Koi, the Not-So-Coy Fish

In a popular Chinese myth, 360 carp swam up the Yellow River against a mighty current. At the mouth of the river, there was giant waterfall. Many of the carp saw the waterfall and gave up in despair, but one refused defeat and scaled it. Seeing his strength and determination, the gods transformed the carp into a dragon. The dragon passed his bright colours onto all of his descendants which are now known as Koi.

Owning Koi has been a pleasure to pond keepers and water gardeners for hundreds of years. Known as “Living Jewels” by the Japanese, these colourful carp are highly sought after. Hardy enough to live through all but the worst winters, they are the favourite choice of pond dweller in many different climates.

One of the things that Koi owners find most endearing about their fish is the Koi’s friendliness and ability to be trained. They can be conditioned to come to a particular spot at feeding time, and can be called by clapping (with the promise of an edible reward.) They can even be taught to be hand fed. Since they have no teeth, this is a safe and enjoyable practice for both adults and children.

Koi were originally bred for food in Japan until a fish farmer noticed colour mutations cropping up in the early 1800s. He isolated the most colourful of the carp and after a few years of culling the school, several colour sets were discovered. Koi can be every colour of the rainbow, and their markings can appear in many different patterns. In Japan, the most sought after combination is an all white body with a crimson splash over the head which symbolizes the Japanese flag.

Koi also have remarkable life spans. Given ideal conditions, they can live for up to 90 years! The oldest Koi on record just died at 207 years of age! Ideal conditions include clean water, large pond area and fresh food. Koi live peacefully with each other and with other pond fish. They will not eat anything that is recognizably a fish, though they will chow down on mosquito larva and other irritating insects, making your pond a pleasure to have and a joy to maintain.

Consider a Living Jewel or two as a wonderful addition to your existing pond, or as a valuable asset to a new one.

For advice about keeping koi call 08456 589 599