The Koi have become very popular in making them as pets. The first Koi were produced by breeding the German and Asian Carp. In the year 1805, the first colors were recorded. For many years, they've been bred through selection, and this resulted to their various patterns and colors. To this day, there are thousands of color variations available.

Among the popular ones are black, red, silver, white, blue, green, orange and yellow. Their patterns and colors can be combined, resulting to an endless possibility in the pattern of the fish. Each of the patterns and color of this species have been given their own names, typically as unique as the color being referred to.

Countries like Japan, Singapore, the United States (typically in warmer places like California and Nevada), and Israel raise the fish for sale. The fish can be bought at most of the local pet stores available. They can be ordered if there is no available stock. The good thing about this is that you are being presented with more options as you order since you need not pick right away from the available stock, but on the other hand, its disadvantage is that you won't be able to pick the specific Koi that you like to have.

Keep in mind that your pond should be complete before buying your Koi. The number and size of Koi that you're going to buy should be based highly on the size of your pond. Make it a point that you don't overcrowd your fish, which could cause instant problems to your pond (which can kill many of the fish that you have bought, causing you to lose significant amount of time and money). You can always talk to your local dealer about the proper setup that you can have, and they will be the ones to give you advice on the amount of fish that you should place in your own pond.

The majority of the fish owners know that most fish will only grow in accordance to the enclosure where they are held and contained. Koi, on the other hand, will continue to grow up to their full potential (which is based on their specific kind). But you must be able to accommodate the number of fish that you're going to buy in the future.

Traits And Personality:

These fish aren't agressive. The Koi do not have teeth, so you don't have to worry of getting bitten when you attempt to feed them using your hand. This trait allows you to get smaller children involved in the process, as they get attracted to the fish's beautiful and vibrant colors, coupled with their gentle nature. Like all of the other wild animals, it is natural for them to be afraid of your in the start (this kind of instinct is what keeps them alive in the wild). Building trust with your fish really takes a lot of patience and time.

They are ominvorous, feeding on both meat and plants, giving them an adaptable kind of diet. They will eat whatever you put in the pond for them to feast on, regardless if its good for them or not… which means that you, as the owner, should always control their diet.

The fact of the matter is that these fish have personalities, similar to the other species of animals. They are social animals, giving them the ability to be trained in directly eating from the hands of their owners. You'll observe more of their individual traits and characteristics as you will spend more time with them. They have lengthy lifespans, with an average of 30 years. The oldest Koi have lived up to around 200 years! These good qualities make the Koi great choices for somebody who's looking for a pet that can be kept for a long time for breeding.