5 Steps To A Perfect Koi Fish Hobby

So many people find happiness in keeping Koi fish that I just had to have a look into what was involved in building the perfect Koi pond. If I'm interested in finding serenity in the time I spend watching my fish, I should invest the time to make certain my Koi fish are happy as well!

Here is what I found about Koi fish - my 5 steps to a perfect Koi fish hobby.

Step 1 - Setting Up The Perfect Environment

Your perfect Koi pond starts with the actual pond itself. You should set up a pond that will not only be pleasing to the eye, but will also properly sustain Koi. Proper placement, size, and pond type is essential when building your pond.

When it comes to pond size, bigger is always better. Koi have a habit of growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are thinking of how many Koi you are going to put it in.

Unless you have experience in outdoor landscaping, fish keeping, and construction, it may be a good idea to leave the pond building to a professional. While some people think that building the pond yourself with save you money, this could not be further from the truth. If your pond is not build properly the first time, you will finish up spending a large amount of money fixing the problems that come up. Not only that, if your pond is not properly setup, you may not even be able to keep fish alive.

Remember when you employ a professional, it is their job to give you what you want. They can give their knowledge when it comes to decision making, but ultimately, they will do whatever you want them too. Because of this, you can not blame them if your pond fails due to location, size, or other factors. However, beware of extremely cheap quotes as they may cut corners that could potentially cause you problems later. While quotes will end up different, there should not be a dramatic difference between them, and if there is, make sure you understand why so you can make an informed decision on who to give the construction contract to.

Step 2 - Learning about Koi Keeping

Knowledge is power when it comes to Koi keeping. It is very important to learn as much as you possibly can about the hobby before jumping in with both feet.

It is important to learn the information yourself rather then relying on other sources. People such as your product dealer and pond builder will have limited knowledge, but should not be trusted as a reliable source, as they are selling products and may be biased. Plus, once you are at home with your Koi, your product dealer or pond builder may not be available to help you in the event of a problem.

Step 3 - Picking Out Koi

Once you have created the perfect environment, you will want to start looking into buying your fish. It is important to remember never to purchase too many Koi because they will grow rather large, and they breed almost yearly. Overpopulating your Koi pond will cause serious problems later on.

I can't believe how many variety of Koi fish there are to choose from.

Step 4 - Preventing Common Koi Pond Problems

You can prevent certain kinds of Koi pond problems by following simple prevention steps.

Always quarantine new fish before introducing them to your current Koi population. Koi can have certain illnesses and viruses, such as KHV or Koi Herpes Virus, with little or no symptoms showing. By quarantining, you will greatly reduce the risk of exposing your population to potentially deadly situations.

Do water tests at the very least weekly. This will allow you to observe discrepancies in the test results long before your pond starts showing indications of stress. This will potentially save not only your pond, but your fish as well.

Step 5 - Feeding Your Koi

Finally, feeding you Koi can be one of the most pleasing aspect of having a perfect Koi pond.

You should check with your local pet store or Koi dealer when it comes to the amount and kinds of food that you should be feeding your fish. Feeding patterns change with season and temperature.

Koi can be fed treats such as fruit, veggies, bread, and shop bought treats.

Koi can literally be taught to eat directly from your hand. This takes time and patience, but will eventually provide pleasure to you and your visitors.

My take on this then is that keeping Koi fish can be both challenging and enjoyable, and also an excellent form of stress relief.
So many people find happiness in keeping Koi fish that I just had to have a look into what was involved in building the perfect Koi pond. If I'm interested in finding serenity in the time I spend watching my fish, I should invest the time to make sure my Koi fish are happy as well!

Here is what I found about Koi fish - my 5 steps to a perfect Koi fish hobby.

Step 1 - Creating The Perfect Environment

Your perfect Koi pond starts with the actual pond itself. You will need to build a pond that will not only be pleasing to the eye, but will also properly sustain Koi. Proper placement, size, and pond type is essential when building your pond.

When it comes to pond size, bigger is always better. Koi have a habit of growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are thinking of how many Koi you are going to put it in.

Unless you have experience in outdoor landscaping, fish keeping, and construction, it may be a good idea to leave the pond building to a professional. While some people think that building the pond yourself with save you money, this could not be further from the truth. If your pond is not build properly the first time, you will finish up spending a large amount of money fixing the problems that come up. Not only that, if your pond is not properly setup, you may not even be able to keep fish alive.

Remember when you contract a professional, it is their job to give you what you want. They can give their knowledge when it comes to decision making, but ultimately, they will do whatever you want them too. Because of this, you can not blame them if your pond fails due to location, size, or other factors. However, beware of extremely cheap quotes as they may cut corners that could potentially cause you problems later. While quotes will end up different, there should not be a dramatic difference between them, and if there is, make sure you understand why so you can make an informed decision on who to give the construction contract to.

Step 2 - Learning about Koi Keeping

Knowledge is power when it comes to Koi keeping. It is essential to learn as much as you possibly can about the hobby before jumping in with both feet.

It is important to learn the information yourself rather then relying on other sources. People such as your product dealer and pond builder will have limited knowledge, but should not be trusted for a reliable source, as they are selling products and may be biased. Plus, once you are at home with your Koi, your product dealer or pond builder may not be available to help you in the event of a problem.

Step 3 - Picking Out Koi

Once you have created the perfect environment, you will want to start looking into buying your fish. It is important to remember never to purchase too many Koi because they will grow rather large, and they breed almost yearly. Overpopulating your Koi pond will cause serious problems down the road.

I can't believe how many variety of Koi fish there are to choose from.

Step 4 - Preventing Common Koi Pond Problems

You can prevent certain types of Koi pond problems by following simple prevention measures.

Always quarantine new fish before introducing them to your current Koi population. Koi can have certain illnesses and viruses, such as KHV or Koi Herpes Virus, with little or no symptoms showing. By quarantining, you will greatly reduce the risk of exposing your population to potentially deadly situations.

Do water tests at the very least weekly. This will allow you to recognize discrepancies in the test results long before your pond starts showing indications of stress. This will potentially save not only your pond, but your fish as well.

Step 5 - Feeding Your Koi

Finally, feeding you Koi can be one of the most pleasing parts of having a perfect Koi pond.

You should check with your local pet store or Koi dealer when it comes to the amount and varieties of food that you should be feeding your fish. Feeding patterns change with season and temperature.

Koi can be fed treats such as fruit, veggies, bread, and store bought treats.

Koi can literally be taught to eat directly from your hand. This takes time and patience, but will eventually provide enjoyment to you and your visitors.

My take on this then is that keeping Koi fish can be both challenging and enjoyable, and also a good form of stress relief.