Keeping Live Aquarium Koi Fish as a Hobby is Fun and Rewarding
Koi fish can make excellent aquarium inhabitants because they are beautiful, sociable, and fun to watch. They live for a long time, so need committed owners. If you decide to begin keeping these delightful companions, affordable koi fish are available on eBay.
What are koi fish?Koi are freshwater fish and are varieties of carp. They are colored variants, with one very popular breed of koi being the Gosanke type. The Gosanke group includes the Taisho Sanshoku, the Kohaku, and the Showa Sanshoku varieties. They are distinguished by the patterns, colors, and scales, with typical coloration of white, black, orange, yellow, red, blue, and cream. They are primarily kept outside in ponds and water gardens, but in cold weather they may need to be brought indoors and placed in an aquarium.
What equipment and supplies do you need for aquariums?To keep your colorful koi fish healthy and happy, you need these supplies and equipment:
- Heater - These fish can tolerate temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but ideally should have a heater regulating the temperature from 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Filter - Install an external filter to the aquarium that is rated for the number of gallons in your tank. A carbon filter will help remove toxins and impurities, thus improving water quality.
- Substrate material - Place a substrate layer for the tank that is two inches deep. Use a mixture of small gravel, larger gravel, and rock pieces. They enjoy sifting through the gravel.
- Tank - The tank should have one cubic foot per one inch of koi fish length. Multiply the tank's height, width, and length to determine the tank's cubic footage.
- Lighted cover - Use a cover with a light because koi require 12 hours of light per day.
- pH stabilizer - The fish require a neutral pH between 7-9. You can add a pH stabilizer to the water if the pH gets too low.
- Dechlorinator - Use a dechlorinator before adding water to the tank if the water has chlorine.
- Food - Feed them an amount of food they can eat in five minutes.
You can keep koi in a pond outside or in an indoor tank. The water needs to have a pH level between 7-8.5. The water should contain no chlorine, lead, iron, zinc, or copper. A proper pond filter is also required. Make sure the water levels are adequate, with 10 gallons of water for every inch of fish, a minimum volume of 1000 gallons, and a minimum pond depth of three feet. Koi can also be kept in an aquarium, with all the appropriate equipment to keep the water at the correct quality and temperature.