Koi Care Guide
Essential Information for Keeping Healthy, Happy Koi
Thank you for purchasing your koi. Please take a few minutes to read this guide to help your new fish settle into its new environment safely.
Pond Requirements
Koi require a well-maintained pond with:
- Good filtration.
- Adequate aeration a larger surface area helps a lot with this.
- Stable water quality.
- Minimum depth of 1.2 metre recommended to keep temperatures stable.
- Protection from predators where possible.
Overcrowding can quickly lead to water quality problems and disease.
As a guide, allow sufficient water volume for the size and number of koi being kept. We recommend 1 adult fish per 1.5m3 of water volume. Over stocking can lead to poor water quality and increases the chance of illness and stunted growth due to increased levels of Nitrate and lower levels of oxygen.
Water Quality
Good water quality is the most important factor in koi health.
Recommended Water Parameters
Ammoina NH3 mg/l 0 – 0.02
Nitrite NO2 mg/l 0 – 0.2
Nitrate NO3 mg/l 0 – 50
pH 6.5 – 8.5
Temp In °C 4 – 24
Dissolved Oxygen DO mg/l 6+
Regular testing with test kits is strongly recommended, especially in new ponds and during warmer weather when water holds less oxygen.
Before Introducing Your Koi
This helps reduce stress and prevents shock caused by sudden changes in water conditions. If you have a koi viewing container it is easier to release the new koi into there then use a net or koi sock to move the fish into the pond.