Koi Fish - The Ultimate Aquarium Fish

My introduction to koi fish ponds came in a small restaurant many years ago in Santa Cruz, CA. It was our first visit and I was amazed at the size and colors of the fish in the indoor pond. The pond had a wide variety of plants in it that provided food and hiding places for the fish. I don't remember if the food was good, but that koi fish pond is still firmly in my mind.

I learned that koi fish are a variety of the common carp that was domesticated centuries ago in Japan as food and later as ornamental fish for their large variety of colors. Not, their only function is to provide entertainment and pleasure to the people who own or see them. These amazing fish can be purchased in pet stores for several dollars and if they are cared for and fed properly, will grow to be very large fish similar in size to carp found in many rivers.

There are several characteristics other than size that make koi the ultimate aquarium fish.

1. A wide variety of colors. The major colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue, and a cream. Different varieties of Koi are distinguished by their color, pattern of color and scales. The most popular colors seem to be white, white with black patterns and black with red patterns. My personal favorite is white with the black patterns.

2. These are a hardy fish that adapt to outdoor ponds and do well in cold climates in deep ponds that don't freeze at the bottom. The pond should have a pump and filter to keep the water clean and make it easier to see the fish.

3. The Koi is a Carp and will eat almost anything, even some plants put in the pond. This makes it easy to provide food that is nutritious for them and koi will learn to recognize the person feeding them and will gather around them at feeding times. These fish are bottom feeders and will stir up any mud on the bottom of the pool.

4. Some varieties of Koi can live for a very long time. Most carp will live 25 to 30 years, but at least one female koi was reported to be more than 200 years old at her death.

Interest in koi as ornamental fish has soared over the past several years. But like any other hobby, it takes patience, commitment and persistence to learn how to build a good koi pond or aquarium and raise healthy fish. The pond must be large enough to provide room for the number of fish you want to keep and should be filtered to keep the water clean and clear.

It can be a lot of work to start a koi fish pond, but the end result is well worth the effort to get and keep the ultimate aquarium fish.

Koi ponds provide the ultimate in relaxation and enjoyment. It is important to learn as much as possible when you have a koi fish pond or are considering building one. Get your information from a koi fish expert. For more great information on koi fish, visit my website http://www.koifish.marshallcrum.com.