People are constantly seeking innovative ways to escape from their busy lifestyle and to spend more time outdoors. Koi keeping involves a lot of patience and is therefore an ideal way to de-stress and to enjoy nature.
If you would like to keep a koi pond, consider these five tips for keeping koi healthy:
l Avoid overstocking. Keeping too many fish will eventually catch up with you.
l Install a proper filter. Unless you are keeping a very small number of fish per given volume, you will have to provide a proper filter with a bottom drain to a settlement chamber and on to your chosen system from there.
l Feed good food – buy a quality staple pellet and augment this with fresh greens and fruit. Uneaten food floating on the surface is a sure sign you are overfeeding your fish.
l Watch for signs of trouble – keep a close eye on your fish as problems can arise overnight.
l Catch fish randomly in a clear plastic bag to check the mouth and belly area for signs of ulcers, parasites or other nasties.
When you are troubleshooting. look out for these problems:
l Flashing – fish quickly flicking off objects usually means there is a problem with water quality or parasites.
l Clamped fins – koi should be active, with their fins extended.
l Sulking – healthy fish don’t lie on the bottom or remain motionless.
l Appetite – when the fish stops feeding aggressively, there is a problem.
l Red marks – any cuts, sores or lesions need attention.
l Gasping – gathering at the waterfall usually indicates low oxygen levels or a gill ailment. - Saturday Star