KOI Pond Background

Koi are not big goldfish but actually descendents of the common carp. The goldfish is a distant cousin to the Koi. The Japanese developed Koi and Koi ponds over two-hundred years ago and the name for Koi is Nishikigoi. Usually people keep their Koi in outdoor ponds that are landscaped for beauty and equipped with proper filtration and oxygenation. Many owners of Koi ponds also add plants to their ponds to combine elements of the water garden for additional beauty.

The average Koi can grow up to between 24 and 36 inches depending on how well nutritioned the Koi are and how much aeration the Koi pond gets. Also affecting the size of the Koi are the pond size and how well filtered it is. If all is done right, Koi can grow two to four inches a year until they reach their usual maximum size. Usually the fish are fed once a day but they can go without food for up to ten days without much damage to them. The average life span of the Koi is 25 to 35 years, but there have been some that lived to 200 years!

The price of Koi is determined by many factors such as size, body shape, color, pattern and rarity. They are quite hardy and can withstand freezing temperatures as long as the Koi pond is not totally frozen solid. So it is important to keep the pond not completely frozen and to maintain aeration for oxygen in the water. When it is very cold, they will not move around much or eat much.

Raising Koi in a Koi pond can be a relaxing thing. It can bring many years of enjoyment to one’s life.