Saucy Pet

Posts Tagged ‘Koi care’

Having a fish pond in your vicinity can help you get a peace of mind. Imagine going back home from work in the afternoon or early evening and you set your sights on your pond full of fishes, how would you feel? Would you feel refreshed and relaxed? Of course, you would. But your fish pond can be more attractive and more appealing and amazing to look at if you have Koi fishes in your pond. You know what are Koi fishes, right? No? Well, maybe it’s high time that you should get to know more about Koi fishes and the right system on how to build Koi pond.

The original Koi were cultivated as food fish by Chinese rice farmers in the 17th century. When brought to the Niigata Prefecture, Japan’s premier rice-growing region, rice farmers there continued to keep Koi as a food source, especially during winter. But somewhere along the 19^th century, they have found out that Koi fishes has amazing colors and were appealing to the eyes and that’s when they began to cultivate Koi fishes. You know how Chinese people are enthralled with all these nature beauties, right? And how they can use all the forces of nature to attract peace, harmony, prosperity and good health, right? Well, maybe because of the colorful Koi fishes, they must have thought that keeping them as ornamental pets and learning how to build a Koi pond right in front of a house or a place of business and learn the right Koi pond care can bring them good luck and they even stretched this idea and inserted it into this ancient Chinese philosophy called “Feng Shui”.

Try to read more about Koi fishes, get to see some of their images on the Net and you will see how beautiful these types of fishes are. From here, you can also get to know more about different learning tools like videos, book guides and online tutorials that will teach you how to do the right Koi care system. If you love fishes or animals, you will surely love to have a bunch of Koi fishes.

Herons are majestic and attractive birds that have only one flaw: they're opportunistic predators that would love to feast on your pet Koi. That's why as you take care of your Koi, you must be always on guard, never leaving your pond unattended.

These are cunning and deceitful birds: when you first notice them lurking around your garden, they might seem harmless. Standing around 2 to 3 feet tall, they have very large wingspan, with a graceful appearance. But don't get fooled by those looks, for what you're looking at are predators on the prowl, ready to snatch and eat your Koi!

When you notice that your pond is lacking some Koi, greater chances is that the heron is the suspect. When you notice some large gaping holes in the sides of your fish, this means that a heron has attempted to snatch up your fish, but just didn't have the necessary grip to get it successfully. Other cases include a fish lying on the lawn located a few feet away from the pond, which is a result of them being dropped by the heron after being scooped up from the pond.

So, given these facts, there are some necessary precautions/measures that you can do to avoid these unwanted incidents. These "detours", however, will only work for a small amount of time.

1) Plastic herons - You buy those fake and plastic herons and place them in your garden. The purpose of this is to detour another heron from landing on the spot. This may work for parts of the season, but may prove ineffective when the mating season begins, as they may land near the plastic heron when they're looking for their mate.

2) Make some noises - If you catch a heron about to go for your fish, make as much noise as you can and physically frighten it. You can shout, cast things at it, or whatever it is that can scare it. Remember: the more frightened it is, the lesser chance there is for its return any time soon.

3) Alter your routine - You can change your routine always. These birds are really smart enough to detect your presence. Visit your pond as frequent as you can so as to increase your chance of catching the herons in the act. If you're unable to do it, you can always enlist somebody to visit your pond. Giving permission to older and trustworthy children to visit your pond is another good idea, which can add presence to your pond.

4) Creating a hiding place in the pond for your fish - You can create a hiding spot for your Koi in the pond. You may notice that after a heron attacks a pond, it would seem that the bird has gotten all of its prey, but you'll see that your fish will start to appear from strange hiding places once the scare stops.

By providing a hiding place for your fish to protect them from attacks, you will greatly reduce the number of fish caught by herons (and don't worry if your fish is hiding from you, as they'll know and trust you that you will not do them any kind of harm)!).

5) Never restock your pond immediately - As you take care of your pond, don't restock it right away in an event of an attack from herons. The bird will be forced to search for another feeding ground instead if you would take a little bit of time before you restock your pond.

In taking care of your Koi, controlling the population is something that's need to be done too. Remember that your Koi will always spawn and lay their eggs (while others will fertilize them too). It is in their very nature, and there's only a little that you can do when it comes to it. In controlling the population of your Koi, remove the unwanted babies after they're born.

Now, you might feel or think that this is a cruel thing to do, but always remember the fact that having many fish in your pond will impose harm and danger to both your pond and to your original fish population as well (particularly the original parent fish).

Why offsprings are harmful…

These babies has the potential to grow up to three feet in length. Now, if you have many babies that you'll keep in the pond and will grow up to this length, you can picture out how your Koi pond would look like? An unhealthy and overcrowded pond, that is! What will happen is that the fish will not be comfortable with this kind of habitat, which will put them in danger.

In setting up your pond, make it a point that you set up a filtration system that will suit the number of fish. If you're going to add extra Koi without adding more to your system, this could cause harmful gases and chemicals.

How to get rid of the offsprings…

Getting rid of the babies can be achieved in many ways. You can stop feeding your pet Koi once spawning has occurred for no less than three weeks. If you think that your fish will starve, don't worry about it, for they can take care of themselves, focusing more on natural foods around them if they don't get fed regularly. Their diet includes their young, as they'll eat those that are still eggs and the ones that resemble tiny insects (as harsh as this may seem, this is just part of their nature)!).

You can also give those unwanted offsprings to people that will be able to take care of them. You can go to local pet stores and zoos that have the same programs for this. You can also go to the local Koi society that you know. You can also opt to log on to online message boards and groups and you can post your own messages there.

In taking care of your Koi, you need to take the necessary precautions when faced with those storms, both small and large scales. No matter where you live, expect that you’ll experience one extreme weather condition within the year.

We have all seen the destruction bought about by Hurricane Katrina, showing us that a good emergency plan is the best way to avoid the aftermath of total destruction.

The Small-Scale Storms:

Preparing for smaller-scale storms is much easier compared to those of the large ones. These few simple steps will guide your pond through such storms.

1) Stop feeding the fish. Truth of the matter is that your pond has enough natural sources for food for the fish to feed on so that they won’t starve for a long period of time. If your filtration system are undamaged, not feeding your fish will reduce the risk of ammonia problems in the future.

2) Make big water changes to your outdoor pond. If the time comes that something goes really wrong and you’re unable to take care of the pond immediately, your Koi gets to have the privilege of having the freshest water there is. You should leave out several inches of water to make up for the upcoming rainfall so that there will be lesser chances of overflowing.

If you got a drainage system, just be sure to clear it of any kind of debris to make it work very well. Now, if your pond is at ground level and you’d expect high waters to occur, you can add some protection through sand bagging around the area, which will keep your pets confined within the area if the time comes that flooding will occur.

3) You can place a net over your pond to protect it from flying debris. The same net that you used for the fall in order to keep out the leaves is fine, so long as you will secure it down very well.

4) Remove any object that can blow over, away or fall into the outdoor pond. Remember that if you can push it over, so can the wind! The items that can be blown away by the wind should be removed completely and you can place them inside your home.

The Large-Scale Storms:

Large-scale storms prevent any type of preventative measures from being effective and successful. To completely save your pond from the storms, remove all of the fish from the pond itself.

First off, it’s good to have all the equipment that you need to transport your fish readily. The equipment needed to bag and transport your Koi is really small which can be stored easily when not in use.

You must have the right bags ready to transport your fish. Never try to use trash bags or regular plastic bags for this, because they aren't designed for the task and may even damage your Koi. Make sure to get bags that are big enough to hold and store your fish.

You will also need rubber bands for the bags that you purchase. Choose those that have good quality, so as not to let the pressure of the water pop the rubber band out as you’re transporting your fish.

You are going to be needing a net that’s big enough to compete with your fish. Even though there’s no need for you to use the net to pull your fish out of the water, there is a need for you to direct your Koi to the place that you want them to go. Just take proper precaution in handling the net, as they can cause potential damage to your fish, especially the larger ones.

If you also want to give the best care possible for your fish, use a paint bucket to catch your fish, because it will not harm them unlike the nets. Make sure that your bucket is large enough to contain your pets.

Being a Koi owner, you get to enjoy taking care of them, feeding them and also spending time with them. But the question is how much do you really know about your fish? In this article, you will get a complete profile and background of your Koi.

Koi (Japanese for "carp") are domesticated varieties of the carp. During the 1820's, they were bred for the first time in Japan. These species come in a wide variety of colors and patterns which include black, blue, red, orange, white, green and silver. The environment where they live and their diet affect their color, and this makes it easy to comprehend the skill and patience it took for the first breeders in developing such an amazing and magnificent fish.

They live in cold water, performing best in temperatures between 61 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Thriving in cooler temperatures, it's safe to keep them outside during the cold seasons.

The Koi is a popular fish that live in freshwater ponds, and they can be found in millions of outdoor ponds throughout the globe. They are loved for both their color patterns and lifespan (the oldest of which reached around 226 years old!). These are typically large fish, which requires them to be placed in ponds with 500 gallons of water (or even more), and the pond should be no less than 3 feet in depth.

For this, you should construct your pond in such a way that it can hold your fish very well. Remember that your pets' health will depend on the amount of space that you give them. Water quality is another thing that you need to consider, another factor that'll affect the health of your pets. These are more expensive compared to the goldfish, that's why they can be harder to replace.

They're not typically among those schooling fish, but this doesn't keep them from socializing and mingling with other breeds of fish. Just be sure not to place them next to larger fish that might consider them as prey. They will split up in smaller groups when placed in larger areas, but seem to school together in smaller ponds.

As winter will come, they will begin their hibernation. During this time, their digestive system will slow down, almost reaching to a stop. The food stored in their stomachs may grow bad, which can make them sick. This is why your pets shouldn't be fed in temperatures dropping less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Koi are beautiful, ornamental fish which can complete those relaxing sounds produced by the rippling water flows of your pond. Owners of Koi consider themselves lucky as they care of pets that touch their lives in a very special way.

Springtime is the season when your pond really comes to life! From their hibernation, the organisms in your pond are ready to come to life at the first signs of a warm weather. This is the good time to maintain and take care of your pond before the living organisms come back to live from the winter hibernation. Changes can be observed as days get warmer. Temperatures at 50 degrees are best for taking care of your pond.

The maintenance required for your pond will greatly depend on the happenings of the past winter. With a hard ones, you need to perform more changes, and why it's good to start as soon as you see changes in the weather. Remember that there should be a yearly spring maintenance for your pond, no matter how harsh or mild the previous winter was.

Check for the pond's water quality. You'll see that the water is very clear when the season will change from winter to spring. Don't let this one fool you, as there are things taht will give real problems once the summer season will come if you don't resolve these issues as soon as possible.

During the winter and fall seasons, plant materials like leaves may have found their way into your pond. Although it may seem that the water is clear, there are a large number of nutrients in the water from these materials, causing those very fast growth of algae once springtime comes. Plus, large amount of organic material in the pond will start to undergo decomposition, which in turn reduces the oxygen in the water.

Now, since the water in your pond is really clear, this is the best time to clear those slits and debris. And you can peform this through:

1) Hiring a pond professional from your local pet store or dealer. These people have the right equipment needed to vacuum most debris out of your pond. This could be an option that will cost you more money, but you are guaranteed that the majority of those problem-causing materials will be removed from your pond.

2) Using a fine mesh net to scoop out much of those debris as possible. Now,. the issue here is that most of the nets give more slits to the pond rather than removing them from it. After you have removed those unwanted debris and slits, test out your water. The winter will cause changes in the pH levels of the pond. Now, at the start of spring, the water's pH level should be at 8. This can be done by putting tap water that is treated (buffered slightly to be alkaline by your water company) into your pond.

Most of all, always maintain and take care of your fish. Remember that spring is the weakest time for your pets as they have not eaten for months and they have been living on a relatively low level of energy. This can cause your fish to be more prone to attacks by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. This is the time to take all necessary precautions for your fish and pond.

As you maintain your pond, add treatment solutions to it in order to lessen the harmful materials and pests. Once the weather heats up, another dose of those solutions will serve as a protection for your fish as they redevelop their immune system, protecting themselves from diseases once the temperature rises.

Summer is the best and liveliest season for your Koi pond. During this time, the temperatures are beautiful, letting you enjoy your pond even more. But you should continue in taking care and maintaining your pond during this time of the year. Keeping in mind those few necessary things during the summertime will keep the beauty and liveliness of your outdoor pond.

High temperature levels will give less amounts of oxygen:

During the summer, the oxygen level or your outdoor pond will drop down. Therefore, necessary measures should be taken, especially if you live in places where warm temperatures occur mostly. One good indicator of a pond with low level of oxygen is when your Koi will hang its head out towards the top of the pond's surface, as if they're gasping for air. You can put extra water features in your pond like fountains and waterfalls to keep the oxygen moving.

The more motion the water will be having, the more available oxygen there there is for your fish. Also, if these features are not available, you can change the water frequently in order to give your fish the right amount of oxygen they'll be needing.

Look out for evaporation:

Higher amounts of heat can cause the water to evaporate quickly. Pay close attention to your pond's water levels, and do the necessary adjustments afterwards. Remember to remove all of the chlorine from the water that you're going to add.

Summer the time for parasites:

Heat makes way for illnesses and parasites, and because most of them are invisible, it is important for you to watch your fish for those signs of illness. Symptoms like, rubbing against objects, scratching, shivering or shaking is an indicator of different types of illnesses.

Pay attention to your pets if they start to develop visible spots or changes on their body (they may also knock off their fins!). If you see any of these changes, you can always contact your Koi dealer, local pet store or veterenarian immediately. Some parasites may cause only minimal damage, but illnesses like the KHV (or Koi herpes virus) can cause real serious problems to your fish, that is why it calls for immediate treatment and care.

Giving Food To Your Pet:

To ensure the health of your fish throughout the summer, give them food filled with nutrients. Feed them low-protein food at least 1 or 3 times everyday. If your fish seem to be still hungry after you have fed them, you can slightly increase the feeding amount. Keep in mind that if you feed your fish with small amount of food, this will prevent the food from being left out and spoiled. Feeding them with larger amounts will give way to uneaten foods that will spoil quickly (which can cause issues in water quality).

Your pets will only eat what they need to survive, and will leave those extra ones. Feeding your pets will cause lesser amounts of oxygen in the water, which could be a problem during the summer season as oxygen will deplete in higher levels of temperature. This can be solved by feeding your pets in colder times of the day.

Summer is the best time to feed your Koi using your hand. With this, you will get to know your pets a little better, and they will familiarize you as someone who takes good care of them. You can also let kids join this activity, which would surely be unforgettable for them!

In taking care of your Koi, you just can't ignore the fact that they need to be moved from time to time. Like all other pets out there, your Koi will have its own medical issues throughout the course of its life (considering as well the fact that they can live up to 30 years of age). Now, if you don’t have the vet that will do house calls, chances are they’re going to say “bring your fish in”.

Aside from medical issues, there are also the pond issues, which may arise as an emergency move because your pond is being placed into harms by natural events, or there's a scheduled move for a new construction. No matter what amount of planning and precaution you have taken in building your pond, there's always a chance that you still need to move your fish whenever the occasion calls for it.

Recent tragedies such as that of the Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina, and those common everyday illnesses, shows you that you need to have a plan of action when it comes to your pets. In times of an emergency of not, know how to bag and transport your fish properly so as to ensure their safety.

So, what are the things that you need for bagging and transporting your fish? These are relatively small equipments that can be easily stored when not used.

1) Bags - Make it a point that you have the proper, sizable bags to transport your pets. Never use those trash bags or regular plastic bags, which can cause damage to your fish. You can buy the bags at your local pet store if you don’t have any bags at hand.

2) Net – You’ll be needing a net that’s big enough to compete with your fish. You can use it to lead them to the place that you want them to go. Be careful when you use larger nets, as they can harm and damage your pets.

3) Rubber Bands – You’re going to need these for each of the bags you buy. Buy those that are of good quality, so that they won’t pop up due to the pressure from the water when you transport your fish.

4) Paint Bucket – A better option for catching your pets, which won’t harm them like the net can. Make it a point that they're large enough to hold them.

Now, the process of catching and bagging your pets is just a simple task, provided that you have the proper equipments. If you have a large pond, have your friends help you in bagging your pets. Use the net when guiding the fish into the paint bucket, and once they’re already in, remove the excess water, then begin bagging it. Look if there’s any leaks on the bag, and once secured, place the bag over the fish from head to tail. Ensure that there’s enough amount of water that will cover their gills completely.

Leave a lot of room for air so that the bag won’t be too heavy to carry. And then put the rubber bands around the ends of your bag in order to secure it. Place them in a horizontal manner in your container for transport. Be careful not to bend your Koi in the process. Your bag shouldn’t move with those bumps and turns along the way, and you should cover your fish so that only a little heat from the sun will enter the bag.

Season 1: Spring

Spring is the season when your pond comes to life. The living things in your pond has been in hibernation during the last winter season, and now your pond is ready to come to life at the first signs of warm weather. This make it the perfect time to take care and maintain your pond before your fish, plants, and others come back to live from their winter break. Your pond will start changing dramatically as days get warmer.

Don't miss this opportunity to do the needed maintenance. What you do is you watch for temperatures that falls around 50 degrees (this will be the perfect time).

This time is a very weak time for your pets, as they have not eaten for months, putting them on a low energy level. For this, your fish are prone to attacks from fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites…. and this makes it the right time to take all of the preventative measures. To significantly reduce the amount of pests and materials that could cause diseases, add a wide variety of treatment solutions.

Once the temperature gets warmer, you can give your pond another dosage of this treatment to get your fish well-protected as they are again developing their own immune systems (which will be effective enough to serve as a protection from various kinds of diseases that can affect them).

2nd Season: The Fall

The fall will bring a significant change to your pond, because this is the time when most of the plant life will begin to change. In this time, what you should do is to move all of your plants that has the inability to withstand lower levels of temperatures indoors (or you can put them in a green house). Another thing that you have to focus on in this season are the leaves, which has to be cleared as well. Doing this will give you a clearer and healthier pond. You can also purchase a pond cover as well.

Season 3: Winter

Say that this the fist winter season for your pond. Now, this is when your pond will undergo a down time, as less events are happening in this season compared to any of the other seasons. There are important steps you need to take before winter comes, in order to ensure the survival of your fish and pond. Feed your fish lesser during this season (for helpful tips, contact your local pet store).

Summertime is the season wherein you can invest for the stuff that you’re going to need to prepare for the winter. Your pets can withstand constant temperatures that fall as low as 39 degrees (plus those that are slightly lower than 39 degrees) for only a short period of time.

If you purchase a heater for your pond, just make sure to make a research first on what size you’re going to need to sufficiently heat your pond during the winter time, or ice will still continue to form, which can cause very dangerous amounts of gas in the water (as it is being trapped under the ice). You can have an emergency tank for your pond in case extreme kind of events come.

Fourth Season: The Summer

Summertime is one of the best and more lively times for your pond. During this time, the temperatures are great, making it the best time for you to enjoy your pond more. Although things are beautiful during this season, never forget to keep up your maintenance, in order to keep your pond staying beautiful and lively.

This is the time when there is a decrease in the oxygen level of your pond, that’s why necessary precautions are to be taken (especially if you’re living in a place where temperatures stay on a high level for most of the year). A good indication that your pond needs oxygen is when you see your fish hanging out towards the surface of the water, seemingly gasping for air.

The heat of summer paves way for potential parasites and illness into your pond. You must observe your fish for signs of illnesses, as most parasites are not visible to the naked eye. Symptoms like your pets shivering, rubbing against objects, shaking and scratching could indicate different types of illnesses, so it is very important to watch your fish closely.

Watch out for diseases like the KHV, which causes high mortality rate, and this needs immediate treatment and care. If you notice some changes with your fish, contact you Koi dealer, local vet and pet store for help.

As an owner of a Koi pond, you should always keep your pond in good condition all the time. Remember that prevention is always better than cure: so once your pond starts to have some problems, it'll take more time and money to fix these.

Never overfeed:

Overfeeding can damage your water quality. Your fish wouldn't nearly eat the amount of food that they do in a controlled-type of environment. Feeding them with too much food will promote larger amount of wastes in your pond. What you should do is to vacuum the bottom out as much as you can, and also make sure that the drainage systems are clear and working properly.

Keeping the water quality:

Your pond will need a filtration system. There are two kinds of filtration system. The mechanical filtration is the one that relieves the pond of dead algae, wastes and insects (this is important to sustain the size of your pond and the size and number of your pets). The biological filtration system provides the nitrogen cycle, the one that will remove the dissolved wastes from your pond (without this, ammonia will build up which is very harmful to your pets).

Keep your pond clean so that your fish will live a beautiful and stress-free life. The water in your pond is where they will feed and sleep, that's why it's very important to keep it as clean as possible. The pond's water should be almost completely clear. There should be no debris, and your fish should appear like they're floating in the air. Also, you should be able to see the bottom of your pond clearly.

Keeping supplies ready:

There are many supplies that you'll need to maintain your pond properly, and many of these items are very important. It is important for you to know each item's function in order to understand as to why they are needed. There are also items that you need to have on hand always. As you have an outdoor pond, you should expect emergency situations to occur. It's known that nature is very unpredictable, so never get into a position where an item is needed and you have no access to get it!

Preventing the common illnesses:

If you have a newly-bought fish, it is very important to quarantine them from your current fish population. Do this for no less than a span of 15 days. Knowing that KHV (or Koi Herpes Virus) is activated within temperatures at 74 degrees Fahrenheit will let you expose your pet to the right conditions for the disease to reveal itself. Those fish that live in these kinds of conditions for a longer time span and don't show any of the symptoms will tell you that they have little chances of contracting the illness.

As you quarantine your fish, completely isolate it away from the current fish population that you have. Separate the food, tools and water you use in taking care of the new ones. Right hand washing procedures should be carefull observed when it comes to in handling both Koi and Koi items used within the same period of time. Remember that quarantining will greatly reduce the chances of exposing your fish to diseases and viruses.