“Kurious Koi” eating your koi pond plants ?
Ok, so we’re guessing you’re reading this because your beautiful and whimsical koi pond plants are disappearing, or at least looking deconstructed and picked over. The culprit is most likely swimming around right under those precious water lilies you invested in to create the perfect garden ambience. Yes, that’s right, it’s probably your koi fish. Don’t panic, we know you love your fish just as much as your pond plants. With the help of a few of our tips, it is possible to have your koi and koi pond plants living together in harmony.
Koi Proofing your koi pond plants
Think of your koi fish much like you would a curious toddler – they are very inquisitive and love to explore. They often do so by mouthing anything in their path, which unfortunately includes your rich, aquatic koi pond plants. One simple method of stopping their natural curiosity is by simply “baby proofing” your pond. Ok, put down the baby gate but do rearrange your rocks to prevent them from reaching the base of your plants. It’s simple, koi can’t eat, what they can’t reach.
Feeding Schedule
Speaking of appetites, koi fish have a large one and if there isn’t a steady and consistent feeding schedule, they will explore other edible options. Fortunately, koi like many other fish, prefer the taste & high energy of the pelleted food over vegetation. Feeding them the proper amount and on a consistent schedule helps keep their bellies and curiosity at bay. Pretty simple concept, if there’s enough food around, they will leave your plants alone.
The ideal feeding schedule is once or twice a day, no more than they can eat in two minutes or less. Toss in a few pellets for starters, and then throw in more food over the course of approximately 5-7 minutes. Excess food is caught in the skimmer and will decay, which isn’t ideal for the water quality of your pond.
When choosing fish food, a good measure is the pellet size and it should be close to the size of the fish’s pupil, that’s the center black part.
Pond Conditions for your koi pond plants
Since discussing the feeding patterns of your koi, we will safely assume they’re now growing. The plant to koi ratio is an extremely important balance in achieving overall harmony in your pond. The general rule is 1 inch of fish per 10 gallons of water. So think of it this way, 150 inches of fish in 1,500 gallons of water, is about 10 fish.
The most important part to consider in creating the perfect balance?
Those once “Toddler” fish will turn into teens and then full grown adults over time. So when choosing your koi keeping in mind their end result size is vital. If you don’t provide koi with enough room, you risk pond plant health, water clarity and the fish will ultimately suffer.
Truth be told, your koi fish and pond plants complement one another. Combining both, while employing proper guidelines, there’s no reason you can’t recreate a miracle garden in your own backyard. When working together, the results are a cleaner, healthier pond that’s easy to maintain.
Koi pond plants like water hyacinths, remove toxins better than any chemical absorbent. They also provide coverage from predators and add oxygen to the water throughout the day.
So your job is simple, keep the balance. Don’t overstock the pond and feed your koi enough food on regular and consistent basis. Simple steps to ensure a beautiful & harmonious pond, not just for your fish and pond plants, but also for you and your home. Contact us for more information.