Koi in Ponds: Skin, Scale Beauty & Care of Koi
More Top Pond Keeping Tips: Click image right for UK pond products. Testing pond water. This is straight forward and is done by using special kits. Look out for expiry dates since chemicals used for testing are sensitive to time. Do not get carried away with the test results. After all they are indications only. The good reason for testing is to check stability or consistency and not absolute values. If your fish and plants are thriving and your pH for example is consistently on high side .......... so what? When you see a definite change then start testing.
Koi Skin and Scale Care
Since koi are kept first and foremost for their ornamental beauty, proper skincare is a pertinent subject for any serious koi keeper. Although it may seem like koi scales are responsible for the vivid colours and attractive markings that we admire on our koi, the reality is that this fish’s beauty is really only skin deep. Contrary to how it may appear, a koi’s scales are actually positioned below its skin, which indicates just how thin and sensitive the skin is. It’s a common misconception that koi scales form a protective covering over the skin when, in fact, the opposite is true. So, what should you be doing to ensure that your kois’ most precious asset is protected and cared for? It helps to know what constitutes healthy koi skin and scales, as well as what the warning signs of disease and injury are.
Healthy Koi Skin
Koi skin fulfils a vital protective role by secreting mucus that wards off harmful bacteria.
The mucus acts as a shield, which is why koi secrete extra mucus when they are stressed or have to fight off the negative side-effects of poor water quality.
The way to tell whether koi are secreting surplus mucus is to examine their colouring. Do their red and black markings appear more orange and grey?
This is most likely a sign that your koi have secreted more mucus than usual, as the thick mucus layer will cause their vivid markings to look noticeably paler.
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Colour-determining cells called chromatophores are located in the deeper dermis of a koi’s skin. Depending on the genes that koi have inherited, their colouring and markings will change and develop over time. A variety of colours are developed from corresponding chromatophores, while black markings are produced by melanophore which is found near the epidermis. In order to protect these intricately coloured creatures, you need to handle them with care. As koi skin is so fragile, it’s best to avoid handling your fish unless it is entirely necessary – and even when it is necessary, koi should be caught with very soft hand nets and should be held with wet hands.
If you suspect that your koi may be suffering from an outbreak or increase in pathogenic organisms, a mucus biopsy can be carried out to determine the cause. This too should only be done if it is entirely necessary, as there are additional risks involved with removing some of the protective mucus. A glass slide should be drawn over each dorsal flank in order to get a sample which can then be examined under a microscope.
Removing Loose Scales
In the same way that the age of a tree can be determined by counting the bands on its trunk, a koi’s age can be worked out by counting the bands on its scales. Each fish scale will have evidence of the seasonal periods of growth that your koi have undergone. If you ever have a chance to examine a fish scale on its own, you will see that it has no colour. The function of koi scales is to serve as another barrier of protection, overlapping each other to allow for flexibility.
Koi are not able to regenerate lost scales. They have a set number that develop in size along with their own growth patterns. However, if any scales come loose or are damaged through an unfortunate chain of events, you will have to remove them. The best method of removal is to use a sterilised pair of tweezers to extract the damaged koi scale in one quick motion. Afterwards, you should treat the extraction site with anti-bacterial ointment to prevent any infection.
Top Tips to Enhance Koi Skin
If you want to enhance the colouration and overall health of your kois’ skin and scales, it all comes down to diet and minerals. Koi are able to take in minerals through their diet and via the pond water. To ensure that they are getting sufficient minerals, you should increase the calcium and magnesium levels in your pond water.
Another excellent source of minerals is clay. Regular addition of clay will replenish the mineral content of your pond water, improving its clarity while also providing for the mineral requirements of your koi. Koi colouration can also be enhanced by making certain that there is enough carotenoid in their diet. A koi’s colours will become noticeably more faded if they are given a diet that is deficient in carotenoid.
