I finally replaced my dead koi and bought bigger ones with the hope that their immune system will be more developed and stronger than a baby fish thus resisting death from illness.
Anyway, I put the five koi in the pond yesterday afternoon and they were pretty much hiding all day. This morning two potted plants were flipped over but my pond/heron fence was intact and there didn't seem to be a struggle of any kind in the pond. My largest koi I believe is 12 inches with all the rest similiar in size. I picked out some wild and crazy fish. Of the five fish 4 of the five jumped out of either the net or the blue pan or the plastic bag during my shopping experience. One of the koi I bought for their "gusto" in feeding. She's not the prettiest but nearly jumps out of the water to eat and was swimming into my hand and let me pet her at the shop. How could I resist such a cocky Momma! She suckled my fingers for food like a mad fish! So is this an indication they are strong enough to destroy plants/pots or should I be concerned about preditors?
Linda
How big do koi need to be to flip plant pots over?
That is one of the reasons that I gave up koi in my small ponds because they are a jumping fish and will jump right out and get eaten. Another reason is because they rut in the flower pots and muddy the water. They will eat all the elodia if it is in with them. BEV
My neighbor has a huge pond with maybe 100 koi. While in her yard this morning, kept hearing a strange sound......the koi "talk" like porpoise. Who'd a thought.
Didn't know that!!!!
LouC: I never heard any noises coming from a koi before. Is it the noise of suckling at the surface of the water looking for food?
These are the best fed fish in the entire world. They were just playing and lazing around the top of the pond.
They are so tame that they actually get into her hand when she is feeding. After hearing the sound I realized I have heard them before and thougt we had strange bird in the area. Just a sound they make "talking" to each other. She has had koi for 14 years...she knows their sound.
LouC
The koi do mess with the plants, but in my opinion, it's worth it. I tend to just get more plants... some fare better than others. Congrats on the new babies... let's see some pics! Christi, now I'm going to have to listen more closely!
Brenda
Becky feeding her babies.
Mine tip the plants over all the time...it's just part of the koi world, lol...
Last year I started using cement block as my planters (they have the half block size) I just put the plant in, and fill it with river rocks instead of soil. It keeps the water cleaner, the roots suck all the nutrients out of the water, so it's stays crystal clear, and the plants grow like crazy! They can't tip them over either!
Does the cement raise the pH?
My koi trash all but the very biggest pots and tubs.The real heavy damage began last year when they got to the 18" and up range. Last year I watched one tow a lilly around the pond it had yanked from the pot. They also trash all plants if given an opportunity, except anacharis. Mine definitely do not talk. Apparently nothing much on their mind I guess.
So, do you think that these approx. 12 inch long fish could tip the pots? They seem to get very active at night-are Koi nocturnal or is it that they are just less frightened of the new circumstances?
Mine are not nocturnal at all, but fish that size could definitely tip and/or drag plants around (ask me how I know... )
Brenda
It depends on the size of the of the pot, of course. More likely at this size you will see them root in the pot until there is no planting medium or plant left. I don't know about the nocturnal thing in your pond. I think that's because they havn't settled in yet maybe? Here they all "lay up" at night, becoming still and resting in the shallow areas under lily pads. I check on them around 11:00pm with a spotlight. The light disturbs them a little. If I have to catch a koi this is when I do it. Sneak up with the net in the dark. They don't see it coming as quickly. My DH operates the spot and I do the net. Only problem is that we cant see all that well either in the darkness and a fall into the pond is surely going to happen one of these days. That ought to be a hoot. I can hear the koi laughing already.
I certainly hope that you finally just get to enjoy some koi. You have had way more than your share of beginner's bad luck. And really, what happend to you could have happened to even a seasoned ponder.
Sounds like bsavage has cleaned up a few pots from the bottom of the pond! ;>)
Our fish don't like us to rearrange the furniture, that's for sure! We have a cage around our pump (because it's a very powerful pump with an impellor... don't want fish to get sucked in...), and on top of the cage we have river rocks, big ones. Then we have a fun little treasure chest that we like to sit on top of the river rocks. Well, the fish DO NOT like that treasure chest on top of the pump, it apparently belongs on the floor. Every time we put it back on top, the next morning it's on the floor... sometimes they knock some of the big rocks off of the pump enclosure as well. Plants... well, they do what they wish with them as well... I only get to suggest where I'd like them. Nonetheless, we get quite a few water lily blooms, the rushes and cannas do well, but some of the water plants get taken out before they even get established. Oh well, the fish bring me great joy and peace. And, I'm glad they have personality! ^_^
Brenda
Snapple....I soaked the blocks for a month in a tub of water to grow some algae, first, before using them. Now, I never clean them at all, and I think they actually help keep the "bio" part active when I clean the filters. So far the ph has never been a factor. I was concerned about the same thing, but it hasn't seemed to be a problem in any of my 3 ponds.
:)
You get everything figured out so well MarryMary. Darn! Wish I'd thought of that. Yup, the surface area of all those little crevices in the cement block would be a teriffic place for the good pond bacteria to colonize. I have a perfect situation for a half block. Thanks for the stupendously good idea.