Koi are extremely popular fish bred and taken care of by hobbyists around the world. Koi is a Japanese word which means "carp" and includes the dull gray wild carp found in rivers and also lakes for food, along with the brightly colored varieties. It is the colorful koi fish that are bred for their appearance. Although the proper expression for these "living jewels" is nishikigoi, most people, particularly those in the United States, refer to them simply as koi.
A Very Koi Story
The carp came from Central Europe and also Asia where it was merely a food fish. It was the Chinese that began propagating selected species of carp until they developed the gold fish over a thousand years ago. The Chinese first brought koi as food to Japan in 200 AD. Looking at the gorgeous color mutations, Japanese farmers in Niigata, a prefecture in Honshu, bred them for ornamental applications and produced several color designs. The first variety to be established is the kohaku, the red-and-white koi.
The Niigata koi was first exposed to the community in 1914 in the course of the annual exposition in Tokyo. The beautiful, colorful fish captivated all of Japan and some kept koi because they looked perfect for their water gardens. It did not take long before the entire world caught up on the hobby. These days, Niigata continues to be the home of the best koi breeders although you can buy koi from almost all pet stores. Then again, you have to go to specialized dealers if you want the higher-quality fish. Prices of koi vary based on the very koi-like feature of the fish.
Koi Attributes
You can find koi with various colors and patterns. The typical colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream. Female koi are usually plump while the males are a lot more streamlined with torpedo shapes. A matured koi can grow as much as 36 inches and weigh over 17 pounds. The koi are hardy and tough, and can live for many years depending on their genetics and also living conditions. The oldest koi ever reported was "Hanako" that supposedly lived up to 226 years.
The Koi are omnivores and eat almost almost everything including vegetables. It is very koi of the fish to look for food at the bottom of the pond. Although koi fish are really shy and will run away when disturbed, they usually know the person frequently feeding your koi fish. It is ordinary to see koi gathering around their keeper during feeding times with some eating straight from the hand.
Varieties of Koi
There are several types of koi that are recognized by the color, pattern and also scales. There are some hybrids like the Ghost koi or the Butterfly koi that have also acquired popularity but are not regarded as true Nishikigoi. Among the prominent varieties of the true Nishikigoi include the following:
- Kohaku - white koi with big red marks on top
- Taisho Sanshoku - resembles the Kohaku but has additional small black marks
- Showa Sanshoku - black koi having red and white marks
- Tancho - any koi with a lone red patch on the head
- Asagi - is coloured light blue on top and red beneath
- Utsurimono - black with very koi marks of red, white or yellow
- Bekko - base colour of red, white or yellow with small black marks
- Goshiki - black koi accented with red, white, brown and also blue markings
- Shusui - does not have scales except for a single row of big mirror scales running down the dorsal area, from head to tail
Koi Supplies: Essential To Having Healthy Koi
If you want your koi fish to be healthy and vibrant-looking, you will need to make sure you have plenty of quality koi supplies. So what koi supplies are essential?
How To Keep Your Koi Healthy
Koi health is of paramount importance if you want to enjoy your fish for a long time. Koi fish are known to live for decades although the average life span is 20 to 30 years. Koi are hardy and durable; however, they can get sick.
Salt Water Aquariums - Nitrogen Levels
With salt water aquariums it is very important to keep the nitrogen levels down or else the fish will die. Fish are living creatures and like humans they will eat food and release waste.
Selecting Custom Fish Tanks
When choosing custom aquariums you will need to decide if you are going to keep freshwater or marine fish. There are many factors involved in setting up your fish tank and water quality is probably the most important.
Custom Fish Tanks - Faults
People with custom aquariums tend to make the same mistakes as any other novice fish owner. The most common of these is overfeeding.
How Keeping Fish Tanks In The House Has Changed Over The Last Hundreds Of Years
When you buy your first custom fish tank you may be interested to know that centuries ago families kept these in their homes as a source of fresh fish.
What To Reflect On When Purchasing Salt Water Sea Creatures For Your New Tank
If you are interested in getting a saltwater fish tank, it means you probably want to have a load of lovely tropical fish in your home. But be warned they take more care than a freshwater equivalent.
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