Koi eating the plants?

[Andy41]

Hi Guys,

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but....

I've noticed that the plants in the pond are growing much more slowly this year compared to last. I've also noticed that the Koi we added last year (6 in total) spend a lot of time nosing around the plant baskets.

I suspect that they are eating the roots of the plants that are sticking out of the baskets, thereby damaging the plants and causing weak growth.

Has anyone else had experience of this? What's the best way to stop them doing this?

I've thought about using bigger baskets and lining them with a matting and heavy stones on the top...

cheers,

Andy.

 

[TekWarren]

I'm not an expert but from what I've read and observed a lot of fish will nibble on the plants, maybe even Koi especially. I see my Comets and Koi doing it, they regularly tear up the water cress beds, nibble on the lily pad stalks, and nibble/push around my floating water lettuce. The only plants I have "protected" are my water hyacinths, I have them in a milk crate in shallow water but that was just my experiment to see if they would flower being confined. I don't think you will stop the fish from doing what comes naturally. You can try protecting the plants various ways, maybe feed a little more? Plants are going to be part of their natural diet.

 

[sissy]

my koi destroy plants they eat the roots and eat the plants .

 

[GreatDanesDad]

Koi love roots, that is just a fact. I plant my plants in larger buckets and surround them with flagstone that is taller than the buckets. This keeps the fish out and with the way the flagstone is leaned up against the buckets it provides the roots an area outside the bucket for the roots to grow as well. That being said I have experienced the stones falling and the koi eat up all exposed roots within a day.

 

[HTH]

Koi also corkscrew into the pot soil to find insects that live there.

 

[mrsclem]

Fiberglass window screen material will keep the roots safe.

 

[pecan]

I thought someone came across a KOI EATING PLANT! I thought oh no! I can't put one of those plants in my pond it will eat my Koi LOL

Heee heee heee heee

My Koi destroy my plants planted directly in the pond every year. But I continue to put plants in the ponds because the Koi really like them I just take starts from the bog plants as sacrificial lambs for the Koi.

 

[Carolyn22]

I thought someone came across a KOI EATING PLANT! I thought oh no! I can't put one of those plants in my pond it will eat my Koi LOL

Heee heee heee heee

My Koi destroy my plants planted directly in the pond every year. But I continue to put plants in the ponds because the Koi really like them I just take starts from the bog plants as sacrificial lambs for the Koi.

This idea has always worked well for me too!

 

[Dave 54]

Most Uk koi keepers prefare non planted ponds over planted ones for this very reason koi and plants dont get along

rgrds

Dave

 

[Andy41]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies.

I'm going to try larger baskets next year, and line them with fibre matting, with large stones covering the top so the koi can't get at the plants from the top.... lets see if that works.

cheers,

Andy.

 

[adavisus]

Some aquatic plants are tougher from the pov of tough for fish to damage, some hardy waterlily hybrids, night bloom tropical waterlilies, Thalia dealbata, umbrella palm, aquatic iris

Establish plenty of those to outnumber (amuse?) the fish and they may not be so inclined to notice later delicate additions

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[Tula]

I'm anxious to see if something I tried this year works. I divided my lilies, planted them in water baskets, put bird netting completely around them and zip tied them shut! Care to place bets on if it's going to work? Something tells me the koi will still get at them Kim

 

[mrsclem]

I have mine in baskets with plastic fencing strapped over the top. So far, so good. They still eat the leaves and flowers but can't get the roots.

 

[Andy41]

The plastic fencing seems like a good idea.. and the different plant types is also something to consider... not sure if i can get those locally though, i'll check on the net.

cheers,

Andy

 

[Lisak1]

I don't know why (knock on wood!) but our koi leave our plants alone for the most part - other than the floaters which won't grow because they nibble the roots off. but my lilies and other plants have never been bothered. We do keep lots of hornwort growing in the pond - maybe that satisfies their need to nibble?