Koi Fish & Ponds

An Asian design element that has progressively made its way to homes in the United States are koi ponds. Chinese culture believes that koi ponds help bring good luck, or "ong" as they call it. Though pricey to build (cost starts at $1,200), homeowners who can afford the investment in time and money get to see colorful koi fish--some of which may eat out of their owner's hands--become part of their house's landscape.

  1. History

    • Koi are bred all over the world and are the most popular pond fish. Koi originated in eastern Asia and China and were introduced in their black color form 2,500 years ago. Different colored koi began appearing 700 years later, and by the early 1800s, red, white and yellow koi were being bred. Today, koi fish come in more than 100 color varieties, and every fish is unique because color patterns are never repeated from one koi to the next.

    Feeding

    • Koi eating habits are generally determined by water temperature. If the water temperature is 86 degrees F or higher, feed the koi no more than two times a day; 68 to 85 degrees F, feed two to four times a day; 59 to 67 degrees F, one to two times a day; 50 to 58 degrees F, no more than two times a day; 41 to 49 degrees F, two to three times a day; and below 41 degrees F, do not feed because the koi are in hibernation mode.

    Types

    • Among the more popular koi varieties are utsurimono, which feature black skin and have white, red or yellow coloring, and krawimono, which have a coal black body and can feature white wings and head. The most popular koi, the kohaku, feature various tones of red with shades of white, such as a porcelain color. Other popular koi are doitsu, bekko, asagi, koromo, hikaru-utsuri, goshiki, kinginrin and tancho.

    Maintenance

    • Koi ponds should be cleaned on a regular basis. You can employ routine maintenance (usually every two weeks) and seasonal maintenance (usually twice annually). Routine maintenance involves keeping the filtration functioning, adding algae removers or biological enhancers and performing small water exchanges. Seasonal maintenance is basically a thorough cleaning of the pond, which includes draining it almost completely, scrubbing rocks or stones to remove algae and fully cleaning and maintaining the water pump.

    Tips

    • To help ensure a positive koi pond experience, consider installing a bottom rain, which will help remove waste that settles at the bottom of the pond. Because water quality is far superior in a larger body of water, consider building your pond as large as possible. A large pond requires fewer water changes and leads to less algae and koi health problems.