|
|
Koi Fish: What You Should Know About Their History And The Different Types Of Koi
Koi are extremely popular fish bred and taken care of by hobbyists the world over. Koi is a Japanese word that means "carp" and covers the dull gray wild carp caught in rivers and also lakes for food, along with the brightly colored varieties. It is the vibrant koi fish which are bred for their appearance. Although the proper expression for these "living jewels" is nishikigoi, many people, especially those in the United States, call them simply as koi.
A Very Koi Story
The carp originated from Central Europe and also Asia where it was simply a food fish. It was the Chinese who started to propagate specific species of carp until they developed the gold fish over a thousand years ago. The Chinese first brought koi as food to Japan in 200 AD. Seeing the lovely color mutations, Japanese farmers in Niigata, a prefecture in Honshu, bred them for aesthetic purposes and produced several color designs. The first kind to be popular is the kohaku, the red-and-white koi.
The Niigata koi was first exposed to the community in 1914 during the annual exposition in Tokyo. The charming, colorful fish charmed the whole of Japan and some kept koi because they looked great for their water gardens. It didn't take long before the entire world caught up on the hobby. These days, Niigata remains to be the home of the finest koi breeders though you can buy koi from most pet stores. Then again, you have to go to specialized dealers if you prefer the higher-quality fish. Prices of koi differ based on the very koi-like feature of the fish.
Koi Characteristics
You can find koi with different colors and designs. The usual colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream. Female koi are usually plump while the males are a lot more sleek with torpedo shapes. A fully-grown koi can grow as much as 36 inches and weigh over 17 pounds. The koi are hardy and durable, and can live for decades based on their genetics and living conditions. The oldest koi ever reported was "Hanako" that supposedly lived around 226 years.
The Koi are omnivores which means they eat almost almost everything including vegetables. It is very koi of the fish to look for food at the bottom of the pond. Although koi fish are basically shy and will dash away when disturbed, they often recognize the person frequently feeding your koi fish. It is ordinary to see koi gathering close to their keeper during feeding times with several eating straight from the hand.
Varieties of Koi
There are several types of koi that are distinguished by the color, pattern and scales. There are a few hybrids like the Ghost koi and Butterfly koi that have also acquired popularity but are not regarded as true Nishikigoi. One of the prominent kinds of the true Nishikigoi include the following:
- Kohaku - white koi with big red markings on top
- Taisho Sanshoku - looks like the Kohaku but has more small black markings
- Showa Sanshoku - black koi having red and white marks
- Tancho - virtually any koi with a lone red patch on top of its head
- Asagi - is coloured light blue on top and red beneath
- Utsurimono - black with very koi markings of red, white or yellow
- Bekko - base color of red, white or even yellow with small black markings
- Goshiki - black koi accented with red, white, brown and also blue markings
- Shusui - doesn't have scales other than a single row of big mirror scales running down the dorsal area, from head to tail
What You Want To Know About 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.
Some Ideas On How To Start A Salt Water Aquarium - A Great Addition To Any Home
A salt water aquarium is a great addition to any home. Kids love all types of living creatures and will get lots of joy watching the fish swim about. As they get older you can teach them responsibility by giving them the job of looking after the fish tank and its inhabitants.
The Tropical Fish Guide - Avoiding Problems And Difficult Fish
The tropical fish guide will tell you that marine fish can be difficult. They are often more aggressive than freshwater fish particularly with members of their own species.
You Have To Be Properly Trained Before You Can Maintain A Good Fish Tank
Education goes hand in hand with populating a custom fish tank. You cannot just expect to buy a load of new fish and watch them swim happily around all day.
Tips On How To Best Maintain Your Fish In Your New Artificial Habitat
The confined space means that disease will spread rapidly through the aquarium if you don't take measures to prevent this happening. As your experience with fish grows, you will spot signs of illness early.
How Keeping Aquariums In The House Has Improved 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.
Get Familiar With Installing Salt-Water Fish Tanks
The setting up of salt water fish tanks is a very similar process to that involved in starting any aquarium. You need to follow certain rules or you will risk killing your new pets.
Learn About Custom Aquariums To Stop Making Really Expensive Errors
If you have decided that you are in the market for custom aquariums, make sure you do your research beforehand to avoid making costly mistakes.
|
More Articles
Blogroll
|
