An Introduction to Koi

Koi fish are a wonderful pet to have. They can be trained to eat from your hand, and will even recognize you and greet you as you near the pond.

We would like to welcome you to the wonderful world of Koi. While many people don’t view fish as pets, they can indeed become treasured members of your family. Koi will let you feed them from your hand, and can even be let you pet them once you have earned their trust. These are all behaviors that you would expect from a pet.

Koi is a domesticated pet that was actually bred by man. The wild relative of the Koi is the black common carp, which can be found throughout Europe. These black common carp, Cyprinus carpio, are thought to have been brought to China, Korea, and then Japan to be used as a general food source.

Carp began to be transported to China approximately 2000 years ago. As time passed they continued to move east. The fish did not arrive in Japan for about 1000 years. Carp were kept in rice patties to serve as an additional source of protein for the farmer and their family.

Being confined to rice paddies soon caused a certain amount of inbreeding in these fish, which in brought about the brilliant colors we now associate with the Koi. Since they were beautiful and interesting the carp with beautiful colors would be kept by the farmers.

The Japanese term nishikigoi, which translates brocaded carp, was given to these fish. The short form of nishikigoi is Koi. Koi soon began to be seen as a symbol of strength. There is even a legend that King Shoko gave Confucius a Koi on the occasion of the birth of his first son.

Koi can now be found around the world. You can find thriving Koi industries in Southeast Asia, the United States, and Israel. Koi’s bred outside of Japan do not come with the official Japanese nishikigoi pedigree and are therefore less expensive.

More available information to help you with your yard:
Outdoor and backyard ponds
Landscaping around your pond
Pond furniture for relaxation
Home pools
Animals and pets

Koi Food Guide.com

Koi food guide

Related Koi information

Disclaimers

Where to buy