We should never lose sight of the fact that koi are living organisms first, and living jewels second. And koi is just like any living thing in that they demand their own specific requirements for life from their environment. Throughout this series of looking at the . . . → Read More: 01. Creating the perfect pond environment.
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Pond keeping golden rules If you are new to the hobby or need some basic pond keeping information – start here!
Having established the environmental requirements for koi in step one of the 10 steps to successful koi keeping, step two naturally progresses on to how we provide our koi with those conditions. At every stage, it will also be helpful to clarify why each of the . . . → Read More: 02. Providing Koi with the best pond conditions
Good husbandry skills are an essential part of successful koi keeping and may involve less hands-on work than you may have first thought. Koi husbandry covers aspects of how we handle, interact and even observe our koi, and describes the full range of the control and . . . → Read More: 03. How to keep koi. Koi Husbandry and Koi Keeping Skills
In the 4th part of the 10 steps to successful koi keeping we start to turn our focus on the koi themselves. So far we have looked indirectly at the needs of koi and how we can manage their pond environment to achieve success. Basically, we have . . . → Read More: 04. Koi pond health disease
Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that disease will inevitably affect every koi or goldfish pond at some time – making it necessary for us to diagnose and treat the disease effectively. We have already seen that it is quite natural for koi to carry . . . → Read More: 05. Koi diseases – Diagnosing and Treating In Koi Pond
As koi keepers, feeding koi is one of our most enjoyable activities. It represents the time when we are able to ‘connect’ with our koi, and partake fully in an interactive relationship with our dependents. I would even be as bold to suggest that koi keeping . . . → Read More: 06. Feeding koi goldfish in a backyard pond
Installing a bio filter is the price we have to pay for wanting to keep koi in an artificial pond. It performs the functions that occur naturally in a lake or river within a compact unit and is arguably the single most important factor that makes . . . → Read More: 07. Filtration biofilters for koi goldfish ponds.
The vast majority of problems in a koi pond a can be traced back to water quality. As this vital topic has been discussed in previous articles in this series as well as its impact on koi health (and how to respond to disease), it gives . . . → Read More: 08. Koi keeping success. Avoiding common problems.
Koi have a fascinating physiology that responds to changes in their environment in a way that not only determines their behaviour, but also ours as their keeper. With a degree of certainty, we are able to predict when koi are likely to ‘hibernate’, grown and even . . . → Read More: 09. Koi Pond Calendar Year
Having followed the previous 9 steps to successful koikeeping, the final step – koi breeding, can prove a contentious topic amongst koi keepers. There are those of us who want their koi to breed, taking from it a degree of satisfaction that our koi are so . . . → Read More: 10. Breeding Spawning Koi Successfully
It is widely regarded that a garden is not complete without a water feature, and that a garden literally comes alive when that water feature involves moving water. There are a number of alternatives that bring the enchanting atmosphere of moving water to a garden. . . . → Read More: A pond with pond pumps waterfalls fountains
Aeration. Aeration is vital in the artificially stocked koi pond to maintain sufficient oxygen concentration in the water for all oxygen consumers (fish, bacteria, invertebrates, algae at night etc.). Oxygen can be easily overlooked as a limiting factor of for fish and bio-filters with most ponds and . . . → Read More: A: Pond keepers A to Z … Aeration to Argulus
Are plants and Koi a good mix? In what ways can they co-exist in a Koi pond? What are the advantages of having plants in a Koi pond? Which are the most suitable varieties? Are plants and koi a good mix? As often seems to be the case . . . → Read More: Are koi compatible with plants in the same pond?
When building a pond, we generally have a good idea as to how we want it to look when completed. Our pond size will determine how many fish can be stocked and the pond’s shape and design will be a guide as to how it should . . . → Read More: Building a Bog Garden
When building a pond, we generally have a good idea as to how we want it to look when completed. Our pond size will determine how many fish can be stocked and the pond’s shape and design will be a guide as to how it should . . . → Read More: Building a bog garden.
Conservation / Wildlife Pond A wildlife pond is best suited to an area of garden set aside as a conservation or ‘back-to-nature’ area. It may be a part of the garden where you choose not to mow the grass, but let it shoot up to provide cover, . . . → Read More: Building a conservation pond
The objectives of designing a koi pond A koi pond is designed and built with displaying the koi in a clear and healthy environment being the main objective. Everything is planned with the koi in mind. As koi are unlike any other pond fish, the design of a . . . → Read More: Building a Garden Pond for Koi
Introduction: Whether it is an inbuilt desire to return to the comfort of our pre-born amniotic beginnings, or connected to the fact that our bodies are predominantly made up of water, the evidence is clear- we are irresistibly drawn to water. Holidays by the sea, weekends up at . . . → Read More: Building a Garden Pond from Scratch
A wildlife pond is best suited to an area of garden set aside as a conservation or ‘back-to-nature’ area. It may be a part of the garden where you choose not to mow the grass, but let it shoot up to provide cover, perhaps even planting . . . → Read More: Building a wildlife natural conservation pond
Carp This is where it all started. Carp A dull, black/grey food fish with a natural geographical range of Asia and the watershed of the Black and Caspian Sea. It is quite easy to take koi to be a new species developed by man when we see how different . . . → Read More: C: Pond keepers A to Z … Carp to Colour Enhancer
Most pondkeepers have experienced some problems or have heard of other people’s experiences when it comes to stocking a pond with fish. You have designed, purchased and installed a landscaped garden pond. It has been planted for a couple of weeks, the pump and filter are installed . . . → Read More: Choosing Pond fish – Golden rules
Pumps: If you’re considering building a pond that features a fountain or waterfall, or are looking to install a UVc and filter, then you’ll need a pump. A pond pump has a demanding role, pumping continuously through a 12 month rolling contract in extremes of temperature, handling unmentionable . . . → Read More: Choosing Pond Pumps
A koi pond is a miniature representation of many processes that take place in the wider living world. It behaves in a similar way to many natural environments in that it interacts continuously with the adjacent environments and elements, causing its own characteristics to change to . . . → Read More: Cycling of nutrients in a pond.
D is for Depressing! The majority of the D’s seem to be negative – disease, dropsy, Dactylogyrus, diet(my wife thinks so!) and I could have included death! Dactylogyrus (Gill Fluke) One of the many parasites of koi that will cause them to flick and scratch through irritation. The gills . . . → Read More: D: Pond keepers A to Z … Depressing to Ectoparasite
In this series on Total Pond Management that explores a number of processes that interact to produce an aquatic ecosystem (and give a koi pond its characteristics), we will meet many processes and phenomena that operate largely unnoticed. All of these are processes are vital for . . . → Read More: Diffusion Osmosis in a garden pond
Any aquarist who is fortunate enough to be able to keep fish inside in an aquarium and outside in a pond soon starts to see the many parallels between keeping fish in both environments. The fish are fed an artificial diet, the water is circulated through . . . → Read More: DIY Pond building
Easter Traditionally, Easter is the time that signals the start of the pond season in the UK. It is a very exciting and mouth watering time of the year. Never to be found at the same date from year to year, the length of the pond season . . . → Read More: E: Pond keepers A to Z … Easter to Eye Fluke
Many water gardeners or pondkeepers will inevitably dabble in fish at some time or other. Lured by the attraction of a dash of living, breathing and moving colour or tempted by the choice of a myriad of red, golden, silver and blue pondfish teeming with vitality . . . → Read More: Essential Koi Pond Goldfish Health Checks: How to keep pond fish in top condition.
Fibreglass Considered to be the ultimate way of finishing of a koi pond, fibreglass offers many advantages as a choice of pond construction. However, applying fibreglass as a topcoat to a pond can be incredibly messy, expensive and hazardous to health with the real risk from fumes . . . → Read More: F: Pond keepers A to Z … Fibreglass to Fungus
Pond fish such as koi, gold fish and shubunkins are all related to the carp which is naturally a grazing fish, constantly feeding as it picks its way through the silt and debris in a pond. They do not have a stomach, and do not digest . . . → Read More: Feeding koi pond fish
Genetics Genetics is the science of inheritance. Although the production of artificially occurring ornamental fish started well before the complexities of genetics were fully understood, the pioneers of goldfish breeders in particular grasped some of the fundamental principles and used them to supreme effect. Wild-type dark carp will . . . → Read More: G: Pond keepers A to Z … Genetics to Gut
More golden than a goldfish and at times too swift for the eye to follow, the orfe is a very popular and undemanding pondfish. The orfe (or ide) is quite a distant relative of the carp and is more accustomed to the dynamic life of a flowing . . . → Read More: Golden Orfe (Ide) Leuciscus idus
A water feature can provide an additional dimension to the life of a garden. The sound of moving water dappling down a waterfall to the pond surface offers a worthy accompaniment to fluttering of vibrant flowers and shady foliage moving in the breeze. Gardening horizons can be . . . → Read More: Goldfish Koi Keeping For Beginners
The role of beneficial bacteria in maintaining a healthy pond. Bacteria fulfil so many vital roles in shaping life on earth that we are still discovering new ways in which they affect the world we live in. They are so adaptable that they are found in every ecosystem . . . → Read More: Good Pond Filtration Bacteria
Growing aquarium plants offers many challenges and benefits to the aquarist and fish. By following a few guidelines, what used to be a matter for the ‘professional’ aquarist is now within reach of every fishkeeper.A successful planted aquarium requires a slightly different approach from traditional fishkeeping. In a planted . . . → Read More: Growing aquarium plants
Hormones From the Latin word for ‘arouse’. Hormones are regulatory substances that are released by specialised cells from all over the body, causing an effect on distant ‘target’ cells or organs. Hormones are incredible biological chemicals that are transported throughout the body in the blood to produce quite . . . → Read More: H & I: Pond keepers A to Z … Hormones To Isolation Tank
Dear Ben, How deep should a Koi pond be? And why does a Koi pond need to be a certain depth? Is it because Koi need a certain gallonage of water, or if the pond is really long and wide, will that make up for it? Whenever you . . . → Read More: How deep should a koi pond be?
Your garden is the blank canvas onto which you will plan your new pond. Every garden is unique, with opportunities and constraints as to where you can site a pond. A pond should be planned primarily where it will be viewed and enjoyed the most, and if . . . → Read More: How to build a garden pond
Jumping An activity that koi keepers would rather not see in their koi. Very rarely an indicator of koi being full of the joys of life but more likely, unfortunately a behaviour borne out of irritation. If jumping is a symptom of irritation, then it will usually be . . . → Read More: J & K: Pond keeping J to K … Jumping to Koi
The goldfish can be regarded as the standard bearer of all ornamental fish. Initially kept and prized by the wealthy rulers of China over 1500 years ago, their legacy for us today is the world’s most widely kept pet, probably the first ornamental pet fish in . . . → Read More: Keeping Goldfish in a pond
When considering the design and location of a garden pond, it helps to take into account the type of pond you want to build. This will determine the design and final location for the new pond. If our aim is to encourage wildlife by providing an aquatic . . . → Read More: Koi pond construction
Koi or nishikigoi (Japanese for coloured carp) originate from the paddy fields of Asia and Japan. Like most ornamental pond fish, koi were discovered quite by accident as coloured genetic mutations (accidents of nature) from native black carp which the farmers had introduced from Asia. The carp . . . → Read More: Koi – Nishikigoi – Cyprinus carpio.
Lateral Line The lateral line is similar to a dot-to-dot picture, where the dots found along the flanks of a fish link to form a clearly visible line. Each dot is a hole in a scale which links to a tube running beneath the series of holes . . . → Read More: L: Pond Keepers A to Z – Lateral Line To Leather Scales
Malachite Green Malachite is an intense dark green dye that is widely used in the treatment of many koi ailments. It has even historically been used as an antiseptic in the treatment of wounds in humans. Different grades are available but the less toxic zinc-free malachite green . . . → Read More: M: Pond Keepers A to Z – Malachite Green To Mucus
Keeping fish is not like keeping any other pet, such as a cat, dog, rabbit or guinea pig If four-legged pets take a disliking to their surroundings or become stressed in their environment in which their owner wishes to keep them, they can retreat for cover . . . → Read More: Managing Pond Water Quality
I became a koi keeper by accident two years ago when I bought a house, complete with koi pond. It is approximately 15 ft long by 8 ft wide and by my reckoning holds about 2500 gallons. It seems quite easy to maintain, especially as it tops . . . → Read More: My pond’s pH is too low and unstable.
Netting (Noun) Netting is a must to prevent koi being attacked, injured or removed by predators, be they herons or cats. Usually sold in a similar way to liners, where larger expanses are cut and sold off the roll, and smaller sizes are available pre-packed. A dark mesh . . . → Read More: N: Pond Keeper’s A to Z: Netting to Nutrition
Osmoregulation Osmoregulation is concerned with the koi’s regulation of its internal tissue fluid concentration. Koi, like any other fish are essentially bodies filled with fluid, living in a liquid environment. Consequently, due to the process of osmosis, koi wage a constant battle against being diluted to death. What . . . → Read More: O: Pond keepers A to Z … Osmoregulation to Oxygen
Parasites Just as a predator attacks and eats its prey, and a scavenger lives off dead organic matter, a parasite needs another animal on which to live. The relationship between parasite and host is quite a natural one, with a balance being maintained between the host and the . . . → Read More: P: Pond Keepers A to Z – Parasites to Pond Pumps
Our gardens, and everything in them cannot avoid the seasonal variations in temperature – responding accordingly with periods of inactivity and growth in winter and summer respectively. As spring approaches, life within our garden and koi pond is not be able to resist nature’s call to . . . → Read More: Pond filter in spring
Pond Filtration: All living animals produce waste which is toxic and must be excreted. If such waste is allowed to build up once excreted, then it is likely that health problems will follow. This is true for pond fish just as it is for slums in city . . . → Read More: Pond filters biofiltration.
We eat on average, 3 times a day, and according to a survey on lifestyle, we can expect to spend a total of 5 years of our life eating. Quite a full time occupation! Pond fish are quite different, and compared with our gastronomic timetable, their eating . . . → Read More: Pond Fish Food. Health, Growth & Colour
The popularity and growth of the koi and pond keeping hobby is largely due to it being accessible to a wide range of aspiring pond owners, irrespective of their time, budget or space. Koi keeping has suffered from the label of being a pastime of the rich . . . → Read More: Pond fish keeping advice information
Lighting Lighting can be used to convey different moods to a pond and the surrounding garden. Subtle down lighting to create a glow from behind rock work or an evergreen shrub to cast its haunting silhouette can add a placid mood while brighter and more direct lighting . . . → Read More: Pond lighting advice ideas
Every pond is faced with the task of processing products and materials. In so doing it can behave in a similar way to an animal that is shaped by the quality and quantity of food that it eats. By trying to balance the pond’s ability to . . . → Read More: Pond Metabolism – How balanced is your koi or garden goldfish pond?
In a planted pond, the aquatic vegetation will play a number of roles. 1. Functional. The pond water will have a tendency to turn green or be invaded by blanketweed and just as in a garden border, desirable plants should be chosen to compete against these unwanted . . . → Read More: Pond Plants Planting a garden pond
As koi keepers we are experts in keeping fish in an enclosed artificial environment that is stocked with an unnaturally high stocking level and fed a relatively large quantity of food. Consequently, there will come a time when the pond’s ecosystem becomes unbalanced, requiring our input and . . . → Read More: Pond water changes
As koi keepers we are experts in keeping fish in an enclosed artificial environment that is stocked with an unnaturally high stocking level and fed a relatively large quantity of food. Consequently, there will come a time when the pond’s ecosystem becomes unbalanced, requiring our input . . . → Read More: Ponds do need a regular partial water change
Quarantine: Quarantine is the procedure where newly imported or purchased Koi are subjected to a period of isolation. There are two objectives of quarantine:- 1. It is a resting period to reduce stress of newly imported Koi. Irrespective of many of the measures and improvements made in the . . . → Read More: Q, R & S: Pond Keeping Terms – Quarantine to Swim Bladder
We are a nation of DIY enthusiasts, – Don’t take my word for it, ask Mr B & Mr Q. We are keen to impress others by how well we can tackle a problem, eager to roll our sleeves up and get stuck in. Part of . . . → Read More: Reducing pond maintenance
Springtime is the launch pad for life in the garden. All life in the garden has spent the preceding cold winter months in slumber, resting and recuperating ready to burst into life in spring. The water garden too has been experiencing a period of inactivity and . . . → Read More: Spring Pond Maintenance
The Sterlet – Acipenser ruthenus The Sterlet can be described as a prehistoric fish which dates back to the dinosaurs. Its ancient ancestry is also quite clear when looking at its body form, looking completely alien in a pond when compared to other traditional pond fish. The Sterlet, . . . → Read More: Sterlets Tench – Bottom Feeding Pond Fish
Most pondkeepers have experienced some problems or have heard of other people’s experiences when it comes to stocking a pond with fish. You have designed, purchased and installed a landscaped garden pond. It has been planted for a couple of weeks, the pump and filter are installed . . . → Read More: Stocking a new pond with fish. Golden Rules
This is what we’ve all been waiting for. Preparing the garden pond through any winter worries, ensuring that the fish have come through their ‘rest period’ free from any health problems. Spring has seen the aquatic plants re-potted or trimmed if necessary and the new shoots . . . → Read More: Summer Pond Maintenance
Tapeworm Tapeworms are one of the largest parasites to affect koi. Living in the intestine or body cavity, these mouth-less parasites absorb nutrients directly through their skin from the koi. They are considered to be rare in the hobby for several reasons. 1. They are difficult to diagnose as . . . → Read More: T: Pond Keeping Terms – Tapeworm to Treatment
What is good water quality? Good water quality is a measure of how suitable water is for keeping fish healthy. There are a number of simple tests that can be carried out on pond water to determine whether it is suitable. The first thing to do upon . . . → Read More: Testing Pond Water Quality
Virtually every environment on earth relies on plant life to produce the first food that fuels all the other living organisms in the ecosystem. That is certainly the case in a ‘natural’ mud pond, but not so in an artificially filtered koi pond that is plant-free . . . → Read More: The role of pond plants in maintaining a stable fish pond environment.
Some of the most memorable ponds are those which look as though they have been planted by Mother Nature herself. Appearing as though generations of weathering and evolution have shaped an aquatic hollow, to nestle in true balance with its surroundings. We too appear to be in . . . → Read More: The standard planted garden pond
Undergravel Filtration A method of filtration that is perhaps best-suited to aquaria where maintenance is quite straight forward. The principle of undergravel filtration in ponds has to some degree been superseded by multi-chamber external filters, which can be maintained very effectively. Underground filtration relies on a bed of . . . → Read More: U & V: Pond Keeping Terms – Undergravel to Vortex
Water Quality A short entry in an encyclopaedia cannot do the topic of water quality justice. Water quality is concerned with providing a stable, quality environment through testing water and responding to any undesirable changes from the norm. It is vital to understand how it can be . . . → Read More: W, X, Y, Z: Pond Keeping Terms – Water Quality to Zooplankton
To a certain degree, a laissez-faire approach with our pond may be justifiable in the winter, as there is little that fish require from us over this fallow period. However, there are a few simple measures we can take to ensure that, even after the harshest . . . → Read More: Winter Pond Maintenance Kill blanketweed and string algae. |
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