New to koi

[Carpman]

I recieved a young koi as a present on my 20th birthday back in february, i keep it in a 20gal container as temporary housing until i get an above ground pond built for it. i would like to know what is the smallest pond in terms of gallons that i can have for my one koi. ive been told that if its too small the body of the fish will be un-attractive when it reaches beyond 40 inches.

[CarolinaGirl]

Bare minimum? koi need a bare minimum of 250 gallons each, with a minimum pond size of 1000 gallons. And that will allow them to only be for pet-grade fish, reaching maybe 24" max. It will probably never reach 40". but if you want to try, you need a minimum of 1000 gallons per koi and it has to be at least 6' deep, perferably 8' deep and at least 10,000 gallons. And it has to be female with the genetics to reach that size, which is unlikely. Also, you will have to get that fish a companion because koi will not do well alone.

[KoiCop]

Hello Carpman . . .

What Cindy said.

Best wishes,

[Otter]

For someone who doesn't already have a pond, a gift of a single koi is a bit of a while elephant. Consider carefully whether you want to continue with this or whether it would be better to take the fish back.

OTOH, ponds are wonderful things. If your really want to get into this, the question is not what is the minimum size pond for your fish, but what is the maximum size pond for your land and budget. 1000 gallons, preferably with one area 6' deep, is the minimum for koi. But a large pond is easier to stabilize than one that is just big enough. Hence, thinking small can actually result in more maintenance.

[Carpman]

thanks im thinking about building somthing that hold 300 to 400 gallons i will add another fish eventually. i can manage building somthing 500 to 1000 gallons if i need to.

[Eugeneg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Carpman thanks im thinking about building somthing that hold 300 to 400 gallons i will add another fish eventually. i can manage building somthing 500 to 1000 gallons if i need to.

You would be better to think in the 1000 gallon min to start with and then even if you do it all yourself liner pumps etc is going to cost you $1000 . You could build it in a 100hr and you will need a 100 HR a year to maintain it . We are looking at minimum time and costs could be a lot of fun if you are commited. Why not visit some koi keepers in your area.
Your decision to make
Regards
Eugene

[Carpman]

i will try to find some if i can, whats a good depth, ive been hearing 3 and 4 ft, 3ft being the minimum. as afr as gallons one guy told me that in 200-300 gallons the body would look dumpy and the fins would come out too small

[Carpman]

Quote: Originally Posted by CarolinaGirl Bare minimum? koi need a bare minimum of 250 gallons each, with a minimum pond size of 1000 gallons. And that will allow them to only be for pet-grade fish, reaching maybe 24" max. It will probably never reach 40". but if you want to try, you need a minimum of 1000 gallons per koi and it has to be at least 6' deep, perferably 8' deep and at least 10,000 gallons. And it has to be female with the genetics to reach that size, which is unlikely. Also, you will have to get that fish a companion because koi will not do well alone.

my goal for size is 24 inches, the koi i have came from a local pet store, not high grade loke those that come from japan and koi breaders. but it is one nice looking fish

[WAC]

One of the top complaints of 1st time pond owners is, "I wish I would of built it bigger!" We hear it all the time & it's not just a marketing ploy. Mine (albeit unique), went through 6 major changes in its lifespan & that was only 1 of the ponds.

Layout a marker on your yard ... obviously the space availability will play a role in how big of a footprint you can have.

[CarolinaGirl]

Quote: Originally Posted by Carpman i will try to find some if i can, whats a good depth, ive been hearing 3 and 4 ft, 3ft being the minimum. as afr as gallons one guy told me that in 200-300 gallons the body would look dumpy and the fins would come out too small

If your koi has room to swim, some good currents, weekly 10% water changes and good clean conditions, you can probably get 24" out of it. Don't be tempted to put rocks in the bottom of the pond. Don't let any debris accumulate anywhere (that's where bacteria grows and some parasites breed and thrive). Go at least 3' deep, but 4' deep will give you much better results. Koi develop a strong muscular appearance by swimming in all directions. Shallow small ponds inhibit their ability to develop properly. If the koi turns out to be a male, there will be little you can do to make the koi develop a nice strong looking body though. Males are typically long and slender.