Koi fish are amongst the most popular fish for outside ponds, they look wonderful with their lovely colors and will live for some time. They are one of the best fish suited for life in a pond outside.

Since it is realistic to think that koi fish will grow to be large fish they require a pond that is about five hundred gallons or more. If you want your koi fish to be healthy then you need to supply them with enough space and good quality water. The ideal temperature of the water should be around 60 – 67 degrees Fahrenheit because koi fish are cold water fish. This allows even those who live in cool climates to be able to enjoy a pond full of koi fish. They hibernate in the winter when ice forms on the top of the pond. Their digestive systems slow down almost to a halt allowing them to make it through the winter. Find more koi fish ponds info.

The koi fish alone will make your pond look great, but you can add other things as well. Koi love to have shade like lilies. You can have up to 70 percent of the water’s surface covered by lilies. They not only help to give your koi fish cover and shade, lilies help to reduce the amount of algae in the water. Since koi can only receive about five to six ours of direct sunlight, the water lilies really help with the protection of the koi. Plus, since koi are omnivorous meaning they eat both meat and plants, they can find insects and insect larva within the plants. Another way to offer shade to you koi pond is to build your koi pond under a tree where it will receive plenty of shade. Although this is usually a shortcut to a messy pond, thanks to things dropping from the tree into the pond.

When thinking about building your koi fish pond give some thought to the depth you will build it. The depth of the water can provide some protection from outside predators. Raccoons would love a good koi meal. Providing your koi with at least four feet of water will not only give your fish protection from the sun and more room to swim, it will also keep the raccoons at bay. Depending where you live you may have to combat Great Blue Herons as well. A single Heron could eat over a hundred 6″ koi in one sitting. If you have to worry about these Herons then you should dig your pond at least 8 feet deep. Another way to keep bird predators away from your koi fish is to install a bird net over your pond. Check out this fish koi website.

When you build your own koi pond you are free to allow your imagination to run wild. You are able to build your koi pond to you specifications in order to flow nicely in your yard and enhance your landscape.