Koi History and Information » General Koi Care

Always place the koi food in the same place each time you feed you fish. This way the fish learn that when you are in this spot, it means they will be fed. Soon you can train them to eat out of your hand.

Koi will eat both animal and vegetable matter which makes them omnivorous. They do not have stomachs so they can not eat a large amount of food at one time.

This is the reason Koi spend a great deal of time foraging around for Koi food. They will actually eat just about anything that is small enough for them to swallow whole.

Because fish are natural foragers, we recommend several small feedings per day, rather than one larger one.

Only feed enough for the fish to consume within about five minutes. When switching foods, feed a mixture of old and new foods for several days to allow the fish to become accustomed to the new diet.

Many Koi owners do not realize the importance of feeding. Not only must consideration be given to the amount and time of feeding, but to the combinations of foods that are essential for healthy and colorful Koi.

It's easy to see why Koi are rapidly gaining popularity these days. With their colorful beauty and impressive size, the Koi is a domesticated cousin of the Carp. The Koi is also easily obtained, available to fish lovers in practically all parts of the world. This makes it an easy choice when deciding upon what type of fish to have in your pond. Although Koi fish can be quite hardy, they still require their owner to be knowledgeable about their proper care and up keep.

Koi fish will have different needs during different seasons. It is important to know these needs, that way you can be sure that you are providing your Koi with proper care, no matter what the weather. For example, the temperature can vary significantly from day to day during the spring, so you need to be diligent in watching the temperature during this period. A fast drop or rise in temperature is not good for the Koi. They will do best at 74 to 76 F.

You will want to provide your Koi with a proper diet. Floating pellets are good. Always make sure they have enough food. Sho Koi Impact is a good food. It is made from air-dried krill, larvae, dried bugs, pupae, and air dried fresh water shrimp, which will help brighten colors in Koi naturally. It is long floating and highly digestible. It can be slightly more expensive than other foods, but worth it in the long run.

When you get your new Koi, you want to make the situation as stress free as possible for the Koi. Unfortunately, Koi are stressed as soon as they are bagged up. Some ways to reduce this stress are to keep bags as cool as possible, will slow down Koi metabolism and respiration rates. Also, Keep bags in a box to reduce the stress the Koi experience when light hits them from every side. What you may want to do during longer trips is to ad a mild sedative to the water.

When you get your new Koi home, don't just release your Koi into the pond. Be sure to float the bag for at least an hour. You may want to cover the bag with some wet newspaper if it is hot or sunny out. Slowly add pond water into the bag, with the Koi for around 15 minutes, and then release the Koi into the pond.