Outdoor Koi Question?

Question

I just bought one of those rinky dink little ponds from walmart, and plan on only placing 2 Koi in there due to its size. The question is, how hardy are these fish, mostly, whats the lowest temperature they can stand? Thanks.

Answer 1

Koi grow to quite large fish about 36". and the pond you are talking about is too small. They need water at least 24" deep and preferably 48". The water needs to be well filtered so that you can see them properley. The depth is important if you get freezing weather as the fish can go to the bottom of a deep pond and suffer no effects from long periods of very cold conditions.
These fish will stop feedng when the water gets to 40F or 10C and stay down in the depths until the water is warm enough for them to feed. In the UK I do not feed Koi from early November until mid April.
They may be small now but will grow very quickly.
If you are in the southern states they may feed all year round so will grow all the quicker.

Answer 2

Koi and goldfish can both live at very low temperatures. To keep them alive, all you need to do is make sure that the pond doesn't freeze solid. Depending on the depth of your pond and where you live, you will probably need to put a small heater in it over the winter to keep the water temperature at the bottom warm enough to stay above freezing. When the top freezes over, you will need to break a large hole in the ice so that oxygen can reach the surface of the water. Putting the heater in your spill bucket, and keeping your waterfall running if you have one, is a good way to keep the water temperature above freezing in the pond and to also keep a hole in the ice for oxygen exchange.

However, I would recommend you get goldfish instead of Koi. A handful of feeder goldfish will turn into a pond full of beautiful 6"-12" goldfish with pretty flowing fins in no-time. The size of your pond is probably too small for Koi if you only want two (you didn't say how small it is), and if it isn't wider than 3 ft at its narrowest, or deeper than 3 ft, your Koi will likely get eaten by raccoons if you have them. For some reason raccoons like Koi, and not goldfish (something to do with the different oils on their bodies), and in a smallish pond, any nearby raccoons will know they are there and will figure out a way to get to them (plus, Koi aren't that bright and won't know to escape to the very bottom of the pond).

Answer 3

Koi really shouldn't be in anything smaller then 1000 gallons and require a minimum of 250 gallons for each fish, since they can grow up to 3 feet. I'm not sure what size pond you have but I would stick to goldfish if you don't have a very large one. Koi and goldfish are very similar, they are related, so they pretty much need the same care but since goldfish only grow to around a foot they only need around 20 gallons each, of course more is better. They can both stand freezing temps but if the pond isn't deep enough as to not freeze completely then they will have to be brought inside for the winter. There are lots of sites out there if you google to help you out with knowing what needs to be done for a pond.

Answer 4

It depends on where you live. Here in Michigan, one of those small, shallow plastic ponds, even if set in the ground, is not deep enough to withstand the freezing temps that we get here during mid-winter. The fish would have to be brought indoors during the winter months and kept in an aquarium with a good filter/aerator. The pond outside cannot freeze over completely, i.e., a hole or a constantly running fountain pump needs to run in order to prevent the ice from freezing solid and provide the fish with a constant supply of oxygen. The fish can tolerate very cold water but not 32 degrees. Normally, a pond is dug at least 2 feet deep or more--more being best.

Answer 5

koi will not be happy in a small pond, they are notorious for jumping out (and dieing!) why not try some goldfish, same care
just about as pretty?
koi and goldfish can live outside in the winter, what matters is the depth of the pond - the pond must be deep enough so that it doesn't freeze solid and ice on the surface must be broken regularly so that gases can exchange (oxygen, etc)