Your Texas Koi Pond Fish are getting ready for another hot spring and summer. If you’re reading this, you may have noticed the sun is staying out to play a little later these days. That’s one sure sign that spring and summer are on the horizon. With longer days, comes more time to enjoy the beauty of your pond and the enjoyment of watching, feeding and even training your fish.

So when your mind starts to wander about the entertainment and joy your pond brings, it’s also wise to think about the general health and care of your pond fish. Healthy fish are crucial for a fun and enjoyable pond experience.

Buy Your Texas Koi Pond Fish from a Responsible Retailer

The first, most important and perhaps the most obvious, overlooked steps in securing a healthy pond fish, starts with purchasing from a responsible retailer. Always ask how long the retailer has had the fish. If they have just received them, ask the retailer to hold the fish for a few days to make sure the fish recovers from stress related to transport and new water chemistry. Never buy sick fish and if possible, quarantine new fish for a few days before adding them to your pond. Not sure what to look for when buying fish for your koi pond? Read our 10 tips for buying fish to help you make the right choices.

Keep a Close Eye on Your Fish

This should be the easiest task at hand, I mean after all isn’t the tranquility of watching your Texas koi fish swim around one of the main reasons you invested in Living the Aquascape Lifestyle™.  It’s best to consult the store or garden center where you purchased the fish, or visit your favorite koi vet’s web page for even more information.

Test Your Water

If you suspect there might be a quality issue, it’s best to test your water.  The level of pH can have adverse  effects on your Texas koi fish if left unaddressed.

If you’re consistently adding beneficial bacteria, have proper pond filtration, and a good balance of fish and plants for the size of your pond, you should rarely have any issues. It’s always wise to keep in mind that outside factors like lawn chemicals can occasionally leach into your pond and cause problems. It’s always best not to apply chemicals to plants or grass near your pond off in order to avoid any contamination.

Understand Water Quality

Speaking of the importance of water, understanding that the majority of issues with Texas Koi Pond Fish are caused by poor water quality. Making sure that the fish population is under control and not over-crowded is the first step in creating a healthy environment.  A general rule of thumb for pond sticking is to ensure you have no more than ten inches of fish (in length) for every 100 gallons of water in your pond. So if your pond is 1000 gallons, you can have a total of 100 inches of fish. You should balance your Texas koi fish population with a variety of pond plants. Your pond plants will help to create a harmonious and natural environment, while absorbing  fish waste as fertilizer and in turn will starve algae of this fertilizer.

In addition, beneficial bacteria should be added to your pond on a regular basis to help keep it balanced. Consider adding the Aquascape Automatic Dosing System, an electronically operated dispenser automatically releases the proper dose of water treatments for your pond.

Feed Texas Koi Pond Fish a High Quality Food

Finally, feeding your Texas koi fish a high quality fish food will not affect water quality and will ensure that your fish are getting all the vitamins and nutrients they need to maintain proper health. Being mindful of how much you feed your fish, as uneaten fish food will decay and can cause an imbalance in pond water. Feed your fish no more than they can eat in five minutes. In the summer, you can feed them up to three times per day. In cooler temperatures, feed them only once – and stop feeding your fish altogether when pond water temperature drops below fifty degrees.

 

By following these simple tips you’ll enjoy seeing your pond fish swim happily and healthily throughout the pond season! Contact us for more information.