Lovely How Provide the Best Care for Your Koi Fish and Pond

As any serious Koi keeper knows, care for Koi is not as simple as purchasing goldfish from a pet store and dumping them in a fish tank.

First of all, that fish tank should be a pond with enough room for Koi to grow in. The minimum recommended stocking rate for any Koi pond is one Koi per 250 gallons of water. However, for those who wish to care for Koi, particularly to ensure their proper body formation and maximum size potential, twice the amount of water per Koi is recommended.

As mentioned in a previous article, it is better to care for more Koi than less as the fish are "happier" in a populous environment. This of course, would require increasing your pond volume.

Depending on where in the world one resides, it is good to keep in mind that Koi construction should keep out predators such as birds and mammals. Shaded trees are thus a good idea to block the view of aerial predators. To keep water clean of leaves and debris, stringing nets or wires above the surface is also important. This is because care for Koi begins with care for its pond water.

Koi can thrive in water temperatures of 15-25 degrees C (59-77 degrees F). The optimal temperatures however are at 23-30 degrees C (73.4-86 degrees F).

Pond water should be cycled once an hour for filtration. It should maintain a pH level of 6.5-9 and measured to keep a 5% salinity at all times. It should be free of waste material and be non-chlorinated. Keeping low ammonia levels (due to fish waste) is also necessary for to care for Koi. An ammonia measurement of one part per million is considered harmful for the fish.

One of many environmental problems which arise in the care for Koi is that of green water caused by algal blooms. The nitrogen wastes and other chemicals in the pond nourish the growth of algae and cause the pond to darken or become green. This is not only toxic for the fish but for humans as well. Hence it is best to regularly test the water for chemicals and install proper mechanical and biological filtration and pump systems.

Care for Koi also includes a healthy Koi diet. Koi have evolved to be omnivorous fish with a high tendency towards the consumption of benthic organisms, such as water insects, worms, larvae and even Molluscs. Koi are also stimulated by the variety of eating fruit, shrimp or fish every so often.

Keeping this in mind, however, there are commercial Koi foods that come in pellets or rods for Koi to chew that make guesswork easy. Koi are known to eat more than necessary for their proper growth so feeding must be controlled. More food also means, more waste in the water. It is better to feed the Koi in short spurts several times a day than to give them one large feeding. For aesthetic purposes and in order to give Koi a physical check-up, it would be good to choose food that floats. When the fish come up to feed at the surface it is much easier to check them then for parasites and ulcers.

In countries where the weather above water drops below 10 degrees C (50 degrees F), it is advisable to slow down the feeding and eliminate protein from their diets. This is because their bodies cannot process food as much or as fast as in the warmth.

Care for Koi may initially seem a complicated task for first-time Koi owners. However, its rewards are found in nurturing the healthiest and happiest of these beautiful ornamental fish!

New Your Dog Care Tips: Keep Your Dog Safe in Your Backyard

Keep your dog safe in your backyard. All dogs suffer when it is too hot. Some are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke. If you are in a hot climate, make sure you have a shaded area or a porch where the dog can get out of the sun. It is vital they have a secure source of fresh water; by secure we mean he can't easily tip it over. Common sense is important when deciding whether it is safe to leave your dog outside: a short coated dog or a companion dog that is bred to spend his life indoors will not be able to tolerate being left outside in a cold climate. Your dog care tips include:


Securing Your Yard


It may not make sense to you that the same dog that is so happy to see you when you get home may want to find his way out of the back yard to freedom, but many dogs are lost each year because of this. Most dogs do not have a good sense of the dangers cars represent. Once outside your yard, they may just follow interesting scents and be so focused on those they aren't aware of approaching vehicles. They can also get frightened and run right into traffic. Many breeds are efficient diggers. They can tunnel under a wooden fence with ease. A back gate that is not latched properly can also give your dog an escape route. With smaller breeds, only a few inch gap between slats can be enough for them to squeeze through. Think of this in the positive way: your dog is not trying to escape from your house, he is perhaps trying to find you.


The first thing you need to do is check the perimeter of your yard for any gaps in the fence. One easy solution is to dig down six inches below ground and affix narrow gage wire fencing material to your existing fence. You can hold the fencing in place below ground by burying bricks, rocks or pavers. This will make it more difficult for your dog to tunnel under, and have the added benefit or making it harder for rodents or snakes to get into your yard. You may also want to padlock your gate. A strong dog may try to push open the gate, and some gates with loose latches can even be blown open by the wind. Keeping your fence in good repair is important. If the dog can find a loose or weak slat to chew through, he will.


Safety Inside The Yard


Your beautiful back yard with the trees, flowers, grass and vegetable garden may seem like paradise to you, and your dog will certainly enjoy romping around back there, but there are safety considerations as well, and you will want to make sure your tender plants are protected from your dog.


Again, dogs love to dig. Some breeds, in fact, simply have to dig. For them, it is part of the joy of being alive. They don't care if what they are digging up is a prized flower garden, or the spinach crop you have been carefully tending since early spring. And a dog doesn't at all mind taking a short cut through the flower beds trampling them as he goes. You may want to consider fencing off areas of your yard to protect your plants. This is particularly the case with frisky young pups. As your dog grows you will be able to train him to stay out the flower or vegetable garden, but to a puppy, it all looks like a playground.


Your dog care tips will keep your dog safe in your backyard.