By Adam B Short

So, what is the difference between Koi and goldfish?

Koi and goldfish are very similar looking fish, especially when they are about the same size.

It is no wonder that some people mistake them.

They are even related – both of these types of fish are descended from carp.

However, koi are a much more recent development, descended from the common carp in Japan.

They were first bred for their beautiful colors around the 1820s, and have been popular ever since.

Goldfish, on the other hand, have been around for much longer.

Domesticated carp were raised in China for thousands of years for food.

These were the Prussian carp, rather than the common carp, which koi are descended from.

Colors like red, orange and yellow were noted as early as the Jin dynasty – around the time of the Roman Empire.

Later, it became popular to raise carp in ornamental ponds, and many of these carp showed gold coloration.

They were prized as ornamental fish, and were displayed in small bowls on special occasions.

Now, goldfish are available in all kinds of colors and shapes, and are actually considered a separate species from their ancestors.

These fish can no longer successfully interbreed.

Koi, by comparison, are still capable of breeding with their parent species, and will return to the wild coloration within a few generations.

They are merely a special series of color variations on this type of fish.

Most goldfish can not be kept outdoors anymore, and must live in indoor aquariums.

Some special varieties, including the shubunkin, are capable of living outside.

Koi are capable of living outdoors in appropriate environments, and are still kept in ornamental pools.

They are also larger than goldfish, though their smaller cousins get bigger than most people know.

If you have only ever seen goldfish two to six inches long, you may be surprised to learn that they can live up to twenty years and get up to eighteen inches long.

Koi can be up to three feet long and usually live for twenty-five to thirty-five years.

Specimens up to six feet long and two hundred years old have been claimed, however.

Goldfish come in a wider range of variation than koi, with more types of tail and fin shapes and different body shapes.

Koi are almost all the same shape, but have a wide variety of colors and patterns, with obvious barbels on their lips.

Young koi and young goldfish of certain types can be hard to tell apart, and some kinds of goldfish can even interbreed with koi, but the result is sterile.

Both koi fish and goldfish are fun to keep and have their own special characteristics and personalities.

By Lydia Adams

Is your tank so covered with freshwater algae you cannot see your fish? Is there so much gunk on your tank you are embarrassed to have anyone over?

Freshwater algae can be a good thing because it provides oxygen for your fish and will help get rid of excess nutrients, while too much of it is not fun.

You can get rid of the algae by using an algae scrubbing pad or scraper and rubbing the sides of your tank. Be sure not to use the scrubbing pads you use in your kitchen as it will have chemicals on it that are not good for your tank.

After you have cleaned the sides, remove some of the dirty water and put in new water. Make sure to have a mechanical filter working properly to help get rid of the algae you rubbed off the walls.

Algae growth is increased in direct sunlight. If you cannot avoid direct sunlight, use dark material or decorative backings to cover the back and sides of the tank.

Do not overfeed your fish, as wasted food also leads to freshwater algae growth. Having a few live plants will help keep the algae in check as they feed on the nutrients before the algae can.

If you have too many fish in your tank, their waste will help algae grow. You may want to put a scavenger fish in the tank as they clean food waste from the bottom of the tank. The scavenger fish will also clean algae from the walls of your fish tank.

If you keep your fish tank out of the sun, do not overfeed your fish, clean your fish tank on schedule, and keep your filters running properly, you can stop the overwhelming growth of freshwater algae.

By Adam B Short

Many people enjoy koi fish in their landscaping ponds. The fish grow large, are colorful, and thrive well in the outdoor pond environment.

Some pond owners choose to breed the fish to stock their own garden ponds.

Others choose to breed koi fish as a profit making business.

No matter which reason you select to raise koi, it is essential to gain an educated understanding of the fish.

First, koi breeders must learn the appropriate times for breeding.

No matter where you live in the United States, the best months to breed your koi fish are between April and July.

The next step is choosing your fish.

Of course, you will want to stock your breeding pond with both male and female koi. Males can be identified by the spots on their gill covers and pectoral fins. Females will have larger abdomens during the breeding season.

When breeding koi fish, it is important to select males and females that are about the same size. Females need to be at least two years old for breeding purposes. The ideal age for breeding a female is around four years old.

If the female is too young, the eggs will be thin and there is a less likely chance the baby will survive. You also do not want the fish to be too old for breeding. Older fish have eggs that are too hard for the sperm to penetrate. However, fifteen year old koi have been successfully bred.

Set up your breeding environment so that there is approximately one male fish for every female fish. Make certain that males do not outnumber the females over 2 to 1.

Some form of either synthetic or natural decoration should be used in the tank or pond. Outdoor ponds often work well with using water hyacinths. It may be a good idea to place a net over your outdoor pond to keep insects out and to prevent the fish from jumping onto the sides.

Spawning can be recognized by a cloudiness of the water and a strong odor. A koi fish may produce over a thousand eggs at a time. It is important to protect these eggs from adult fish. Spawning ropes may be used to move the eggs to a safe area and wait for hatching.

The hatching of the eggs typically occurs in a week.

A month or so after the fish have hatched, it is best to begin culling out fish that are not of good and high quality stock. Continue culling out the fish that are acceptable breeders every week or so until you have a high quality pond of new fish.

These fish will serve as new breeders for future breeding. It important to keep in mind that only about half of your baby koi will live to reach their adulthood life. Taking care of your fish will help maintain a high quality for the future generation of koi.

Breeding koi can be a wonderful and exciting business or hobby. However, it is not a task that should be taken lightly. Raising koi takes work in order to ensure that the highest quality of fish are produced.