The koi originally, common carp had been breed in China since the 5th century B.C.E. as food however the common carp was bred in 1820 by the Japanese in or around Ojiya in the Niigata prefecture (prefecture are governmental bodies larger than cities, towns, and villages) on the north eastern coast of Honshu island for color. By the 20th century several color patterns had been developed in particular most notably the red-and-white Kohaku.
When you're confident that your new koi are healthyafter three-week quarantine, you can finally introduce your new koi to their new aquatic citadel, whether it's an aquarium or pond. Koi can go directly from quarantine tub to pondonly if the pH values and temperatures are close (0.2 range for pH, and a 5 degree Fahrenheit difference for temperature).
If you're using an outside pond, keep in mind that the water must be 70 degrees F or higher. Adding a new fish to a too-cold pond shuts down the fish's immune system exactly when he needs it the most. If the water isn't warm enough, leave your koi in its quarantine tub until warmer weather arrives.
Koi Shipped To You
The pond temperature is likely to be different from your quarantine tub's temperature. Take a few precautions to avoid stressing or shocking your fish:
Turn off the heater in the quarantine tub and let the tub reach room temperature overnight.
You want less than a 10-degree difference between pond and tub temperatures so your fish aren't shocked.
The next morning, if the tub and pond temperatures are more than 5 degrees apart, you need to bag and float your koi in the pond.
Use your koi net to bowl your koi (take the handle extension off your net if you're inside).
Pour the bowl into a waiting and partially submerged poly bag or lift your koi into the bag. You want just enough water in the bag to cover the fish so the bag isn't too heavy. Rubber-band the bag closed and lift the bag out of the tub.
Carry the bag to your aquarium or pond, ease it into the water, and let it float for 20 minutes to equalize the temperatures and keep eye on the bag do not allow the bag to heat up from the sun
Preparing for smaller storms and storms that you have more notice on is somewhat easier then preparing for a large storm. Taking a few simple steps will help guide your pond through the storm.
Fire's-Calif 2011
1) Stop feeding your fish. Your pond contains enough natural food sources that your Koi will not starve for a long amount of time. If the storm does any damage to your filtration process, not feeding you fish will cut down on the chance of any ammonia problems later on.
2) Do as big of water change as possible to your pond. In the case that something goes really wrong and you are unable to attend your pond right away, your Koi will have the freshest water available to them. Also, leave out several inches of water to make up for in-coming rainfall. This way, there will be less chance of your pond overflowing.
If you have some type of drainage system, make sure to clear it of any debris so it will work at its full potential. If you pond is ground level and high waters are expected, you can add protection by sand bagging around the area. If nothing else, this may keep your koi confined within the area if flooding occurs.
3) Net over your pond to protect it from any flying debris. Using the same net you use during the fall to keep leaves out should suffice, as long as you properly secure it down.
Hurricane East Coast 2011
4) Remove anything that could potentially blow over, away, or fall into your pond. A good rule of thumb, if you can push it over, so can the wind. Items that could blow away should be completely removed from the area and placed indoors.
Large Storms
Large storms like the recent hurricanes prevent any type of preventative measures from being successful. The only real way to save your pond in these types of events is completely remove your fish from the pond.
First, it is always a good idea to have all the equipment needed to transport your Koi on hand. If you are having an emergency with your Koi, you may or may not have time to make a trip to your local pet store to gather what you need. The equipment needed to bag and transport Koi is small, and easily stored when not in use.
Tornado Alabama 2009
Bags- You must have the proper bags on hand to transport Koi. Do not attempt to transport your Koi in trash or regular plastic bags, as they are not designed for this, and may cause damage to your Koi. Unless you remembered to keep the bags you brought your koi home in originally, you will have to make a trip to your local pet store. Make sure to get bags sizable enough to hold your Koi.
Rubber Bands- You will need quite a few rubber bands for each bag you buy. Make sure that your rubber bands are good quality, as you do not want the pressure from the water to pop the rubber band in the middle of the transport.
Net- You will need to have a net sizable enough to compete with your Koi. You will never need the net to pull the Koi out of the water with, but you will need it to lead and direct your Koi into the place you want them. Nets can potentially damage your Koi, especially with the larger Koi.
Thunder Storm Ohio 2010
Paint Bucket- A paint bucket is a better option for catching your Koi, as they cannot hurt your Koi like a net can. Make sure that your bucket is sizable enough to hold your Koi.
Answer: First you have to know how you got Algae in the first place then you can get rid of it.
All algae need three things to grow- an abundant supply of nutrients; principally phosphates and nitrates. Sunlight in great amounts ties it all together. Knowing this should make it easy to control Algae.
The fastest and easiest way is to do water changes; this washes out most of the nutrients. Plants can be added to the pond to compete with the Algae for nutrients. (This can also be done in a bog filter) Also some kind of a sun sail will help.
Sun Sail Over Pond
Sun Sails are easy to install temporarily blocking the sun; A UV light will help on a continuing basis, but it must have a slow rate of water flow to kill the (Plankton) Algae. Then the dead Algae will be filtered out in the system.
Get someone at the store where you buy it to figure out how big a unit you need.
There are also chemicals to add to the pond to kill Algae, but use them as only last resort. The goal is to "control" algae- not kill the algae entirely.
Don’t forget you are the one who doesn’t like Algae, the Koi love it.
First off, take time to breath. You pride and joys are probably fine. They may be somewhat traumatized by the whole experience, but that would be any pet caught in unusual situation. Unless extreme damage was done, their health probably is not an issue; however their home may be in need of some repairs.
You may have been completely prepared for the storm, or the storm may have taken you by complete surprise. Whatever the case may be, you must jump into action as soon as you physically can to ensure that no further damage is done to your pond.
First, you must undo all of your storm precautions to survey the possible damage.
If you netted your pond, clear as much debris off the net as possible and remove the netting. Once you removed the netting you will be able to survey the damage and the condition that your fish are in.
If high waters were expected and your sand bagged the area around you pond, as long as the water level is normal, remove all sand bags so that you can easily access your pond. Do not get discouraged if things seem out of place, and it may not be as bad as it originally looks.
Once you have removed all netting and other precautions, take time to look at the area. If any debris is present, remove it by skimming and netting. If plants or decorations are uprooted or out of place, replace them to their rightful area.
If you find major damage to your pond, it is important to remove your Koi as soon as possible. Proper bagging and transporting techniques may be needed if the damage done will take a large amount of time to fix, but there are several temporary options available if damage can be fixed quickly.
You may want to consider using a children’s pool to house your Koi. If nothing is available at the time, get into contact with your local pet store or zoo, as they may have program available to help you house your Koi until maintenance can be done.
Once you have decided that only small repairs are needed, and then you must focus on the water quality. You water may seem cloudy or murky due to the storm and the amount of extra water from rainfall. If the storm lasted for a long amount of time, you may be facing ammonia issues as well.
Test your water for Nitrates. If Nitrates are present, add the proper amount of salt to the water. Typically you would add 3/4 to one pound of salt per 100 gallons of water.
However, if your fish are especially shocked by the situation, or seem to have sustained any type of injuries, it may be a good idea to add more. If you have plants in your pond, it may be a good idea to remove them before adding the salt into the water. Your fish should be the most important issue at this point, not your plants.
If you are having KH issues (especially if it is below 100) you will want to add baking soda to your pond. Typically you can add 1 cup of unpacked baking soda per 1000 gallons of water. This will protect your pond from a future pH crash.
Koi, like any other pet, will have medical issues throughout its life; especially since Koi have been know to have a life span of up to 30 years. You contact the vet because you Koi is showing signs of injury or illness, and unless you have a vet that does house calls, chances are the first thing they will say is “bring it in.”
Issues with your pond can arise, whether it is an emergency move because your pond is placed into harms way by natural events, or a planned move due to new construction. No amount of planning can ensure that you will not have to move your Koi for one reason or another.
With the problems that arose from recent events such a Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, and everyday events such as common illnesses, it is imperative that you have a plan of action when it comes to your pride and joys. No matter if it is an emergency or not, knowing how to properly bag and transport your Koi could mean the difference between life and death.
Equipment Needed
First, it is always a good idea to have all the equipment needed to transport your Koi on hand. If you are having an emergency with your Koi, you may or may not have time to make a trip to your local pet store to gather what you need. The equipment needed to bag and transport Koi is small, and easily stored when not in use.
Bags- You must have the proper bags on hand to transport Koi. Do not attempt to transport your Koi in trash or regular plastic bags, as they are not designed for this, and may cause damage to your Koi. Unless you remembered to keep the bags you brought your Koi home in originally, you will have to make a trip to your local pet store. Make sure to get bags sizable enough to hold your Koi.
Rubber Bands- You will need quite a few rubber bands for each bag you buy. Make sure that your rubber bands are good quality, as you do not want the pressure from the water to pop the rubber band in the middle of the transport.
Net-You will need to have a net sizeable enough to compete with your Koi. You will never need the net to pull the Koi out of the water with, but you will need it to lead and direct your Koi into the place you want them. Nets can potentially damage your Koi, especially as the larger they get.
Paint Bucket-A paintbucket is a better option for catching your Koi, as they cannot hurt your Koi like a net can. Make sure that your bucket is sizable enough to hold your Koi.
Bagging your Koi
The process of catching and bagging your Koi is actually pretty simple as long you have the proper equipment available. If you pond is large, you may want to consider enlisting the help of your friends when bagging your Koi.
Use the net to guide the Koi into the Paint Bucket. Once the Koi is in the paint bucket you can remove any excess water, and begin bagging the Koi.
Make sure that your check the bags for leaks. Once you are sure that the bag is secure, place the bag over the Koi from head to tail. Make sure there is enough water in the bag to completely cover the gills. Leave plenty of air room so that the bag is not too heavy to carry. Slip the rubber bands around the end of the bag and continue to double it until the bag is secure.
Place the bags horizontally in your transport container. Make sure that you do not bend the fish when lifting it. Secure the bag so that it will not move with bumps and turns, and cover the fish so that as little heat and sun light can enter as possible.
Transporting Alvin My Koi Fish I use Ice Chest & Air Stone
Koi ponds have become a popular hobby in the world, and the reasons are clear as to why. Koi are beautiful, vibrant fish that can literally light your day. Koi come in many colors, varieties, and kinds, so it is likely that everyone in the world can find at least one type of Koi that would suit their likes. While Koi may be a welcomed beauty to your pond, they also have an interesting history attached to them.
In Chinese culture, Koi ponds are said to being good luck to their owners. Koi ponds are used as an overall plan to fulfill their lives. Other parts of the world consider Koi ponds as a form of relaxation and serenity. In the United States, more and more people seem to find Koi ponds to be fun more then anything else. No matter what the reason you find to have a Koi pond, they are sure to brighten your life.
However, Koi keeping should not be taken lightly. Koi, like any other animal, require time and money to maintain. The majority of first time Koi owners fail because they get the idea that keeping Koi is easy in some way. Do not let this discourage you though, as educating yourself will greatly improve your chances of succeeding.
It is important for you to learn all you can BEFORE you begin obtaining the things you need for Koi keeping. This way, you will not slip up and have to replace anything that you have already done or bought. Planning ahead will not only save your money, but it will potentially save your sanity as well.
It is important to learn the information for 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 bias. 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.
You would not believe that Koi actually have personalities similar to other animals. They are social, and can even be trained to eat directly from their owners hands. The more time you spend with your Koi, the more you will notice each Koi has individual characteristics and traits.
Koi have been known to live for up to 200 years at time, but generally the average lifespan of a healthy Koi is about 30 years. So if you are looking for along time pet companion, Koi may be a good choice.
Building Your Koi Habitat
Before ever buying Koi, you must create a proper habitat for them. This is where information from your pond builder and supplier will come in handy. However, you should not rely on the opinions of just one person.
It may be a god idea to do research on your own, before you go to purchase the materials needed for you pond. Because of its popularity, an unlimited supply of resources can be found on the topic of Koi keeping. Visit your local library, fishery center, or research online. There are quite a few things needed to sustain a habitable 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 considering how many Koi you are going to put it in.
Your filtration system is extremely important. There are 2 types of filtration, mechanical and biological. Mechanical filtration relives the pond of solids such as dead algae, insects, and Koi wastes.
It is important to have enough filtration to sustain the size of the pond, and the amount and size of your Koi. Biological filtration causes a nitrogen cycle, which is what removes dissolved wastes from your pond. Without biological filtration, built up waste will turn into ammonia and kill your Koi within just a few days.
Besides the technical aspects of your pond, you will also have the ability to create a visually appealing area as well. Waterfalls, fountains, and other water features will not only add a visual show to your pond, but it will also create movement and sound. A variety of plants and flowers are also available for your pond.
Pond bacteria are present in nearly all ponds, except those ponds built to contain only pure, clean and sterile water. Artificial ponds need chemical agents such as bleach to eliminate any pond bacteria that may possibly come out. Otherwise, most ponds found in gardens or landscaped areas also known as "living ponds" are inhibited by good and bad bacteria.
Bad Bacteria
Just like the bacteria we have in our bodies, there are generally both good and bad bacteria present in pond water. Whereas, the good bacteria help people break down the food, while the bad ones trigger disease, inflammation, or even infection.
Pond bacteria are no different: there are good bacteria and bad bacteria. Good bacteria fight off bad bacteria to keep them from coming back, while bad bacteria infest water and its organisms.
Bad Pond Bacteria - http://Nishiki-colorfulkoi.blogspot.com Bacteria for ponds are generally small to be individually seen by naked eye, but they are recognizable by way of alterations in water colors, the existence of pond scum and algae, as well as foul odors such as methane. The most troublesome is the algae build-up. Algae have many various types, several thousand in fact.
Algae are commonly categorized as fungi instead of bacteria, but they are dealt exactly like bacteria. Several kinds of algae create an unwanted appearance to ponds and can be very harmful.
Wildlife as well as domesticated creatures can get water-borne diseases and even die once it consumed water infested by harmful algae. Humans directly into contact with algae infested pond water can experience skin rashes or irritation, eye, nose and throat irritation, and other illnesses.
Good Pond Bacteria - Whereas bad algae often thrive on decaying plant material and animal waste, the good pond bacteria normally thrive on the bad bacteria and consume the latter's food sources.
Good Bacteria
Good pond bacteria are usually weak and thrive only under limited conditions. One kind of good bacterium is sludge remover. The sludge removers feast on dead substances from ponds, removing a food source essential to various kinds of bad bacteria.
Another kind of good bacteria are nitrifies. These kinds multiply slowly. Nitrifies role is converting ammonia into nitrites and then into harmless nitrates.
Periodic Waste Removal -The ideal approach to maintain good bacteria is by removing dead materials periodically. A natural pond cannot be "cleaned' just like a pool, primarily because it is hosting plant and marine life.
However, you have to be careful in the particles or substances that fall off the pond and avoid overfeeding fish that greatly contribute to bacterial growth. One good promoter of algae development is direct sunlight.
Eliminating undesirable pond bacteria is definitely an extensive process, particularly if the pond water is stagnant. Installing a water fountain, an aerator, or anything that promotes movement of water can be a significant help in cleaning a pond.
As what has been noted previously, pond bacteria are too small to be seen; however, once you succeed in removing algae, pond scum, sludge, and clarify the water, you've probably won the battle-- although the war may continue over time.
What made Alvin special nothing at first except he was larger than most of the other goldfish I now know Alvin was a tobiand it was impossible to net him so Alvin lived in our 50 gallon or 189.270589 liter feeder tank for about 6 months in the interim I had purchased more feeder fish and Alvin just kept getting bigger and bigger than I noticed Alvin was nipping at the other feeders fins and tails, then I happen to notice Alvin was dinning on feeder fish my God I had cannibal goldfish.
That’s when we called John college friend of mine to come over the next time he was in town and take a long hard look at this cannibal goldfish- John has Doctorate in Ichthyology consults for large public and commercial aquariums and teaches at California University. John took one look at Alvin and told me I think what you have there is Cyprinus carpio haematopterus; good god John in English please-you have a koi fish not goldfish.
Koi but just not any Koi I believe you have Ghost koi if you keep him you will soon learn he’s a smart friendly fish who will also eat other smaller fish-all carp are omnivorous you know; John always talk like a person reciting stereo instructions.
Alvin is now 9 years old 26" long or 66.04 centimeter and weight about 20 lbs or 9.071847 kilograms now and John was right Alvin is lot of fun my husband and I bought him a 100 gallon or 378.541178 liter aquarium which Alvin out grew; so John designed large koi pond that filters water through our swimming pool filteration system and recirculates water back from waterfall built into the pond so we built Alvin’s a pond-I suppose you would call it Koi pond but since Alvin is the only Koi in the pond along with turtles we just call it Alvin’s pond.
John was right Alvin is smart- in the sun Alvin is a brilliant platinum color we put large hand-blown lava glass balls in the pond with lighting- Alvin moves the glass balls all around the pond we move the balls back Alvin moves them out again we put in waterlillies-Alvin uproots the waterlillies you find waterlillies moved all over the pond.
Alvin does all sorts of things Koi are never supposed to do. Kio never uproot plants Alvin does. Koi are not known for eating or bothering other Koi Alvin does. Koi are not known to be aggressive Alvin is. Alvin has eaten several turtles and bit off one turtle’s leg however John say’s that’s impossible the turtle must have had missing leg when we bought him.
We tried introducing other Koi into Alvin’s pond –John suggested we use a large clear piece of glass which was 22 feet long to shield the other Koi from Alvin and it worked until Alvin discovered he could jump the glass and he killed 3 and injured 4 other Koi he was being introduced too and the Kio he killed where approximately the same size as Alvin- John’s byline is now what has Alvin done?
Alvin greets us every morning when we go outside to drink our coffee Alvin’s greeting is smacking noise and splashing until we give him Romaine or butter lettuce that’s the only lettuce he likes then he bumps the turtles and starts moving around the glass balls. I don’t think John believed us until we bought Camcorder and took pictures of him in action.
Alvin prefers to be hand feed and I call him with a kids clicker toy. John told me the clicker wouldn't work after all Alvin isn't a dolphin. I was inspired when we went to Sea World they train dolphins with clickers; It took about 2 days and now Alvin treats the clicker like the dinner bell.
Alvin loves brine shrimp, lettuce-Romaine or butter, watermelon, lemons, oranges, soy, koi food, crickets, silk worms, white worms and dog food my Toy Poodle Maurice has congestive heart failure, swims with Alvin and Maurice eats dogs food that doesn't have soy, wheat, or corn in it but is high protein.
Cotton wool or cotton ball disease is the name for Saprolegnia— a dreadful fungus that grows when bad water quality stresses your Koi. Expect to find it when the water contains quantities of uneaten food and when the pond has too many Koi for pond size or pond is really dirty and there is not enough aeration in the pond.
Fungus can attack any weakened portion of a Koi, from the skin to the gills. It usually takes hold opportunistically, when the Koi are stressed. Be sure that you always check for the presence of fungus when your fish suffer an unrelated trauma or illness.
When a Koi has cotton wool fungus, the fish develops what looks like a fine-textured fur coat over its body that's actually mold growing on the skin. Sometimes the fungus looks like a pale-orange or ivory-colored layer. As the disease progresses, the fungus grows longer, cotton-like tufts.
Immediately treat this disease by correcting the conditions that lead to the outbreak:
Decrease the number of Koi in the pond-immediately place affected Koi in separate quarantine tank remember you have sick fish so be very careful when transferring and make sure regarding water temperatures and pH is similar so you don’t want to shock your Koi.
Improve water quality via partial water changes; an upgraded filtration system; an ammonia remover like AmQuel Plus or Zeolite; and increased aeration.
You can also use medication against the fungus. Adding Methylene blue –be careful this ill dye your clothes and your hands blue(a dye commonly used as a fish medication and available at most pet stores) to the pond at a rate of 1 teaspoon per 700 gallons helps kill the fungus, but individually treating each affected Koi in a quarantine tub stops the progression of the disease much faster.
Either sedate the koi or hold it so you can remove the patches of fungus with a cotton swab. Then dab the affected spots first with malachite green (a fungicide) and then with propolis (an antibiotic and topical treatment). Return the fish to the quarantine tub and watch closely to make certain no secondary fungal or bacterial infection sets in.
Cleaning the pond regularly is essential for the healthy growth of the local pond ecosystem in your garden. The pond in your garden is a representative of a very complex habitat and the small and big creatures living there need a fresh and clean environment.
You can use many artificial methods to clean the pond that includes the use of filters, there are certain natural approaches to clean the pond also. Nature offers the best solution for any kind of problem. Here are some useful tips for cleaning your pond naturally.
Nothing can replace a good filtration system, it is important to consider the part that nature has to play in your artificial ecosystem.Some plants, such as water lilies play a vital role as a natural pond cleaner. Water lilies are helpful to avoid green water from your pond. If you cover half of the pond with plants, such as water lilies helps in natural water purification.
Water lilies spread easily throughout the surface of your pond. Apart from helping in natural pond cleaning, water lilies also help the fishes in the pond to hide from the sun during extreme summer.Various other water plants also play as natural pond cleaners. Water lilies plants maintain the health of your natural pond ecosystem. Water lilies exhale a lot of oxygen into the environment and in to the water as well, helping the oxygenation of the pond water regularly.
Water lilies plants help process and remove organic waste materials from the pond naturally. You can use both floating and submerged water plants as natural pond purifiers. Water lilies floating plants take care of cleaning the upper water surface, submerged plants purify the basement and lower part of the pond. The water lilies roots of the floating water plants contain many beneficial microorganisms, which digest the organic wastes, thus helping in natural pond purification.Another consideration for natural pond purification is waterfall.
Waterfalls avoid the water in your pond to settle at one place, thus helping in the transport of important organic maters to various parts of the pond. Waterfalls not only ensure beauty to your pond but also help in the process of natural pond purification by transporting out heavy organic and chemical pollutants, such as mercury, heavy metals, and nitrate; and phosphate chemicals.
Water Falls for Small Pond
Nature certainly has the best solution to help you in the process of natural pond cleaning process. Consider the above methods to get a clean and pure natural pond in your garden.
Pond Bacteria are ever present in nearly all ponds, except those ponds built to contain only pure, clean and sterile water. Artificial ponds need chemical agents such as bleach to eliminate any pond bacteria that may possibly come out. Otherwise, most ponds found in gardens or landscaped areas also known as "living ponds" are inhibited by good and bad bacteria.
Just like the bacteria we have in our bodies, there are generally both good and bad bacteria present in pond water. Whereas, the good bacteria help people break down the food, while the bad ones trigger disease, inflammation, or even infection. Pond bacteria are no different: there are good bacteria and bad bacteria. Good bacteria fight off bad bacteria to keep them from coming back, while bad bacteria infest water and its organisms.
Bad Pond Bacteria- Bacteria for ponds are generally small to be individually seen by naked eye, but they are recognizable by way of alterations in water color, the existence of pond scum and algae, as well as foul odors such as methane. The most troublesome is the algae build-up.
Algae have many various types, several thousand in fact. Algae are commonly categorized as fungi instead of bacteria, but they are dealt exactly like bacteria. Several kinds of algae create an unwanted appearance to ponds and can be very harmful. Wildlife as well as domesticated creatures can get water-borne diseases and even die once it consumed water infested by harmful algae. Humans directly into contact with algae infested pond water can experience skin rashes or irritation, eye, nose and throat irritation, and other illnesses.
Good Pond Bacteria - Whereas bad algae often thrive on decaying plant material and animal waste, the good pond bacteria normally thrive on the bad bacteria and consume the latter's food sources. Good pond bacteria are usually weak and thrive only under limited conditions. One kind of good bacterium is sludge remover. The sludge removers feast on dead substances from ponds, removing a food source essential to various kinds of bad bacteria. Another kind of good bacteria are nitrification. These kinds multiply slowly. Nitrification role is converting ammonia into nitrites and then into harmless nitrates.
Periodic Waste Removal -The ideal approach to maintain good bacteria is by removing dead materials periodically. A natural pond cannot be "cleaned' just like a pool, primarily because it is hosting plant and marine life. However, you have to be careful in the particles or substances that fall off the pond and avoid overfeeding fish that greatly contribute to bacterial growth. One good promoter of algae development is direct sunlight.
Eliminating undesirable pond bacteria is definitely an extensive process, particularly if the pond water is stagnant. Installing a water fountain, an aerator, or anything that promotes movement of water can be a significant help in cleaning a pond. As what has been noted previously, pond bacteria are too small to be seen; however, once you succeed in removing algae, pond scum, sludge, and clarify the water, you've probably won the battle-- although the war may continue over time.
