What Are Koi Fish? By Kao Lee Platinum Quality Author

Have you ever heard of a Koi fish? A Koi is a descendant of the carp, although the Koi is more colorful than its more common ancestor is. Japanese people bred the Koi some 200 years ago and named the fish Nishikigoi. Some people who see Koi fish have the mistaken belief that a Koi is nothing more than a large goldfish. Actually, goldfish are only distantly related to the Koi.

Koi fish were bred to display and enjoy. What can be better for your personal relaxation and enjoyment than fantastically colored Koi, swimming gracefully in your personally designed water garden which is teeming with colorful and gorgeous aquatic plants.

Not only are Koi fish great for your own personal Koi pond, you can also breed and raise them to compete in Koi shows throughout the world if you wish. Another option is to breed and raise Koi to sell in a commercial enterprise. One Koi can sell for hundreds of dollars. They may very well be worth the time and expense your are willing to expend on them.

Koi are most often found in outdoor fishponds, which are designed to be as gorgeous as the Koi themselves. Many Koi fishponds sport elaborate water gardens that add greatly to the beauty of the surrounding landscape. But the plants do more than add color and variety to the pond. They actually provide protection to the fish from predators such as cats and other prowling carnivores. However, Koi water gardens are of necessity distinct from other outdoor fish water gardens because Koi eat some of the typical plants found therein.

You must know how to care for a Koi pond. Any Koi pond, whether indoor or outdoor, should be sufficiently oxygenated, pH balanced, and filtered with recirculated freshwater to keep the fish healthy. The fish should be fed more often in the summer than in the winter. Once a day is usually sufficient in the winter, but they should be fed twice per day in the summer.

An average sized Koi might grow to be 24 to 36 inches long. Most Koi live 25 or 30 years. However, on rare occasion, a well cared for Koi can live more than 200 years.

You should know many more things about raising Koi for a home fishpond or competition. There is also much to learn before creating a proper Koi pond and water garden. There is insufficient room in this small space to provide all the facts you need for such an enterprise. Check out all available literature so you can raise the healthiest, prettiest Koi fish and keep them in the most exultant pond you can imagine.

Koa Lee is a major importer of Japanese Koi Fish. You can find out for information about KOI at Koi.

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