Koi fish: the ultimate aquarium fish
My introduction to koi ponds came in a small restaurant many years ago in Santa Cruz, CA. It was our first visit and I was amazed at the size and colors of the fish in the indoor pond. The pond had a wide variety of plants that provided food and hiding places for the fish. I don’t remember if the food was good, but that koi pond is still firmly on my mind.
I learned that koi fish are a variety of the common carp that was domesticated centuries ago in Japan as food and later as an ornamental fish because of its wide variety of colors. No, their only function is to provide entertainment and pleasure to the people who own or view them. These amazing fish can be purchased at pet stores for several dollars and if properly cared for and fed they will grow into very large fish similar in size to the carp found in many rivers.
There are several characteristics other than size that make koi the best aquarium fish.
1. Wide variety of colors. The main colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream. The different varieties of Koi are distinguished by their color, color pattern, and scales. The most popular colors seem to be white, white with black patterns, and black with red patterns. My personal favorite is white with black patterns.
2. They are hardy fish that adapt to outdoor ponds and do well in cold climates in deep ponds that do not freeze to the bottom. The pond should have a pump and filter to keep the water clean and make it easier to watch the fish.
3. Koi is a carp and will eat almost anything, even some plants put in the pond. This makes it easy to provide them with food that is nutritious for them and the koi will learn to recognize the person who feeds them and will gather around them at mealtime. These fish feed on the bottom and will remove the mud from the bottom of the pool.
4. Some varieties of Koi can live a long time. Most carp will live 25 to 30 years, but at least one female koi was reported to be over 200 years old when she died.
Interest in koi as ornamental fish has exploded in recent years. But like any other hobby, it takes patience, commitment, and perseverance to learn how to build a good koi pond or aquarium and raise healthy fish. The pond should be large enough to provide space for the number of fish you want to keep, and it should be filtered to keep the water clean and clear.
It can be a lot of work to start a koi pond, but the end result is well worth the effort to obtain and keep the best aquarium fish.
