Koi

If you’re new to Koi keeping, or you’d simply like to pick up some techniques on getting the best out of your stock, Ricky Stoddart has some top tips that should set you on the path to success

Koi keeping is a hobby in which you never stop learning, but to make sure you’ve got the basics in place we’ve put together some essential tips that should ensure you and your Koi get a great start.

Maintaining the system

The filtration system at the heart of a pond is designed to carry out two jobs: to remove mechanical debris from the pond, and to breakdown the harmful waste products that the Koi produce.

One of the biggest potential risks is the chance of a bacterial problem breaking out in the pond. During spring, summer and autumn, filter systems should be cleaned at least once a week. If you find that a lot of waste has accumulated after this time, you need to clean it more often.

Changing your water

The addition of fresh water into a Koi pond is vital; without it, the conditions will deteriorate as time goes by.

You also need to make sure that the new water going into the pond is treated correctly, otherwise it could cause harm to your fish. UK mains water contains chlorine and chloramine, so avoid having problems from your mains water by using a good purifier.

The effects of untreated fresh water, water treated with a poor purifier, or one that needs replacement media is clear. Soon after adding fresh water, Koi can become very irritated and begin to flash, flick their fins and jump.

Feeding your Koi

Although you may find that your Koi will eat anything you throw into the pond, they may not be getting the correct nutrition. Always check the ingredients and make sure that fish meal is at the top of the list. If poultry meal appears anywhere, then you should stay away from it.

You should always buy the best that you can afford. You can easily end up paying £50 for 5kg of food, which can only achieve a conversion ratio (weight gained to weight fed) of 30%, whereas food costing £80 for 5kg may give a conversion ratio of 60% plus (half the amount for the same results).

Watch your KH

KH, or carbonate hardness, is the glue of your entire system. Its primary job is to soak up acid and keep your pH stable. If your KH gets too low, or even goes completely, you are at risk of your pH crashing very quickly, which could cause mortalities and lead to water quality problems.

Adding oyster shells or Lithaqua to the filter will help to soak up acid before the KH does. You could also increase the amount of water changing that you do, and finally, you can simply keep a regular check on the levels and when you see them drop, add a buffer such as bicarbonate of soda or an off-the-shelf solution.

Testing and analysis

The trick with water testing is to try and be proactive and stop major water quality issues from arising. Make it a weekly task to test your parameters and keep a log of your readings.

If you do have persistent problems, don’t be tempted to keep buying heaps of products to fix it because, in the majority of cases, it will be a problem with the pond and how the system is set up.

Under the microscope

All Koi keepers should have a test kit and a microscope. Parasites are a very common occurrence and they shouldn’t cause any real harm if they are identified and eradicated early.

If you see that your Koi are unwell, you should ensure that the water is okay and then use your microscope to make sure that a parasite is not causing the problem. There are pictures of all the common parasites on the Internet so you have something to cross-reference to.

Protect your Koi

Koi don’t need to be kept in warm water all year, they should have a proper summer and a good winter and they should live in cold water without any problems.

However, the last couple of winters have seen temperatures plummeting to record lows, and as we can never really predict how severe our winter will be until it arrives, it’s worth winter-proofing your pond.

Invest in a good cover to reduce wind chill and to keep a bit of warm air above the water surface; a heater may also be worthwhile installing.

Get the right equipment

Nets, bowls and Koi socks are all things that you will require at some point. The cost of these items are a fraction compared to that of your Koi and they will make life so much easier, as well as minimising the stress and the chances of damaging your Koi when handling them.

Protect your collection

When you finally have the collection you want, you should do everything you can to protect the existing Koi when introducing new stock. Investing in a quarantine setup would be a good idea so that you are able to isolate all new purchases and screen them for problems.

If this isn’t an option, then narrow the sources that you purchase your Koi from to those dealers that you know have good quarantine procedures in place.

If you have to add new purchases straight into the pond, then it’s a good idea to use a dip treatment before releasing them: potassium permanganate and salt are perfect for this.

You can read the full article in issue 168 of Koi.