Pond size for Koi fish.?

Question

I have a bit of a problem. I have 3 koi fish, one is about 12 inches long, the other two are about 7 inches long.

At the moment I have them in a 75 gallon tank, I need to desperately move them to somewhere bigger. I honestly don't have enough space for a huge pond and I was thinking on putting on inside my garage.

I went to Lowe's and looked at a 100g preformed pond. is that big enough to hold my koi (they are in a tank now) or should I go bigger? What is the minimum size I can get w/o really harming them too much. or will I be ok with the 100g pond, I mean it IS bigger then the tank they are in... like I said I dont have the room for a 1000g pond etc.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=56569-000001569-LP7918&lpage=none

I really have no idea what to do with these koi, I had to take them from my friend and I cant sell them.

Answer 1

No, the 100 gallon will not help much because it is only 25 more gallons. Koi get very large and produce so much waste and ammonia that they can easily kill themselves if the tank/ pond is not big enough for them. They need at least 100 gallons each. Even 500 gallons will be better though not ideal like 1000.  

With larger ponds and tanks the water quality is also better and you have healthy fish. You will have to clean the water alot more with 3 koi and only 100 gallons or you will only get dead fish. Probably every couple of days now but later you will have to clean it every day. Make sure you also have a filter and a air pump for them. The filter will help alittle with the waste and the pump will help keep enough oxygen in the water for them.

You should do some research on how to build your own pond in your garage and not buy one that will only last couple months. It might cost more at first to get or install a large pond but in the long run you will save money because you won't have to replace the pond again and you will also have healthier fish. Not to mention if you don't have a correct size pond for them they can get diseases faster and also are very stressed. When they grow to their full size (2-3 feet long) they will have to have room or can get bone diseases and will die a slow and painful death.

I strongly suggest that if you can't keep the fish in over 300 gallons that you sell them or give them away to someone who can put them in a proper size pond where they can thrive.

Answer 2

Koi carp are not aquarium fish, they are fresh and cold water lake or pond dwellers. Pond as in outside water lily pond.But they are or were hard to acquire.  Maybe if you contact your local Aquarium society, as Koi are also shown in shows, and you may find someone who can give you advice for your local area.

Their oxygen requirements are more than goldfish. I lost two small ones 6 inches long in a tank over night because the air pump had been mistakenly left unattached, the gold fish were OK but had slowed down.

You should be able to sell them, as a fish 12 inches long that size is almost breeding size.   A four foot long tank is just a holding tank size and to be fair to the fish, I would relocate them in someones outside pond, they get on well with gold fish. Provided it is air pumped as non circulating water is not too good for them.  Maybe a park with a larger facility would take them if you ask them first, as if they are mixed with some native fish, they will eat the eggs.  Some hotels

have nice displays too.  Or very large tanks with gold fish in them. 12 inch fishes are very large for any tank really unless it is as you state 100 gallon preformed pond would be just marginally better, a 1000 gallon size ideal.  You'd have to have a strong floor to support one of them too if you intend to keep them indoors.    But - in the mean time keep their tank very well aerated and filtered.  Air pumps aren't that dear to buy with air stones attached. Best of luck, and congratulations for having the nous and care to ask such a question.  Some wouldn't bother.

PS.  Depending on where you live, if you start digging and setting concrete ponds (that have to weather for some months

to remove toxic elements), the depth of six feet is not necessary as if it ices over, you break the ice every day to allow oxygen in and deadly CO 2 to escape. (Gee if you fell into a six foot deep pond, you could drown!) Two to three feet

is sufficient really, so long as it is wide and length say 8 feet. It's the surface area exposed to the air, rather than the depth that is more important, so the fish can swim and move around.  You can buy plastic pond liners incidently.  Again some need to mature for given lengths of time, to remove any plastic chemical harmful ingredients.  But koi do have special needs space, and air supply being two important factors.

Answer 3

I built a pond. Just get yourself some cement and make it a bit deeper than 6 feet. They will survive the winter with the depth. That is what I would do and it is much cheaper. Just dig a hole and cement it.

Then you have the option of designing it they way you want!

Good Luck!

Answer 4

atleast 1000 gallons

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/articl...

Answer 5

since your planning to put it in your garage then freezing will not be a problem then you put a net on it there is no problem of jumping. however try a bigger pond a rectagular one so it will not eat more space in your garage the bigger possible.  

kOi keeper & goldfish keeper

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/world...

http://www.geocities.com/koiphilippines/...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArAlwupRy...