I have a question from MPKS member Carol
B. Her Koi fish have been changing colors the last couple
of years and she wanted to know what she can do to help prevent
this.
This year, she had a 1 year old fish that was White with 3
Orange spots. The fish lost all it's spots and is pure White
now. She also had a 3 year old fish starting late last year
into this year, changing from Black to Gray. Also early last
year she had a 10 year old fish change from Orange, Black,
and Red color to White and Black. She has been feeding them
Tetra Pond Sticks. She doesn't have a problem with diseases
and hasn't lost a fish in years. The water quality is good.
The pond is in full sun and the water is clear. Any suggestion
would be helpful.
Hi Dave and Carol,
Many koi are notorious for color changes. Kohakus (red/white)
are known for having the red fade over time, and showas
and sankes (red/black/white) can do the same. The rule of
thumb is that red wil tend to be stable or fade and black
will tend to increase as a koi ages. Factors such as food,
fish genetics, sun exposure, water chemistry and stress
wil also affect color stability.
You may get some improvement by varying the food they get.
Try minimizing the off-the-shelf, industrial-strength koi
chow, and feed fresh vegetables (romaine lettuce, oranges,
thawed peas, melon, etc.). Besides being a good source of
vitamins and minerals, the dark leafy greens are chock-full
of color precursors. A fresh, good-quality koi food with
spirulina and other color-enhancers will also help. Microbe-Lift
makes a dandy selection.
Bob Passovoy
President
MPKS
