|
|
|
Common Name: Koi
Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio
Also Known As: Nishikigoi or 'Brocaded Koi'
Size: 24" in most ponds; in large ponds the fish might reach 36"
Koi, along with their close relatives, Goldfish, are the most commonly kept fish in ponds. They have been raised for centuries in Japan and have expanded throughout the Far East and around the world. These slender, heavy-bodied fish have barbels on both.
|
|
Care Requirements: Koi prefer minimal water movement, but require well-oxygenated water. For this reason, it is best to design the pond with excellent aeration through a waterfall or other feature, and make the rest of the pond still. Provide shading from the direct sun b
Feeding: Koi will eat almost anything, and their diet is very important. They require much vegetable matter in their diets, and they will eat any pond plants they can reach. There are excellent prepared Koi foods available, and they can be supplemented with fres
Temperament: Koi are generally very peaceful fish. The only time anything close to aggression occurs is when males chase females to spawn.
Breeding: Koi are carp, and they spawn by broadcasting large quantities of eggs into their ponds. In large ponds with plants and other hiding spots for the babies, a few "volunteers" commonly appear in the summer. "Volunteers" are baby fish that survive in a tank o
Additional Information: In Tokyo, there is a great bend in the Sumida River where the current moves very slowly, and where Koi and other pond fish are sold. The water is deep green with algae, and the name of the place (and its subway stop) is Ochanomizu, which means "water the color of tea" -- Japanese green tea, that is.
|
|