Ask any experienced Koi keeper and he will tell you that Koi and pond plants don’t mix -- And he would be right.
Unfortunately, I tend to go against the grain when it comes to Koi pond design. To me, Koi ponds without plants are very dull and boring. Having your prized Koi swim amongst a bed of blooming multi-colored lilies is a sight to behold.
Adding them may take some extra work to maintain, but I think Koi ponds are incomplete without the addition of pond plants.
What Plants are Safe for Koi?
The better question would be: What plants are safe from Koi? Koi are known to consume almost any and all vegetation that is grown in ponds and even that which unwittingly falls in.
If you are looking to stock your pond with plants that will have no adverse impact on the water quality of your pond or your fish’s health, stick with the major, time-tested varieties of plants such as Lotuses, Lillies, or Cattails.
What can I do to Keep Koi from Eating my Plants?
Koi are voracious vegetarians. They are also very curious fish. Any vegetation that they don’t attempt to eat will surely be dug out by the roots as the Koi rummage around in the substrate.
There are steps you can take to lessen the burden on your plants, and your wallet:
Add a Rocky Substrate
Depending on the bottom composition of your pond, adding a rocky substrate can really help prevent your Koi from rooting the plants out. Large pond stones or heavy, flat river rock work best and can provide an attractive and functional purpose in a Koi pond.
Secure Plants with Mesh
Another good idea is to create cylinders out of chicken wire or mesh netting by folding the material over and attaching it to itself. Surround the base of the plant with this mesh and slip the exposed plant stalks through the tube and out to your pond’s surface.
Koi are known to jump, so be sure that your Koi are big enough to where they can’t jump into the tube and get trapped. If your pond is stocked with smaller koi, it may be a good idea to extend the mesh a few inches above the water level.
Segregate Your Pond into Sections
Use chicken wire or mesh or, when you’re constructing a new pond, concrete, to create multiple pond ‘beds’ that will separate your plants and fish from one another.
Using this method, a wall can be constructed around the beds of plants that will limit your Koi’s access to them. Ideally your Koi would have no access to the beds, but even if you only allow access by one side, or even just near the surface, the new growth of the rest of the bed should be more than enough to keep up with the limited foraging allowed to the fish.
Done right, adding plants will provide an attractive addition to your pond with very little routine maintenance.
Richard Silvers - My wife and I are practitioners of a paleolithic diet. Much of my writing covers the topics of health, nutrition, fitness, and weight ...
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