Questions about Koi Fish

[ScumbagSaV]

I had some general questions about getting a koi fish.
-Do they do good by themselves or better in groups of like say 2 or more?
Also, what is too warm or too cold for koi? I read that they do better around 70-74 degrees so cold water temp only I assume?
What would be a minimum size tank recommendation for a koi?
And what in the world do they eat?
Thanks in advance!

 

[threnjen]

You need something like a 125g tank to keep a single 12 inch koi. Bigger for more than one. And a pond would be better.

Koi are the huge fish that you see in outdoor ponds.

They aren't really an aquarium fish unless you are super ambitious and have a ton of space.

 

[Lardeelion]

Koi need a lot of space, almost always outside in a pond. They survive the winter just fine if properly prepared for it. They'll get big. I feed my koi regular koi food and give them fruits and veggies too. Do some research on koi. They're really fun.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

Ok thanks for the input! I wish I could build a little pond but living in an apartment I don't think the landlord would appreciate that much haha I always see them at the stores & have always thought they look so cool! Maybe down the road when I can get a big big tank.

 

[Lardeelion]

Check out whiskey barrel ponds for your porch or balcony. A bit small for koi, but goldies can work with the proper equipment. The right plantings can make it very nice. For the warm months, of course.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

Whiskey barrels you say? Like what they actually brew whiskey in? Haha that's quite a unique way to store a koi but also very awesome! I'm a fish lover & a drinker so that to me is the best of both worlds! I will look into this whiskey barrel housing, maybe breed a new type of koi, the whiskey koi hahaha

 

[Lardeelion]

Yep! Don't you know a tipsy koi is a happy koi? Much more popular than their cousin, the beer-guzzling carp.

Check it out. They can be beautiful.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

Carp you say? How big of a tank would you recommend for those?

 

[jlk]

Carp you say? How big of a tank would you recommend for those?

Goldfish are a member of the carp family as are koi. Unfortunately, koi in a whiskey barrel will never work. They are realistically only suited to large ponds as they have the potential to grow upwards of 36in and live over a century. Other larger carp species simply can not survive in tanks unless you have an indoor pond and even this would be questionable. Please ask any questions!

 

[Lardeelion]

Yeah, the beer-guzzling carp thing was a joke.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

Yeah, the beer-guzzling carp thing was a joke.

Hahaha well I thought it was funny. Sad to see carp & koi in little fish tanks at the pet stores. Ugh

 

[ScumbagSaV]

Okay so I know this was originally about Koi, but since it's similar to the carp familia I wanted to make this post about my girlfriends' pops goldfish.
He has had this tank with the same goldfish for over 3 years, not sure how big the tank is or any other specifics, but if anyone could assist me on some questions I have:
Is it normal for the amount of goldfish this size in this small of a tank to live this long?
How big does anyone think the tank size is?

 

[Lardeelion]

Okay so I know this was originally about Koi, but since it's similar to the carp familia I wanted to make this post about my girlfriends' pops goldfish.
He has had this tank with the same goldfish for over 3 years, not sure how big the tank is or any other specifics, but if anyone could assist me on some questions I have:
Is it normal for the amount of goldfish this size in this small of a tank to live this long?
How big does anyone think the tank size is?

Well, that's depressing. Looks like a 10 or 20 gallon to me. Yikes.

For what it's worth, I think most of us started our fish journey with something like this, albeit with smaller goldies. They live through some pretty wretched conditions. Perhaps you can offer advice.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

What size would somebody recommend for those size of goldfish? I was thinking about getting her father a bigger tank for xmas.

 

[Tank Girl]

A pond. Seriously, a pond.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

So no tank suggestions? Her father lives in a apartment & lives his goldfish so a pond isn't really an option for him sadly enough.

 

[Tank Girl]

Those kind of goldfish need a LOT of room. If I HAD to keep them in a tank, I'd be looking at something well over 100 gallons (and HEAVY filtration) so they could at least be comfortable for the immediate future. But they really belong in a pond. The set up he has now is about the same thing as keeping five Great Danes in a bedroom. And never letting them out. I know it sounds harsh, but I think it's important to be honest so people can make the best decisions for their situations.

 

[ScumbagSaV]

Those kind of goldfish need a LOT of room. If I HAD to keep them in a tank, I'd be looking at something well over 100 gallons (and HEAVY filtration) so they could at least be comfortable for the immediate future. But they really belong in a pond. The set up he has now is about the same thing as keeping five Great Danes in a bedroom. And never letting them out. I know it sounds harsh, but I think it's important to be honest so people can make the best decisions for their situations.

Well I appreciate your honesty! I just want to try helping her father because he has a great love for fish. Over 100 gallons though is quite a bank buster though! hahaha

 

[Tank Girl]

I think it's really nice that you want to help! Those big tanks (and all the big accessories that go with them) are expensive! But it makes caring for the fish so much easier. Those of us who keep goldfish will tell you there aren't any shortcuts with these guys. They need what they need. If I was caring for that tank, I'd be doing 100% water changes everyday. The water in the photos is pretty murky and that's not healthy. If budget or space doesn't allow for a large tank, the best thing would be to re-home the goldfish and do some research and choose fish that would be suited for a small set up. Good luck and thanks for caring!

 

[MJSerik]

If you're still wanting Koi you could potentially do what people with sharks do. Buy one of those plastic kiddy pools. I don't know if people have them custom made but I've seen some pretty big ones. Don't know about that in an apartment though