You really like the vibrant colours of Koi fish, don't you? We know that the answer is a big yes, because why not, they are cute, big and colourful. But Koi keeping needs a little extra care from your side. These fish can live for more than 10 years and can also grow to three feet when cared for properly.
We are Zen Aquarium, and we have direct connections with trusted koi farmers, and we are proud to bring the best and premium koi fish for sale across NSW. In case you have no experience with koi fish keeping, this article is for you. Today, we will tell you everything you should know before bringing a live koi fish to your home.
1. Your Koi Pond’s Size and Depth
Well, we will start with the major fact, the size and depth of the pond are two very important things when you want healthy koi fish. You must have at least 1,000 gallons of water, and your pond should be 3 feet deep. But if you want your koi fish to grow properly and reach their full size, you should go for bigger ponds. We recommend 3,000 to 5,000 gallons or even more.
Actually, we have mentioned 1,000 gallons of water because koi fish are a social creature and she needs at least one more companion, which can either be Koi or at least a gold fish.
To be more accurate about the amount of water, one Koi needs about 250 gallons if it's small, but larger Koi need around 500 gallons each. Apart from this, deeper ponds are very important because they help your live fish in Australia stay comfortable in both summer and winter. The deeper water also protects your Koi from birds and other animals that might try to catch them.
2. Water Filtration Systems
Another important thing to know about is the filtration system. You need three types of filters working together, and this is not something you should skip.
The very first one is the mechanical filtration, which will help you remove all the visible dirt, like leaves and leftover food.
Another one is biological filtration, which is simple. Just add some good bacteria to the water, which will clean the water from harmful chemicals that fish waste creates.
The third one is UV clarification, which kills bad algae and germs. So, always choose a filter that's bigger than what your pond needs. This is because if your water filter is smaller, you will face the problem of algae every other day.
3. Water Quality Testing and Management
One thing you should know even before typing koi fish for sale is that you can not compromise with the water quality. Testing your pond water is very important, and you must do it every week. Just like this, even when everything looks fine, water conditions can change quickly.
There are so many things you have to check regularly, like ammonia, pH, nitrite, and alkalinity levels.
Your koi fish pond’s ammonia and nitrite levels should always be zero because these are very harmful to your living fish in Australia.
The pH should stay between 6.8 and 7.4, although keeping it stable is more important than hitting the exact number.
Apart from this, your alkalinity should be between 4 and 8 dKH. Use liquid test kits rather than test strips because they give you more accurate results.
When you add new water from the tap, you must use a dechlorinator to remove chlorine, which is very dangerous for live fish in Australia.
4. Feeding Your Koi Fish the Right Way
Now this is again a very important point. Feeding a koi fish is quite technical because it includes so many numbers for you to remember. Always get their food from trusted brands and never compromise on the quality.
The amount of food you feed your living fish in Australia actually depends on the temperature of the water.
- Yes, here come the numbers which we talked about. When the water temperature is below 10°C, you must stop feeding completely. This is because Koi cannot digest food properly in cold water.
- Between 10-18°C, feed them easily digestible wheat germ food once every 2-3 days.
- When it's 18-24°C, you can feed them once or twice daily. In warmer weather above 24°C, you can feed them 2-4 times each day.
You can use a simple 5-minute rule. All you have to do is add a small amount of food, and you can add more when they eat all of it. But just stop after 5 minutes, and this way you can prevent overfeeding and keep your water clean.
5. Seasonal Care for Your Koi
Your Koi needs different care throughout the year. In spring, you must clean your pond completely and restart all your equipment. Test your water and start feeding gradually when the temperature goes above 10°C.
Summer means more work because warm water holds less oxygen. You need better aeration and more frequent water changes. This is when your koi fish will be most active and hungry.
Apart from this, autumn is preparation time for winter. Remove all fallen leaves, install pond netting, and reduce feeding as fish metabolism slows down. In winter, as we said earlier, Just Do Not Feed Your Koi Fish when the water temperature goes below 10°C.
6. Quarantine Process for New Koi
We know you were desperately searching for koi fish for sale, and maybe the reason is your bored old koi, but just wait a minute. From wherever you buy a new koi, including our store at Zen Aquarium, you must quarantine them first. New live fish in Australia might carry diseases that you cannot see, and shipping stress makes them weak.
Set up a separate tank with its own filter and heating. Keep new fish there for 4-6 weeks minimum, though 8 weeks is even safer. Check them daily and perform water tests regularly. Well, as we have said before, never share equipment between your quarantine tank and main pond.
7. Pay Attention to Daily and Weekly Maintenance Tasks
You should regularly watch the behaviour of your living wish in Australia’s weather cycle. Also, make sure that you remove any debris from the surface of the water. Water filters, air pump and everything should be working appropriately.
Now, you also have to test the water quality, clean the skimmer baskets, and perform partial water changes of 10-25% on a weekly basis.
On a monthly basis, you will need to clean the filters, trim plants, and add beneficial bacteria for your living fish in Australia.
Just like this, seasonal tasks are also very important. Spring needs complete cleaning and a system restart. Summer requires extra maintenance for algae control. Autumn means debris management and winter preparation. Winter needs minimal work but proper ice management.
Zen Aquarium Brings Premium Koi Fish For Sale In NSW & ACT
We are Zen Aquarium, a small family business serving Australia's fish community for over 17 years at Paddy's Markets, Flemington. We offer high-quality koi fish for sale at some of Australia's best prices. Since 2021, we have brought our fish online so we can ship our special live fish in Australia to customers interstate. You can share your concerns and requirements with us directly, just call us today at 0478 757 332, or you can also write to us at info@zenaquariumau.com.
Apart from koi fish, we also have a range of living fish in Australia. You can also call us for Goldfish, Guppies, Platies, Corydoras, Bettas and Australian Native Tandanus Catfish. Our physical store opens only on SUNDAY at Paddy's Market, Flemington, from 7 am to 3:30 pm. Our store’s location is Building D, 250-318 Parramatta Road, Enter Via Potts St or Austin Avenue, Homebush West, NSW, 2140.