what's the best way to take care of koi indoors?

Question

We just bought 3 small (3 inches) koi and have them in a 50 gallon tank for now with 2 bubble stones and the best filter (so we are told)out there for the tank. The fish seem to love it and we are NOT going to add more fish. We added the necessary bacteria for the tank and all seems well. Can anyone give me some advice on raising them? Thanks.

Answer 1

Sounds like you're doing a good job of doing the right things for your tank. Here is your rule regarding adequate water capacity for goldfish and koi. 10 gallons of water per fish of up to 3 inches; 15 gallons of water per fish up to 4 inches, 20 gallons of water per fish over 5 inches, and for koi, who can reach up to 2 feet (although being in a tank will cause them to grow more slowly and probably not reach the size they would if they were in a pond) you will, eventually, need to consider 50-60 gallons of water per fish when they reach around 12 inches each. Comets, commons and shubunkin goldfish and koi are more hardy than fancy goldfish and can handle less perfect water conditions and greater water changes, however, adhering to those guidelines will ensure better fish health and longevity. You should change about 25% of the water weekly; however, with koi and the size of the tank, I think you could get away with 30%. Siphon the gravel to get rid of poop and any uneaten food. They love playing with the gravel and moving it around, so make sure the gravel is bigger than their mouths so they won't swallow it. They love eating plants and playing with them, so if you have real plants, plan on them being pulled out from time to time and having to replace them as they are eaten. If you don't want to deal with live plants, make sure that you feed the fish veggies, such as peas, any kind of lettuce other than iceberg, spinach, oranges, kiwis, and, heck! experiment with other things and see what they like. They also like "gel" food, which is baby food or fresh, steamed or boiled and mashed peas or other veggies, mixed with plain gelatin so it is set up very firm and cut it into little bite-size chunks. Just remember, if they don't eat these things, take them out so they don't foul the water. They like to gulp their food, so soak their regular food, whether pellets or flakes, before feeding, so that they don't get air in their tummies. Avoid using the growth formulas (I don't think I need to explain why!) and use the color enhancing foods instead. Don't over feed. It's better to underfeed goldfish and koi if anything. Keep ph balance at 7.0 and keep your ammonia levels checked. These fish need lots of aeration, so the rule for that is 10X the gallon size of the tank. So, for a 50 gallon tank, you need a pump that pumps at least 500 gallons per hour. Koi are extremely outgoing, people loving fish and will be as "cuddly" as a fish is able to be. You will have lots of fun with them!

Answer 2

I dont think they need 2,000 gallons, but over 1,000 for adults. They truely are pond fish. The 5" is the size that they die at if you try and keep them in a small tank. There are no miniature Koi, only baby koi or sick stunted ones. In good conditions a butterfly Koi can grow to 3 FEET long. Ian Edit: Breeding size is not the same as adult size.The parents may well be 7 inches long, several years old, sexually mature and able to spawn. That doesn't mean they are full grown. What will they look like in 10 or 20 years? I bet they will still grow into normal monster Koi, or die trying.

Answer 3

Koi grow HUGE.(2-3 feet!) A 50 gallon tank will only be good for them for about 3-4 months. Soon you are going to need to either get a 1000+ gallon aquarium or a pond. It is possible to do an indoor pond if you must keep them inside.

Answer 4

yes well kois would rather like it outdoors in a pond but that doesn't really matter. Kois will get bigger, as you should know {and I'm talking huge!} All you have to do now is feed them, coz you basically have the tank set up good. and you should add some plants in the tank, as these fish love plants, especially banana lillies and the amazon sword. for info go to www.aqualandpetsplus.com and that will show you info about plants, fish./././././

Answer 5

Build an indoor pond, they really need 250 gallons each to grow their max size and have a chance at living their full life. Keeping them in that tank long term will cause them to stunt, their outside stops growing but their inside don't and they eventually die from it.