Exotic Pet Profile - Koi

Koi are not what you might consider a traditional pet, but they offer some of the same advantages. Koi can be a calming addition to an outdoor garden or an indoor pool or aquarium. Koi may look like large goldfish, but the two are only distant cousins. Koi are actually more closely related to the common carp. Here are several more interesting tidbits about these fish.

1. Koi were developed in Japan more than 200 years ago.
Nishikigoi is the Japanese name for koi, which means fancy or embroidered carp. There are more than 100 known varieties of koi, each of which has a Japanese name. Fish that are mostly white with specks of red are called Kohaku. White koi with some red and black on them are known as Sanke, whereas those that are black with some red and white are called Showa.

2. Koi can grow up to 2 to 3 feet or longer.
Pool size, food, number of fish sharing the space, the age of the fish, and water quality can all affect a koi’s growth.

3. Koi are omnivorous.
They can be fed commercial koi food, but they also eat shrimp, worms, insects, water plants, fruit, vegetables, and even certain kinds of cereals. Koi do not have a stomach.

4. Koi love company.
They should be kept with other koi or goldfish.

5. Koi may change color throughout their lives.
Many of these changes are caused by pigments in their food. Some koi may turn white as they age.

6. Koi can survive under a thin layer of ice.
However, they do need a small opening in the ice, and they cannot survive if the water gets too cold or if it freezes too far below the surface.