Koi fish are beautiful, hardy, and long lived decorative carp, a species of fish native to Asia. There are now koi in every area of the world but Antarctica, as people all over the world have succumbed to the appeal of this brightly colored, graceful fish.nike requin pas cher
In Japanese, 'koi' means carp, but the term has come to mean the brightly colored ones that breeders obsess over and many people keep in garden ponds. Koi are classified by color; although they are bred with certain patterns and colors in mind, the offspring may be of many different colors and patterns. Breeders cull their fish, using the cast offs as feeder fish or selling them as pond fish. If allowed to breed freely, the fish will revert to their native drab coloration in a few generations. However, an individual fish retains its distinctive color throughout its life.nike requin pas cher
And it can be a very long life at that. The oldest recorded vertebrate was a female koi in Japan who lived for 226 years. Some fish in that country are considered national treasures. Even a common pond carp in a garden pond can survive longer than its owner, in a healthy habitat.
Koi come in all colors, with orange, white, black, red, and cream being the most usual. Some purists refuse to accept some of the more modern variations as koi, rejecting the butterfly koi with its long, flowing fins and the scaleless varieties. Others enjoy the infinite variety of color and feature that shows up in the breed. Koi are not a variety of goldfish, which were also developed long ago from carp but are now accepted as a separate species.
You can keep koi inside in an aquarium, but they are cold water fish by nature and do best in outdoor ponds. They thrive in temperatures from 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is a good idea to have an aerator pump and perhaps a filter to keep the water clean. In order to survive winter temperatures under fifty degrees, the water must be at least four and a half feet deep. The fish go
almost dormant in winter and require very little food, which can actually be harmful when their metabolism has dramatically slowed.
The bright colors of top quality koi make them easy prey for fish eating birds and mammals. Rocks to hide under, overhanging ledges to keep raccoons and other wild animals from reaching to grab the fish, and water too deep for wading herons and egrets help to protect the fish. It is a good idea to screen the pond from flying predators with shade trees or decorative lattice.
Don't worry that you will never see your fish if the pond is deep, because they readily come to thesurface to feed. Special koi food floats, so you will be able to see the fish as they come up for it and also examine them for signs of ill health, like fungus growths and parasites. These fish are omnivorous and will eat a variety of food. They will learn to recognize the person who feeds them and can be trained to eat out of your hand.
Koi fish are fun to have, very decorative in a garden pond, responsive to attention, and beautiful to watch. They will even breed in a healthy habitat, so your initial investment may have great returns in fish as well as in enjoyment.
Author Resource:-
Koi always have been a favorite amongst gardens or fish ponds. Many people buy these koi fish to add color to there ponds. They also live better in ponds, then most fish. Related Articles
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://article.koistop.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites