Will my koi get color?

[cheekylemur]

The first koi I bought knowing practically nothing was a little 2-3 inch silvery pet store koi that started to turn red as it grew.

It didn't turn to a patterned fish like the ones that you probably saw with more color or the one in the icon, it was turning into an overall red fish. And had I known enough to keep him alive at the time, was turning into a matsuba, red with darker color in the scales.

It started changing color with a slight golden color spreading across the back and then started to deepen. I had the fish in a southern-facing window so there was a reasonable amount of natural sunlight.

I'm not sure I could predict whether that would ever happen, but good luck with yours!

[PapaBear]

We all started at the beginning, knowing too little and with MUCH to learn.
Very few "pet shops" carry Koi with any potential for anything lasting, so take Dick's advice and learn all you can from these little guys. They will not thrive in an aquarium, as Koi need a much, MUCH larger environment to thrive, but you can still learn on the cheap while you construct your pond.
There is a pond construction forum here, so go look around and soak up all you can. You'll learn more from others experience than you can get answers for one post at a time. Lots of good info to be gleaned just by reading, and then you'll have a better idea of how to start out right when you start digging.
Whatever you do, don't put a shovel in the ground before you read...
Don't hire a contractor before you read...
Don't start buying equipment before you read...
You will thank me later (after you read that is)

[davidoffbeat]

Quote: Originally Posted by PapaBear We all started at the beginning, knowing too little and with MUCH to learn. Very few "pet shops" carry Koi with any potential for anything lasting, so take Dick's advice and learn all you can from these little guys.

Fish pro's seemed to have a lot of pond related stuff as well as fully grown koi...so I figured they were decent quality...how long do you think they will last in my tank? As It may be 2-3 years before I have a pond.

I did do SOME reading about keeping them in tanks, and know that they'll need to be moved. I felt bad after reading all the stuff about stunting their growth and killing the fiish...I hope 90 gallons is enough for a while. I went crazy when i went to petsmart and the recommended tank size was 15+ gallons...

[Auntiesue]

You are getting so very excellant advice about when you build your pond. Listen and read!!! If I knew then what I know now, I could have spared myself a lot of work and $$$ in the process!! Also could have saved a lot of koi lives along the way!! It is VERY LIKELY that your local source DOES NOT have or sell what is necessary for a well designed pond "system" (even if they sell large koi) so educate yourself so you don't spend money on something that you'll disgard in a year or two. Go to some shows and talk to vendors....learn, learn, learn!! Learn what it takes to keep good water, the rest will follow.

Even if these fish turn our to be ogon (one color - likely white), there is such beauty in these fish. Every pond should have one or two to help set off the others in the pond. I have two in my pond. I often compare their whites to the whites of my other fish just to make sure the whites are doing well on the others. Plus when these fish are near the bottom, if they look a bit yellow in color, you know you have a water quality problem.

Lots of good things to think about when you have an ogon in the pond.

[CarolinaGirl]

Every pond needs solid colored fish to balance out all the patterned fish. They have nice luster, even if they don't have a pattern. Learn from these fish, and soak up everything you can on the boards about pond construction before you start digging. It's much easier to do it right the first time.

[JasPR]

Cheeky, O how you have taken me back to the 'day'. It was 1984 and I bought my first koi. It was a GIANT at 12 inches!! I couldn't believe that an ornamental fish could get that big. In the pet store's 75 gallon tank it could hardly turn around. It was a steal at $90 because it was PURE white !!! LOls JR

[PapaBear]

Here's a great way to start. Find a club near you, go to a meeting, and see what Koi and Koi ponds can be like up close and personal. You can gain much valuable insight into your future plans and see some incredible Koi in the process.

• North Carolina Koi & Watergarden Society - Dan Phillips 919-931-4876 E Mail Web Site
• Piedmont Koi Society -Geoffrey Huntley E Mail Web Site
• Triad Koi and Water Garden Society - Susan Reed 336-201-8776 E Mail Web Site

[davidoffbeat]

Thanks, I don't know if i'll be going to any meetings or koi shows anytime soon but I will certainly check this site often for helpful tips!

No one really answered my question about moving them towards a window (while they are still indoors), would this benefit them?

How long do you think my pet store fish will last? You guys got me worried.

[dinh]

Quote: Originally Posted by davidoffbeat .... No one really answered my question about moving them towards a window (while they are still indoors), would this benefit them?

Yes, some natural light will bebefit koi....

Welcome on board...

--Dinh

[PapaBear]

Natural light will benefit them, but Koi are a bit nervous when surrounded by open glass on all sides, so they may not be all that sociable during daylight hours.
As far as survivability goes, that really is up to you and your care for them.
If you don't already have a test kit for ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, get one. That is the absolute minimum you will need to test for.
In an aquarium, you will need to perform regular water exchanges prompted by your test results, have a decent filter running with aeration 24/7, and you'll want to feed sparingly in a small environment. In some ways it can be a valuable education. You will be able to spend time with them when you do your tests and water exchanges, learn to observe them and how they react to different conditions, and if you play your cards right you might even teach them to eat from your hand. (Koi are very personable).
Don't be intimidated at the prospect of going to a club meeting or a Koi show. At a show you will see WHY so many of us enjoy our wet pets so much. They can become very big and incredibly beautiful when well cared for. Seeing them in all their glory doesn't mean you have to spend megabucks to have showstoppers, but it can be inspiring and educational nonetheless.