Koi and Goldfish Ponds

Getting Started with Your Koi or Goldfish Pond

Koi and goldfish are almost the same. They are of the same genus and their feeding pattern and both require a low protein diet in winter and high protein diet during the summer. Koi, however, develop a much more voracious appetite for pond plants as adults than do goldfish. The primary differences between the two types of pond fish are shape, size, and color. Koi are generally bred for their color, pattern, and scalation, while goldfish are bred for the shape of their body and fins.

There are many varieties of Koi; they differ from their fins, vivid and strong colours, to their scalations. Varieties worth mentioning are butterfly koi, popular for their goldfish-like tails and fins, platinum koi, with their brilliant silvery white colors, Utsuri Koi - those dalmatian-like koi - and the most popular, Kohaku Koi, with their strong, solid cream colors.

Photo: Swami Stream*

There isn't much variety to choose from when it comes to goldfish as most varieties are the same color and size, but they vary in shape and tail length. Some goldfish have very spherical bodies while others are long-bodied, some have pudgy cheeks, lumps on their forehead, or have puffy cheeks. Among my personal favorites are the Oranda and Fantail goldfish, because of their pudgy body, graceful movement, and veil-like tails. Another is the shubunkin goldfish which is slender and fast-swimming, endowed with spots and a striking color pattern.

Koi are generally sturdier than goldfish. Koi are fast swimmers; they can generally survive harsh winter and summer climates, while some varieties of goldfish are sensitive to temperature change. Keep in mind that if you're going to mix the two types of fish in the same pond, you should give special attention to your goldfish during feeding time as they are slow swimmers and less aggressive than koi.

In building your pond, it is important to remember several things. One, to minimize cleaning effort, try not to place your pond directly under a tree, so as to avoid falling leaves settling into the pond. Two, vary the depth of the pond and place some of the deep areas toward the edge of the pond so you can see the big fish during feeding time. Finally, select appropriate pond plants that would complement each other such as lotus, dwarf cattails, yellow longwood, and red night blooming hibiscus. Choose just one floating plant to maximize the viewing space.

One general tip on keeping fish outdoors is to maintain ideal pond conditions. This means that you have to keep nitrate and bacteria in appropriate levels by equipping your pond with a filtration system relative to the fish count and pond size. You should also not overdo it with the fountains as they create noise and turbulence - one to three fountains are enough depending on your pond size. Putting plants in your pond will be of great help in filtering the pond as well as aid in feeding your Koi or goldfish. You should also keep in mind to vary the depth of your pond in order to accommodate different sizes of fish.

If you're still in doubt about your pond decisions, be sure to do additional research. Have fun with your pond.