Ornamental Koi Carp

Cyprinus Carpio

Japanese koi are ornamental coldwater fish prohibited as pets in many places. This is because their wild counterparts are causing havoc for native fish stocks. Koi for ponds are the same species as the nuisance carp. These colorless fish wild fish will breed freely with the orange, red, gold, white, black and blue koi that have been bred selectively as pets.

While young fish can be kept in aquariums the fully grown koi should be provided with a large outdoor pond. Here they can grow to a meter in length though one specimen was caught that was twice this size. Deep water sections are a must to prevent flying predators from preying on these ornamental carp.

Many mature fish regularly live for over 30 years but the oldest recorded was an incredible two centuries of age.

Feeding Koi

Food causes the koi health problems when they are overfed. It is easy to feed them too much as it is an enjoyable aspect of keeping them. Only give them what they will eat in 5 minutes. This should be about one gram of dry goldfish pellets each day for an adult koi carp. In a pond they will also eat plants and algae when available. Peas and cooked spinach are also offered by some fish keepers.

If the water falls beneath 10°C a hibernation state comes into affect and no food should be offered. This is because any food eaten may not be digested, causing the fish bloat and possible death.

A Koi Pond At Feeding Time

Koi Quality

Younger more affordable fish are usually kept in the home pond while high quality koi are purchased by breeders and connoisseurs. To buy koi can be very expensive for the high quality examples. They are valued by size, shape, colour, pattern and temperament. These are the qualities that are looked for when these fish are judged in competitions.

Video Of The Japan Koi Show Grand Champion

Koi Profile

Family - Cyprinidae

Size - Can grow to 100 cm in large ponds

Fish Origin - First selectively bred in China then Perfected In Japan

Water - Only place in ponds with established water to avoid ammonia.

Temperature - Koi are coldwater fish that thrive below 22°C.

Feeding - Floating Koi Pellets

Sexing - Males more streamlined while females are rounder

Breeding - Egg layer

Aquarium - Only for aquariums when small

The following is a basic guide to classifying different ornamental koi varieties. A ko identification chart is displayed below the descriptions..

Asagi - Light blue top surface with red underside

Bekko - Red, white or yellow with a black markings

Butterfly Koi - Long fins

Doitsu Goi - German carp variety

Ghost koi - Result of pairing a wild and solid color ornamental koi.

Goshiki - Koi with black back ground and with white, red, brown, and light blue markings

Hikari Moyomono - Two colors on the koi  one of which is metallic

Jinmengyo - Strange faced koi that resemble a mamal

Kawarimono - Mixed breed koi

Kin Gin Rin - Shiny metallic koi

Kohaku - White + red

Koromo - Ordered scales with blue edges

Ogon - Single color koi

Showa Sanshoku / Showa - Black + red + white

Shusui - Asagi with gaps between some scales

Taisho Sanshoku or Sanke - White + red + black

Tancho - Head circle that is often red but can be other colors also

Utsurimono - Black + red or white or yellow

Pond Full Of Mixed Koi Varieties

Other Cyprinids

Goldfish | White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Zebra Danio | Rosy Barb | Tinfoil Barb

Aquarium Fish