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Koi Fish: What You Should Know About Their History And The Different Types Of Koi
Koi are very popular fish bred and taken care of by hobbyists around the world. Koi is a Japanese word which means "carp" and covers the dull gray wild carp found in rivers and lakes for food, as well as the brightly colored varieties. It is the colorful koi fish that are bred for their beauty. Although the proper expression for these "living jewels" is nishikigoi, most 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 basically 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 brought koi as food to Japan in 200 AD. Looking at the wonderful color mutations, Japanese farmers in Niigata, a prefecture in Honshu, bred them for aesthetic applications and produced a number of color patterns. The first variety to be established is the kohaku, the red-and-white koi.
The Niigata koi was first seen by the community in 1914 in the course of the annual exposition in Tokyo. The beautiful, colorful fish charmed all of Japan and many kept koi because they seemed perfect for their water gardens. It did not take long before the rest of the world caught up on the hobby. These days, Niigata continues 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 specialist dealers if you want the higher-quality fish. Prices of koi vary according to the very koi-like feature of the fish.
Koi Attributes
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 more streamlined with torpedo shapes. A matured koi can grow as long as 36 inches and weigh over 17 pounds. The koi are hardy and tough, and can live for many years based on their genetics and also living conditions. The oldest koi ever documented was "Hanako" that reportedly lived up to 226 years.
The Koi are omnivores and eat almost anything including vegetables. It is very koi of the fish to look for food at the bottom of the pond. Although koi fish are really shy and will run away when disturbed, they often know the person regularly feeding your koi fish. It is common 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 recognized 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 considered as true Nishikigoi. Among the prominent types of the true Nishikigoi are the following:
- Kohaku - white koi with big red marks on top
- Taisho Sanshoku - resembles the Kohaku but has more small black marks
- Showa Sanshoku - black koi with red and white markings
- Tancho - any koi with a lone red patch on the head
- Asagi - is colored light blue on top and red beneath
- Utsurimono - black with very koi marks 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 marks
- Shusui - does not have scales except for a single row of large mirror scales running down the dorsal area, from head to tail
Things You Should Know About When Making Your Koi Pond Water Garden
If you want to keep koi, you will need to build them their habitat. It will be cruel to keep your koi fish in an aquarium because they can grow large and need ample space and depth to swim around. You need to build a koi pond water garden.
Koi Supplies: Crucial To Having Energetic Koi
If you want your koi fish to be healthy and vibrant-looking, you will need to make sure you have plenty of quality koi supplies. So what koi supplies are essential?
Tips On Selecting 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.
Setting Up Your Custom Tank - Golden Tips
When setting up your custom aquarium you need to follow some golden rules. It is extremely easy to destroy your own hard work by trying to take short cuts.
When Shopping For Custom Fish Tanks
When choosing custom aquariums you will need to decide if you are going to keep freshwater or marine fish. There are many factors involved in setting up your fish tank and water quality is probably the most important.
Salt Water Aquarium - Several Vital Information To Remember Before Buying One
A salt water aquarium is not a toy and shouldn't be wrapped up as such. By buying a fish tank you are taking responsibility for the care of these beautiful creatures and this is not something you should enter into lightly.
Salt Water Aquaria - Numerous Shapes And Forms
Salt Water Aquariums come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. The number of fish you can keep will depend on the size of the tank that you buy.
How Keeping Fish Tanks In The House Has Transformed Over The Centuries
When you buy your first custom fish tank you may be interested to know that centuries ago families kept these in their homes as a source of fresh fish.
The Distinctive Characteristics Of Salt Water Sea Life For Your New Aquarium
If you are interested in buying salt water fish tanks, it goes without saying that you are fascinated by fish.
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