Koi snuck into pond, hes getting huge and eating my minnows

[Moni_Pond]

Hi there,
I must have had a koi baby stowaway on a pond store plant within the last couple of years. This spring I noticed that one of my Goldie’s seemed much larger than the other. I researched their differences and have learned that he/she is indeed a koi. I am guessing that he breed last year with some of my goldfish and I have a handful of dark colored mutts in the pond as well. They don’t seem to be an issue yet. I never wanted to keep any koi, and have always intended to only keep goldfish and rosey red minnows. I have been watching him grow bigger and bigger this summer and I don’t know when he will stop growing! He is very very pushy at meal time and has now eaten hundreds of rosey red minnows. I adore rosey red minnows and do not want to see their population decimated in my pond; especially for this one big koi fish.

The pond store in my area has stated that they would take him, but I feel really bad. This pond is all he/she knows. Will he survive? I just don’t know what to do and would love any words of advice or wisdom here.

Thank you kindly

 

[Moni_Pond]

Also was thinking, maybe if I feed the koi more often, would it be less likely to keep eating the minnows?

 

[Mmathis]

I feel your pain, but I don’t think the fish is going to care one way or another. Animals are adaptable, so as long as it goes to a good home, where it will have its natural needs met…..I think it will be happy there! You can always request visitation privileges

Think of this koi like you would a very pesky weed in your garden. The poor weed only wants to survive, and it might be a pretty weed…..but you don’t want it there. You will work and work and work to get rid of it. You will never enjoy that weed…..until it’s gone.

 

[Laaf]

Do you have any pictures to share? I agree with you that I would feel bad to return a fish just because it was bigger than I planned for. Rosie red minnows can breed prolifically. So population control may help the total numbers stay reasonable. And some of those plain colored babies may get prettier with age.

 

[Moni_Pond]

I feel your pain, but I don’t think the fish is going to care one way or another. Animals are adaptable, so as long as it goes to a good home, where it will have its natural needs met…..I think it will be happy there! You can always request visitation privileges

Think of this koi like you would a very pesky weed in your garden. The poor weed only wants to survive, and it might be a pretty weed…..but you don’t want it there. You will work and work and work to get rid of it. You will never enjoy that weed…..until it’s gone.

Pesky weed is a great analogy. Even a pesky weed that I appreciate and find positive attributes can take over my garden.

 

[Moni_Pond]

Do you have any pictures to share? I agree with you that I would feel bad to return a fish just because it was bigger than I planned for. Rosie red minnows can breed prolifically. So population control may help the total numbers stay reasonable. And some of those plain colored babies may get prettier with age.

I was starting to think about the need for population control of the minnows. I got seven at the pond store in 2021, and by this spring I had hundreds. Looks like I only have around 20 or so now remaining. I did want their breeding to slow, but not to decimate them. They are a really fun fish to watch, interesting behaviors.

I haven’t seen the koi eat the minnows, in just assumed because he stalks around where they tend to hover at the stream basin. It is possible that it is bullfrogs.

 

[Tula]

In m y experience with koi they don't eat other fish. They will eat eggs after a spewing and possibly very small fry, but not other fish. It is more likely the bull frogs.

 

[Rick42wood]

Hi there,
I must have had a koi baby stowaway on a pond store plant within the last couple of years. This spring I noticed that one of my Goldie’s seemed much larger than the other. I researched their differences and have learned that he/she is indeed a koi. I am guessing that he breed last year with some of my goldfish and I have a handful of dark colored mutts in the pond as well. They don’t seem to be an issue yet. I never wanted to keep any koi, and have always intended to only keep goldfish and rosey red minnows. I have been watching him grow bigger and bigger this summer and I don’t know when he will stop growing! He is very very pushy at meal time and has now eaten hundreds of rosey red minnows. I adore rosey red minnows and do not want to see their population decimated in my pond; especially for this one big koi fish.

The pond store in my area has stated that they would take him, but I feel really bad. This pond is all he/she knows. Will he survive? I just don’t know what to do and would love any words of advice or wisdom here.

Thank you kindly

Of course it will survive. It won't know any different. Have you actually seen it eat a minnow?

 

[Phaewryn]

The pond store in my area has stated that they would take him, but I feel really bad. This pond is all he/she knows. Will he survive? I just don’t know what to do and would love any words of advice or wisdom here.

Don't feel bad. I had a great relationship with my aquarium store and "traded" my "too big" fish for smaller ones for over a decade. It's common practice. The koi will move onto a home with better conditions for a large fish.

 

[Moni_Pond]

Of course it will survive. It won't know any different. Have you actually seen it eat a minnow?

No, I have not. I’ve just never had such a dramatic loss of their population and accredited to big boy koi.

 

[Moni_Pond]

Don't feel bad. I had a great relationship with my aquarium store and "traded" my "too big" fish for smaller ones for over a decade. It's common practice. The koi will move onto a home with better conditions for a large fish.

Thank you