore, add a solution to remove the chlorine, maintain clarity and preserve the purity of water.  Some are putting in good additives like koi clay which consists of calcium bentonite and montmorillonite powder. 

Remember, settle the pond for about a week before adding fish.