Koi vs Plants

[Robyn]

Ok...

I have seen every side of this argument and cannot tell where the truth lies.

Can you have water plants AND large koi at the same time?

I would like to get some water hiacynth and perhaps some lettuce. One source tells me they are great at keeping the water clean and giving the pond some shade. Another says the koi will eat the roots in no time flat and that they will all die and are a waste of money. And then there is always the idea of fashioning floating baskets for them from plastic baskets and watertight PVC.

Anyone here that can clear this up?

I really do not mind the koi nibbling them a bit... but eating the entire purchase in one weeks time would rather annoy me!

 

[oldmarine]

It's quite simple. Koi and plants go hand and hand, just like out in nature. If you have the right balance in your ecosystem with plants, fish, snails, and your filter set up, you will have healthy, happy fish.

 

[Robyn]

Off to look at some plants then!

Thank you!

 

[MassKoi]

I have both water hiacynth and water lettuce in my pond. The fish do occasionally nibble on the roots but not enough to kill the plant. Keep the fish well fed with pellets and you should not have any problems.
FYI - If you put potted plants in the pond do not use pea gravel on top. The fish will just make a mess of it. Go with bigger rocks ("3/4) to cover the soil in the pots.

 

[PHYLAL]

It has been my limited experience that fish are like people, they all have individual tastes. Some fish are notorious plant eaters, others not as much. Keeping them well feed helps (key word: “helps”). The important thing is, as oldmarine said, BALANCE. If you throw a dinner party and there is not enough food, it will all disappear (just like your plants will). If there is more than enough, you will have leftovers.

I read, but have not tried this, that koi really love water celery, and that if you put enough of it in the pond they will eat it instead of your other plants. Containers of water celery can be grown outside the pond and placed in the pond as the others are eaten. Sounds too easy, but may be worth a try.

 

[koiguy1969]

they will eat the roots of water hiacynths and lettuce but i throw mine in the top of my skippy filter for a few days if it looks like they may have gone a bit too far. they recover amazingly fast in the top of the filter with a constant flow of water across the roots and nothing nibbling on them. ive had more blooms that way!!

 

[DrDave]

I have so much water lettuce that I can fill a trashcan every week during the summer. My Koi will not eat it.

 

[oldmarine]

I have a friend that will slice up two oranges and throw them in his pond for his six large koi. The koi eat all but the orange rine in about ten minutes. He says they will eat almost any sliced fruit that won't sink. I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it for myself.

Anyone else feed there pond fish friut? I haven't tried any fruit with my Shubunkins yet.

 

[koiguy1969]

i give mine oranges and grapefruit...green peas.. banana..and tangerines

 

[oldmarine]

Hi koiguy, Thanks for sharing that. Do you happen to know if Shubunkins will eat the same?

 

[koiguy1969]

mine does...but i dont know if he would without the others doing it when i give banans i slice them thin and hand feed.. all my fish eat from my hand.. make sure you shell the green peas (squeese the skin off) they will fight over them.
oh, how could i forget watermelon sliced thin.. guarenteed your fish will love it, and its funny watching them push it all over the pond.

 

[stroppy]

would goldfish eat them too ? ive never thought to try them with anything other than pellets ... oh i so wish mine would even come to the top of pond while im there ... you are very lucky koiguy

 

[koiguy1969]

just about anything a koi will eat a goldfish will too