|
|
What Makes Koi Very Elegant?
Koi are very popular fish bred and cared for by hobbyists the world over. Koi is a Japanese word which means "carp" and covers the dull gray wild carp found in rivers and lakes for food, along with the brightly colored varieties. It is the colorful koi fish that are bred for their magnificence. Although the proper term for these "living jewels" is nishikigoi, many people, particularly those in the United States, call them simply as koi.
A Very Koi Story
The carp came from Central Europe and Asia where it was simply a food fish. It was the Chinese that began propagating selected species of carp until they developed the gold fish more than a thousand years ago. The Chinese first introduced koi as food to Japan in 200 AD. Seeing the wonderful color mutations, Japanese farmers in Niigata, a prefecture in Honshu, bred them for aesthetic applications and produced a number of color designs. The first variety to be established is the kohaku, the red-and-white koi.
The Niigata koi was first seen by the public in 1914 during the annual exposition in Tokyo. The beautiful, colorful fish charmed all of Japan and many kept koi because they looked perfect for their water gardens. It did not take long before the rest of the world caught up on the hobby. These days, Niigata remains to be the home of the best koi breeders though you can buy koi from almost all pet stores. However, you have to go to specialized dealers if you want the higher-quality fish. Prices of koi vary according to the very koi-like quality of the fish.
Koi Characteristics
You can find koi with various colors and designs. The typical colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream. Female koi are generally plump while the males are a lot more streamlined with torpedo shapes. A matured koi can grow as long as 36 inches and weigh more than 17 pounds. The koi are hardy and durable, and can live for many years based on their genetics and also living conditions. The oldest koi ever documented was "Hanako" that supposedly lived up to 226 years.
The Koi are omnivores and eat almost anything including vegetables. It is very koi of the fish to forage at the bottom of the pond for food. Although koi fish are basically shy and will run away when disturbed, they often know the person regularly feeding your koi fish. It is ordinary to see koi gathering around their keeper during feeding times with some eating directly from the hand.
Varieties of Koi
There are several types of koi that are distinguished by the color, pattern and also scales. There are a few hybrids like the Ghost koi or the Butterfly koi that have also gained popularity but are not regarded as true Nishikigoi. Among the prominent types of the true Nishikigoi are the following:
- Kohaku - white koi with large red markings on top
- Taisho Sanshoku - resembles the Kohaku but has more small black marks
- Showa Sanshoku - black koi with red and white marks
- Tancho - any koi with a lone red patch on the head
- Asagi - is colored light blue on top and red below
- Utsurimono - black with very koi markings of red, white or yellow
- Bekko - base colour of red, white or even yellow with small black marks
- Goshiki - black koi accented with red, white, brown and blue markings
- Shusui - does not have scales except for a single row of large mirror scales running along the dorsal area, from head to tail
Tips On Picking Out Fishes For Your Custom Aquarium
Choosing the fishes for your custom aquarium should be fun. Go to a well stocked aquatic center when shopping for your new pets.
Tips Regarding How To Properly Take Good Care Of Koi
Many pond owners around the world choose koi for pond fish. It's because koi are colorful and have interesting personalities. In addition, Koi fish tend to live long, from 25 to 35 years. It has even been reported that the koi fish's ancestral predecessors lived as long as 200 hundred years.
A Couple Of Hints And Tips On Keeping Your Koi Healthy
Koi health is of paramount importance if you want to enjoy your fish for a long time. Koi fish are known to live for decades although the average life span is 20 to 30 years. Koi are hardy and durable; however, they can get sick.
Custom Aquariums - A Few Points On Methods To Make Proper Use Of Plants And Algae
Plants and Algae are often left out when planning custom aquariums yet they fulfill various important functions. Plants act as water conditioners, a source of food as well as being objects of beauty
Tropical Fish Guide - Significant Tips For New Fish Owners
A tropical fish guide will help you to avoid the mistakes most new fish owners will make when looking after these beautiful creatures.
Salt Water Aquariums - Accessories Or Components
When buying salt water aquariums you will need a couple of other objects in order to use your new fish tank. The first item you will need is an aquarium stand.
The Diverse Uniqueness Of Salt Water Fish For Your Brand New Aquarium
If you are interested in buying salt water fish tanks, it goes without saying that you are fascinated by fish.
What All You Require To Effectively Develop Your Fish Tank
Decorating your salt water fish tanks with rocks and pieces of coral is imperative in order to make the fish feel at home.
The Difficult Needs Of Being A Custom Aquarium Possessor
Owning custom fish tanks carries a lot of responsibility. Not only do you have to feed your fish and look after the water quality but you also must be their doctor and look after their health properly.
Do You Want Eels In Your Salt Water Fish Tanks? Ways To Deal With Them Appropriately?
If you want to own salt water aquariums but fancy something different, have a think about Moray Eels. They do not appeal to everyone but those that love these creatures will talk for hours about how beautiful they are. They will study them at length too.
|
More Articles
Blogroll
|
