|
|
Everything You Have To Know About Koi Fish
Koi are very popular fish bred and taken care of by hobbyists around the world. Koi is a Japanese word which means "carp" and includes the dull gray wild carp caught in rivers and lakes for food, along with the brightly colored varieties. It is the vibrant koi fish which are bred for their magnificence. Although the proper expression for these "living jewels" is nishikigoi, most people, particularly those in the United States, refer to them simply as koi.
A Very Koi Story
The carp originated from Central Europe and Asia where it was merely a food fish. It was the Chinese who started to propagate specific species of carp until they developed the gold fish more than a thousand years ago. The Chinese first brought koi as food to Japan in 200 AD. Looking at the wonderful color mutations, Japanese farmers in Niigata, a prefecture in Honshu, bred them for ornamental purposes and produced a number of color designs. The first kind to be popular is the kohaku, the red-and-white koi.
The Niigata koi was first seen by the community in 1914 in the course of the annual exposition in Tokyo. The beautiful, colorful fish captivated the whole of Japan and many kept koi because they looked great for their water gardens. It didn't take long before the rest of the world caught up on the hobby. Nowadays, Niigata continues to be the home of the best koi breeders although you can buy koi from most pet stores. However, you have to go to specialized dealers if you prefer the higher-quality fish. Prices of koi differ according to the very koi-like feature of the fish.
Koi Attributes
You can find koi with various colors and patterns. The usual colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream. Female koi are generally plump while the males are a lot more sleek with torpedo shapes. A fully-grown koi can grow as long as 36 inches and weigh over 17 pounds. The koi are hardy and tough, and can live for many years depending on their genetics and living conditions. The oldest koi ever documented was "Hanako" that supposedly lived around 226 years.
The Koi are omnivores which means they eat almost anything including vegetables. It is very koi of the fish to look for food at the bottom of the pond. Although koi fish are really shy and will run away when disturbed, they usually recognize the person regularly feeding your koi fish. It is ordinary to see koi gathering close to their keeper during feeding times with several eating directly from the hand.
Varieties of Koi
There are several kinds of koi that are recognized by the color, pattern and also scales. There are some hybrids like the Ghost koi and Butterfly koi that have also gained popularity but are not regarded as true Nishikigoi. One of the prominent types of the true Nishikigoi are the following:
- Kohaku - white koi with big red marks on top
- Taisho Sanshoku - resembles the Kohaku but has additional small black markings
- Showa Sanshoku - black koi with red and white marks
- Tancho - virtually any koi with a lone red patch on top of its head
- Asagi - is colored light blue on top and red beneath
- Utsurimono - black with very koi marks of red, white or yellow
- Bekko - base colour of red, white or yellow with small black markings
- Goshiki - black koi accented with red, white, brown and blue markings
- Shusui - doesn't have scales other than a single row of large mirror scales running down the dorsal area, from head to tail
How Keeping Fish Tanks In The Home Has Changed Over The Centuries
When you buy your first custom fish tank you may be interested to know that centuries ago families kept these in their homes as a source of fresh fish.
Important Information Regarding Taking Care Of Fishes In Custom Aquariums
Custom aquariums allow you to develop exactly the type of fish community you want to own. Not only can you often determine the size and shape but you also get more input on how you are going to populate your new equipment.
Choosing The Fishes For Your Very Own Custom Aquarium
Choosing the fishes for your custom aquarium should be fun. Go to a well stocked aquatic center when shopping for your new pets.
Some Ideas On Methods To Start A Salt Water Aquarium - A Fantastic Addition To Any Home
A salt water aquarium is a great addition to any home. Kids love all types of living creatures and will get lots of joy watching the fish swim about. As they get older you can teach them responsibility by giving them the job of looking after the fish tank and its inhabitants.
Custom Aquariums - Some Points On Methods To Make Efficient Use Of Plants & Algae
Plants and Algae are often left out when planning custom aquariums yet they fulfill various important functions. Plants act as water conditioners, a source of food as well as being objects of beauty
Koi Pond Water Garden: Why And How To Make One For Your Koi
If you want to keep koi, you will need to build them their habitat. It will be cruel to keep your koi fish in an aquarium because they can grow large and need ample space and depth to swim around. You need to build a koi pond water garden.
Tips Regarding How To Properly Take Good Care Of Koi
Many pond owners around the world choose koi for pond fish. It's because koi are colorful and have interesting personalities. In addition, Koi fish tend to live long, from 25 to 35 years. It has even been reported that the koi fish's ancestral predecessors lived as long as 200 hundred years.
|
More Articles
Blogroll
|
