From the Choosing to the Caring
Small koi, also known as koi fry although you cannot and must not fry them, of course, require more special care than their adult counterparts. In fact, you may even think of them as your babies with the way you must adapt the following things from choosing to caring for small koi!
Choosing Koi Fry
Before you can properly take care of koi fry, you must be able to choose them with care. Of course, this means no diseases, no parasites and no defects just perfection in a small form.
As such, you must inspect the koi fry with your naked eye and with a microscope. In this way, you can detect the presence of the anchor worm, fish louse and other parasites that will adversely affect their health. Well, of course, you will be assured by the pet store owner that his baby koi is healthy but, as a wise buyer, you must never take his word for it.
Transporting Koi Fry
Small koi, when purchased, comes in a plastic bag that contains water and oxygen. This setup, however, should not last long otherwise the koi can die during transport. Thus, you must carry it quickly and safely to the pond or aquarium where you intend to keep it. And please avoid shocking the koi with sudden changes in temperature and vibrations!
You must, however, allow the unopened plastic container to float on top of a quarantine aquarium for approximately 30 minutes. This way, the temperatures between the two bodies of water can equalize, thus, allowing the koi to acclimatize to its new surroundings.
Then, you must gently guide the koi into the aquarium, taking care to ensure that there is as little transfer of water from the container into the aquarium. You will notice that emphasis is placed on a quarantine aquarium precisely because you must not risk passing on infections, if any, from new stock to old stock.
You can transfer the koi fry into the main aquarium or pond after 3-6 weeks quarantine period, if and when it appears that the koi is healthy. When you suspect KHV, extend the quarantine for up to 6 months.
Caring for Koi Fry:
The water in which the koi fry lives is the primary factor n its survival to adulthood. Thus, you must ensure that the correct levels of water alkalinity, pH levels and chemical composition as well as temperature and lighting conditions must be maintained at all times.
For example, koi thrives in heavy metal- and chlorine-free water with temperatures of 61 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and pH levels of 7.5 to 8.3 as well as proper oxygen flow. All these can be achieved with the assistance of the right chemical, biological and air filtrations systems as well as regular partial water changes.
Of course, you must feed your koi fry with either fish flakes or pellets. Don’t overfeed – just 2 small portions daily will do and only when the water temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, you risk diseases and even death for your beloved koi!
You must do your research when choosing and caring for small koi. After all, as tiny as a small koi can be, it represents an investment that must be protected and enjoyed for many years to come!
