In Japan, Koi are known as nishikigoi.  Koi are a special breed of carp, most known for their vivid colorfulness.  Koi carp can be found all over the world, mostly in cooler waters and atmospheres.  The origin of the koi can be traced all the way back to the 19th century, when the farmers of Japan decided to pick brightly colored specimens of carp to breed together, forming the koi that are known today.  Koi are mainly bought for their decorative purposes, and can be found in mostly decorative ponds and ornamental gardens in some amazingly brilliant colors.  Koi carp are supposedly symbols of good fortune, success, and perseverance in the culture of Japan.  A tattoo of koi carp is believed to bring the wearer the same thing.

Finding koi carp for sale on the Internet can be done from many different sites online.  For example, at www.thekoifarm.com, you can purchase many koi carp for sale, straight from the koi farms.  You can purchase them by type, gender, specific price range, or by the breeder who deals with them.  For butterfly koi, another beautiful species of the koi carp, go to www.aquariumfish.net and search for koi.  Dealers and individuals alike can buy these koi carp for sale from this expansive website.

Koi are very easily cared for, although they are mostly bred for outdoor ponds and larger aquariums.  They will quickly grow too large to stay in most indoor aquariums, so you must make sure that you have room for your koi carp before buying them or breeding them.  Koi carp prefer cool water, so if you live in a hot area, be sure that the pond or lake they are in is deep enough for them to sink  into.  This will help them keep cool when the water temperature or the air temperature becomes too hot for them.  Koi ponds are best built where there is lots of shade or plants and trees, and they should have a lot of plant life in the pond, so they have things to hide under.

Koi are easy to feed, and should be fed with a special type of balanced diet.  Their food should be one that floats, to encourage them to come up to the top of the water often   Koi carp can also be taught to recognize the people who are feeding them, and will sometimes learn to take the food right out of a person’s hand.  Most people who own koi feed them about 2 to 5 times per day.  This is because they are such a large fish and need to eat.  At this type of feeding schedule, they will grow slowly, but steadily, and stay about the same size.  If you want them to grow larger and faster, up their feeding once more per day.  However, you have to be careful that you do not overfeed your koi, as that can clog your fish filter.  You may actually hurt or kill your koi, as well.  Koi carp can become obese and suffer from health problems, like many other animals can.

Removing the waste from your koi pond is very important, since they do tend to excrete a lot.  It can build up on the bottom of a pond, so be sure to install bottom pond drains and filters and check and clean them regularly.  You will be able to tell if they are clogged or not working properly if your pond water starts to turn murky or cloudy.  The more koi carp you own, the bigger pond you will need, and the bigger filters.  Most koi carp grow to an average size of 2 feet or so, but larger ones may grow up to 3 feet in length.  Make sure that your pond is big enough to handle the girth of your fish.

In a natural environment, summertime is the best growing period for koi.  Koi will use this feeding time to eat as much as they possibly can; this is so they have built up fat stores to help sustain them through the winter months.  Koi can be fed treats other than fish food.  They love things you would not think a fish would, such as oranges and lemons, watermelon and grapefruit, grubs and earthworms.  These types of treats must be cut into small pieces, so they are easy for the koi carp to swallow and digest.  Just toss them into the water and watch your koi carp eat happily, or try to hand feed your koi carp on your own.

Koi are a very beautiful fish, and can be a great addition to an outdoor lake or pond.  With the proper care, your koi carp can live a very long and healthy life, and you will have a beautiful fish addition to your pond.