Successful koi keeping | Creating the best koi pond environment

The Best Koi Pond Environment From A Koi's Point Of View

Part 1: As koi keepers you must always bear one thing in mind " Koi are living, breathing organisms first and our pride and joy second". Koi, like humans need their own own environment and know exactly what they need from that environment to lead a fulfilled, happy, healthy existence. As koi keepers, we strive to create the "best pond environment" although this may at times be quite elusive and difficult to sustain. Get the environment right and you have an excellent chance of success ... get it wrong and you will only compound issues and create problems for yourself.

What is the best koi pond environment?

Try to look at things from your Koi's point of view and not your own. Ask yourself a simple question "If I were a koi what would I like?" The remainder of the article will hopefully help to clarify things.

In nature fish have a natural habitat and this is exactly what we aim to mimic, to the best of our ability, in our own backyard pond. As koi do not occur naturally in the wild, being a selectively bred species, who have had their genetics significantly altered over time, the nearest comparison we can use is the carp. Bear in mind that wild carp are far more adaptive to strange environments and more robust in general than our fancy looking koi, so obtaining the ideal eco system for our koi is extremely important to their well being. Various factors come into play:

It Is important to provide a stable koi pond environment

Wild carp are the most farmed species of fish in existence and amongst the most widespread. They have adapted over time to many climactic conditions but they too need stability, like our koi, who are inherently a genetically modified species of carp (koi carp). Koi are a warm water fish who prefer water temperatures of around 26 - 27 Celsius, although capable of surviving in freezing cold temperatures and water over 30 Celsius. There is however a difference between existing and comfortable living and we should strive to offer our koi the ideal conditions in order to maximize their growth and potential.

Endeavour to offer as large a living area as possible, so as to significantly reduce the impact of daily fluctuations within the artificial koi environment, including temperature, ammonia levels and dissolved oxygen levels. In the wild carp predominantly live in lowland lakes, where the water volumes are huge and these variances pale into insignificance. Even seasonal variations in: temperature, ammonia and oxygen concentrations have been adapted to. Carp live through these fluctuations and have adapted their breeding, resting and growing patterns accordingly. We should aim to offer this lowland existence in our own backyard koi ponds ... at least to the best of our abilities.

Lowland waters generally contain hard water, have high levels of minerals and are slightly alkaline. Carp have adapted to these conditions and our koi should be subjected to similar water conditions, albeit in our backyard koi pond environment. Ideally koi will prosper in water that has a pH between 7.5 and 8.5.

Choice of food

In nature a carp's daily intake of food will consist of mainly protein, about 60%, whereas our "pet koi" don't have that luxury. In an artificial pond environment feeding koi such a protein rich diet would impact greatly upon the quality of the water and would also prove to be costly. Instead we feed artificial dry diets that have been engineered to meet a Koi's dietary needs and also the needs of the pond environment. Much of the protein has been substituted for carbohydrate that provides energy but burns cleaner, resulting in less impact upon your pond's biofiltration system.

One of the greatest differences between a carp's natural habitat and an artificial koi pond environment is the water itself. Carp in the wild love cloudy water but this goes against what we want from our koi pond. We want crystal clear water so that we can actually see our prized specimens. If we were actually thinking like a koi would we keep the water so clear?

Comparison of a natural existence and an artificial existence & How It Affects You Koi

  •  In nature water volumes are huge whereas they are significantly smaller in your koi pond. Hence variations in water quality (lots of ammonia and low oxygen levels) will impact upon the koi, causing them to adapt and live out an existence but preventing them from prospering and reaching their full potential.
  • In an artificial eco system the level of fish compared to the level of water is high, unlike a lowland lake. This increased fish load can cause stress, particularly at feeding time. A Biofilter is also essential to remove toxic liquid and solid waste, resulting in cleaner, clearer water.
  • A koi is genetically engineered, like it's wild carp relative to a high protein, high roughage diet. In an artificial setting food is designed to have less protein & less roughage, due to cost & pond cleaning maintenance. Is this dry diet substitution ideal for our koi?
  • Lakes experience seasonal and climactic variances. An artificial, heated pond environment removes these seasons and produces the "one season" year. Koi need these seasonal variations to prevent confusion and the symptoms: reduced growth during winter, female koi spawn bound in Autumn because they haven't received their natural cue to spawn.
  • Cloudy water conditions are the norm for wild carp. However water gardening & keeping koi in artificial koi pond environments is based on the concept of clearer water must be better water. In reality, as far as koi are concerned the removal of inorganic matter leads to increased stress and a reduction in the mineral load. Koi inherently prefer muddy water conditions.

Step By Step Guide To Successful Koi Keeping

As you can see there are many factors that could impact upon your success or failure in koi keeping. The best we can aim to achieve is a compromise where we cater for the majority of the Koi's requirements but also for some of our own too. The following list of articles provide a step by step guide on how to address the differences and how to best mimic these in your own koi pond to become a successful koi keeper.

  • Part 2: Koi Mud Pond Benefits - How Does A Backyard Koi Pond Compare? - In late January / Early February, koi breeders move their koi from mud ponds to heavily filtered, highly aerated artificial ponds The koi, having spent the previous 6 months in a natural mud pond are in top condition and full of vitality.
  • Part 3: Koi Husbandry & understanding Koi Behavior In Your Koi Pond -  What exactly is koi husbandry and why is it important to understand koi behavior?. This article explains the principles and the benefits and importance of doing so if you aim to be a successful koi pond keeper.
  • Part 4: Prevent Koi Disease - Remove Stress To Maintain Healthy Koi -  Disease in koi, caused by pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, viruses fungi and parasites can be significantly reduced by providing a stress free environment that helps to maintain healthy koi.
  • Part 5: Koi Disease And Treatment of Pathogenic Koi Ailments - The four types of pathogen affecting koi and other pond fish are viruses, bacteria, fungus and Parasites. One or more of these koi ailments are almost guaranteed at some stage to infect individual koi or the entire pond. However when pathogens do attack it is important to know what to do.
  • Part 6: Koi Nutrition - A Balanced Koi Diet Requires The Correct Koi Food  - The majority of koi food is available ready packed, pre-milled and contains differing ratio's of proteins, carbohydrates, oils, vitamins and minerals. The major reason a koi and any other fish for that matter requires food is to meets it's energy requirements. Having fulfilled it's energy needs a koi needs the correct koi food for it's growth, coloration, health and to maintain specific pond water qualities.

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