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Curious about Koi Conditions
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Posted by chippewacat Devon UK (My Page) on Tue, May 10, 05 at 2:00
| I've been reading the different threads about water quality and the difficulties in creating the right environment. As I tend to lean towards the type of wildlife pond which is essentially dig a hole, fill with water and see what comes (easy peasy), the complexities of keeping non-native varieties is well, complex by comparison!
So what is the natural habitat for species like Koi and Daimon Sturgeon, and is it very different from British conditions? Do they survive in the wild these days, and are they as vulnerable to varying water conditions as they seem to be here?
Just curious! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Curious about Koi Conditions
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| Koi are not a separate species as such, but are a type of common carp (orginally kept as a food fish) selectively bred from naturally occurring variations in colour. This careful selective breeding over time has created the different varieties of koi. So as carp they will tolerate a wide range of conditions and are kept from Northern Europe to the tropics. The problems that koi keepers have with water conditions come about from keeping totally unnatural stock densities in comparatively small enclosed pond systems. If you had a large pond and kept just one koi in it you'd still be over stocked by natures standard but you'd find it easier to maintain good water conditions. The koi eat a lot because of their rapid growth and large size, so produce a lot of waste which pollutes the water producing poor water conditions in the relatively small volume of water found in a pond. If they were in a large lake at a natural stock density the bacterial ecosystem of the large lake could use up the waste and keep the water conditions good. So koi could live quite happily in a lake in this country on a climate and water conditions point of view but would be more susceptible to predation because of their higher visibility than native species. |
RE: Curious about Koi Conditions
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| good post chris. hence the saying we arnt fish keepers but water keepers. as for the sturgeon they naturally reside in large lakes and rivers, cooler water fish ideally, with high oxygen requirements. carniverous and will feed down to very cool temps. in they're preferred habitats they can grow enormous. i think the largest documented was a bit shy of 30ft !!!!! although rarely topping 5 or 6 ft in a pond enviroment - phew! jo o/ |
RE: Curious about Koi Conditions
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- Posted by AJC_1 8 the fens (My Page) on
Tue, May 10, 05 at 8:10
| And unless you have a heated pond it is unwise to keep koi and sturgeon, sturgeon need the high protien foods in winter to keep them alive, wareas koi dont feed much at all in an unheated pond, and on days that they do feed they would also pick up the food for the sturgeon, high protien foods would be a bad thing for koi in cold water and may result in death of the koi, but in a heated pond both can be kept, plus the fact koi would grow quicker having warm water and high protien food all year round. |
RE: Curious about Koi Conditions
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| Thanks for that! I understand a bit more about it now. It is much more like keeping a pet where you are having to remain focused on their environment and feeding and so a very different kind of hobby. Those big ones sound very intriguing! I take it that it started in Japan and the breeding has been going on for a long time (I'm assuming this due to looking at Japanese art!)? I imagine wild carp (if they still exist) are rather drab to survive in relation to their well-bred counterparts? By the way, typing with the help of a 9 week old kitten is not that easy! |
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