Training Koi to Eat From Your Hand
Posted by admin on Oct 27, 2009
One of the best ways to make the most of your Koi pond is by teaching your fish to eat out of your hand. You can learn about each fishes’ temperament and personality by teaching them to nuzzle your fingers when they are hungry.
Patience is the key when training and conditioning your Koi to eat from your hand. As with any wild animal, Koi have a natural suspicion for anything they think can hurt them. As far as they are concerned, you are big enough to be a threat.
If hand-feeding is your goal, then it is best to start the training from the very beginning. Training can be introduced at a later time, but it’s easiest if you get the fish used to it from the start. If you have been scattering their food along the top of the water, you need to stop doing that at once. Instead, place their feed bag next to you and kneel down beside the pond. Place a few pellets in your hand then submerge your hand, allowing the pellets to slowly fall from your fingers.
Don’t be concerned if the Koi seemed to be ignoring your efforts. They are aware that your hand is in the water and they know that their food just appeared. With patience, eventually one or two of the fish will swim up and begin to eat. Once the first fish have begun to feed, the rest will follow. Continue dropping the feed pellets slowly from your hand until you have fed them the usual amount. Repeat this process for approximately a week.
The second week, do just as you did before however this time you will submerge your hand keeping the pellets in your slightly cupped palm. Keep your hand still and do not make any sudden movements and eventually one or more of the Koi will come over and eat from your hand. Try not to move once the Koi begin to approach. When your hand is empty, repeat the process until they have consumed their usual feeding. If the fish do not approach your hand to feed, DO NOT feed them that day. The next day they will be more likely to eat from your hand when you offer them the pellets. Missing one day of food will not harm them in any way.
When the Koi are at the point that they will eagerly eat from your palm, it’s time to start to teach them to take the pellets directly from your fingers. Grab a pellet between your fingers and place your hand under the surface of the water. The boldest of your fish will likely approach and once the others have seen him eating, they will follow. Only feed the ones that will eat from your fingers and let the rest miss a meal for that day. Hunger is the best motivator for your Koi.
Once your Koi have been eating from your hands for a few weeks, you can start to alternate between hand feeding and scattering as your time permits. My guess is that you will usually find the time to sit back and enjoy the company and personalities of your fish as often as possible.
Is Your Koi Fish Pond Ready for Winter Yet?
Posted by admin on Oct 2, 2009
Winter is nearly here and this might be the first time you have had to “winterize” your Koi fish pond. Your pond will be relatively inactive during the winter months, so you can think of this as a down period for it. You will need to make some special preparations as a precaution to ensure the survival of your pond and fish.
Plan to spend an entire weekend to fully go over your pond. You will need to remove any bulk material that has built up in or around it. Inside the koi pond, remove all leaves, silt and other materials that may have settled to the bottom. Depending on your zone, you may need to remove any plants or flowers in your pond that won’t be able to survive the winter temperatures. Take time to remove as much debris from around the pond as well, since it may end up being blown into the water during the winter months. This will help prevent the build-up of any potentially harmful bacteria and parasites.
Once the water temperature starts to drop to 55-60 F, you need to reduce your Koi’s feedings to once a day. Should the temperatures drop below 50 F, you can stop feeding completely. Should the temperature occasionally go above 50F, you should still refrain from feeding your fish. Koi generally take approximately 4 days to digest food at temperatures above 50F and should you feed the fish, the food will likely not digest properly and will rot, potentially killing the fish. Don’t be fooled as your Koi may open their mouths to you to be fed, this is a learned reflex, not from hunger. Don’t worry that you will starve your fish, if they really are hungry, they will eat some of the plant life.
Do a thorough check up of your pond equipment, including the pumps and filtration systems. Don’t forget about preventive medicines and other necessary supplies as it may be difficult to find supplies in a hurry during the winter time as most ponds go dormant and shelves may not be well stocked. Have an emergency kit ready that included water testing kits, bags, nets and any medications needed.
Make sure you are ready for the cold weather by investing in the necessary items while it’s still summer. Koi have been known to withstand temperatures lower than 39F for short periods, but if your region is known to experience extended periods with temperatures below 39F, you will need to invest in a heater. Make sure to properly research the size heater you will need to adequately heat your pond during those winter months. Ice forming on your pond can cause dangerous amounts of gas to form. In extreme temperatures, it might be a good idea to have an emergency tank available indoors.
Make sure to turn off all water features, including fountains and waterfalls, asyour heater will be working hard enough to sustain the water temperature in the actual pond to keep your Koi alive. With these things turned off, your heater will only have to heat where the fish are living.
How to Choose the Right Filter for Your Koi Pond
Posted by admin on Sep 18, 2009
When you are building a koi pond, the pond filter is one of the most important elements in your Koi pond. The filtration system will remove the organic waste, ammonia and nitrates from your pond and help keep the water crystal clear. Without an efficient filtration system you will eventually end up with a hole full of dirty water and dead fish. By maintaining great water quality at all times you can help ensure that your koi fish live a long, healthy life.
The pond filtration cycle is completed in two stages, mechanical and then biological. During the mechanical filtration stage organic waste is trapped and removed. If you do not remove organic waste, whether from the pond or the filter, harmful bacteria could build up and be released into the water. Your koi cannot survive for long with this waste in the water. During the second stage called biological filtration, the system employs natural biological processes to convert the harmful compounds such as ammonia and nitrate excreted by the fish and decaying plant matter into less invasive compounds. If the initial mechanical stage has done an effective job, the biological side will work efficiently as well.
To select the right filter for your Koi pond, you need to look for a filter that effectively completes both mechanical and biological filtration for the size of your Koi pond and it’s water capacity. Additionally, you will want to make sure that it is a quality filter that will not require constant maintenance. Choose the best filter that you can afford. It will save you time and money in the long run. Spend some time comparing filters and do your homework to research which filter will best suit your needs.
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For more information on choosing the best, most effective filtration system for your koi pond, be sure to visit Koi Fish Ponds Made Easy |
Building a Koi Pond: Choosing pond plants and flowers for your Koi fish pond
Posted by admin on Sep 9, 2009
You have finally finished building your koi pond. The next step is to add plants and flowers to allow them time to stabilize and grow a bit before introducing any fish. Plants will not only add that extra decorative touch of beauty to your garden pond, but will also help to maintain the biological system that your Koi need to thrive and be healthy. Plants help maintain the balance of the water and keep it cleaner.
There are many choices for water plants and flowers. Your plant selection will be based on your preferences and pond size as well as the climate conditions where you live. Your best bet is to go to your local garden center or Koi fish dealer, who should be able to answer your questions about which water plants are best suited for your area, but here are some of the common choices.
Water Hyacinth
Water Hyacinths have gained popularity over the last few years because they are very easy to maintain and do not require any particular type of soil. Besides making the pond look beautiful, Water Hyacinths are very functional as they help prevent algae and blanket weeds from forming. When you bring them home you just place them in the water and lightly anchor them so they do not move all over the pond. The only negative with Water Hyacinth is that they can be invasive so you will have to keep a close eye on them – removing some when they become too crowded.
Lotus Plants
Lotus plants are a great addition to a Koi pond and one of the most popular thanks to their Asian feel. They have lovely blooms and a luscious, fragrant scent will add to any Koi pond, but they do like it warm so if you are in a climate that has winter, they will die off when the temperatures dip below 65, or you will have to move them inside for the winter. These plants like moist soil and a lot of sunlight. Plant them in small containers filled with soil and place them at a depth of 2 to 3 feet under the water. If they are planted during the summer months, the lotus plants will start to grow within 2 to 3 weeks and the flowers will bloom once it reach the top of the water.
Underwater Plants
As the name implies, underwater plants live submerged below the water line and often go unnoticed. They will help battle algae and put oxygen back into the water. For your Koi, the offer a supplemental food source and a place for Koi fish to hide and relax during hot summer days.
These plants can be found in bundles at your local Koi dealer or store. Most underwater plants will not need additional support during the winter. Once placed in your koi pond, you may not think twice about them again. But check the growing needs of the plants when purchasing them.
Water plants and flowers will add that final tropical feeling to your backyard garden pond and your Koi fish will enjoy them. Just remember to let you plants adjust to their new home for two to three weeks before adding your Koi.
How to Build a Koi Pond
Posted by admin on Aug 14, 2009
So you want to know how to build a koi pond? As you know, there is a little more to it than simply digging a hole in the ground, filling it with water and putting koi in it. Unless you have a lot of experience in landscaping and construction, you probably will want to consider hiring a professional, although pond kits are available if you are feeling ambitious. Building a koi pond is not a huge ordeal, as long as you have done your homework first.
The first thing you want to think about when deciding how to build a koi pond will be the pond’s actual location (because once it’s in it obviously cannot be moved), its size and how deep it is will to be. Koi require at least 500 gallons of water and must have a minimum depth of three feet, deeper than the average goldfish pond or water garden, because koi grow more quickly than any other species of ornamental fish. You might want to even consider going with a depth of four or five feet.
The best koi fish ponds are built with the top edge a minimum of six inches above ground and many professional koi keepers build their pond edge 18 inches high to keep the fish safe from pets and other fish-eating visitors.
Another important consideration in how to build a koi pond is filtration. Koi fish are among the most delicate fish and cannot survive in non-filtered water. The water in your pond needs to be as well filtered as you can afford to make it. The best option is to use a bead filter, but they can be costly so you may opt for a bio-filter. Both of these filter types are available in various sizes and prices ranges and can keep your water filtered properly. You will also want to keep the water clear by keeping down the algae growth with the use of a water clarifier.
While not a necessity, incorporating a solar waterfall into your plans will not only add beauty but can be very instrumental in oxygenating that water in your koi pond.
With a little hard work you will find that your koi pond will bring additional beauty and tranquility to your yard.
