There is something so incredibly calming and beautiful about strolling around a koi pond.
It is almost like they emit a peaceful aura, soothing the soul as you stare into the depths and watch the fish move about in their naturalistic home.
Let’s discuss the legitimate benefits of having an outdoor koi tank or pond at your home and what it can do to change your life.
The Story of the Koi
There are a lot of stories and myths surrounding koi fish and what makes them so significant to humans.
People get tattoos of koi, paint them, sculpt them, and otherwise just admire these beautiful giants. There are entire legends surrounding the origins and power of these fish in various cultures all over the globe, with some even believing that they hold a sort of balancing power.
These fish are held as symbols. Some believe they bring balance and serenity. Others follow the thought pattern that they are wealth and prosperity bringing omens.
Either way, these fish are revered and treated extremely well in many cultures. Even most hobbyists who do their research still treat these fish with respect while keeping them.
The Health Benefits Of Having An Outdoor Koi Tank
Like any other pet, there are actual, scientifically-backed reasons that having an outdoor koi tank can benefit your physical and mental health.
Let’s learn a little bit about what koi keeping can do to help you!
Stress Relief and Gratification
As mentioned before, being near a koi pond often invokes a feeling of stress relief and tension release. Many people choose to meditate next to koi ponds due to this and generally curate quiet, calm spaces in such areas.
Due to this, the stress-relieving qualities of having koi fish can be pretty significant if you have a space of your own.
Having your own outdoor koi tank can be incredibly helpful in having a specific, neutral space to release the tension and frustration of the day in a healthy way while unwinding with a book. Plus, watching them swim about is rather soothing too.
Caring for the koi is a very simple process and quite gratifying, as well. Most people who keep koi report having a general “good feeling” after tending to them since it makes them feel like they have accomplished something significant. It gives you a place to put in a small amount of effort and see a large payout.
Insect Repellant
Koi eat insects, including mosquitos and other bugs that can carry illnesses that potentially cause infections in humans.
There was a massive scare in the United States several years ago concerning West Nile Virus and in other parts of the world Malaria and other pest born illnesses are still prominent.
Koi dine on bugs and their larvae, making them a great asset to have on hand to reduce your chances of coming into contact with one of these illness carrying bugs.
Other Benefits Of Having An Outdoor Koi Tank
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of having a koi pond when considering direct correlations is the increase of your perceived property value.
Adding in attractive fixtures like koi ponds and other waterscapes makes your property value go up which is very helpful if you one day may want to sell your home or rent it.
Koi ponds are easy to make look attractive, especially if you add plants and rocks around the edges and try to blend the artificial water spot with the rest of your natural yard. Many people even use tinted liners to make it look even more clean and natural!
Many potential buyers have reported that having a central fixture like a pond or fountain makes them more interested in a home and helps them to remember that specific home more easily since it gives a defining attribute to the area.
This is also true for commercial properties, as having a pond would make the business or office space the property would become generally appear more professional and well-groomed.
Since koi ponds are easily maintained, it also would not be as off-putting as something like a fountain or pool to those looking for a low maintenance purchase that will not require a lot of work to uphold the landscaping and general appearance of the space.
You can explain the basics of koi keeping and, if they are still not up to the maintenance, they could request the koi be rehomed and opt for a simply planted pond instead. This is especially marketable since aquascaping is trendy at the moment.
Breeding
If you are experienced with koi keeping and can consistently provide a good quality of care, you could potentially begin the process to breed your koi and make some extra money.
Koi breeding is a process that requires a separate quarantine tank and some planning so it is not for beginner fish enthusiasts to try to undertake.
Breeding comes with risks but if done properly is a fairly simple process that is rather straight forward and safe if the proper precautions are taken prior to introducing the two fish you plan to breed.
While this is not suitable for everyone, if you are interested and willing to do a little more research, this is a potentially very profitable venture.
Money aside, if you plan to breed you must be sure that you have everything lined up for safe processing and be prepared for any potential culling or other difficulties that may come down the road.
It is also a good idea to take a look at the genetics of your fish to ensure they are not related and understand what could happen if two related fish interbreed.
Responsible breeding practices are the most important things that can be done to keep the koi industry full of healthy, well-developed fish so be sure to play your part when breeding.
A Beneficial Friendship
Keeping koi fish can be massively beneficial for both you and your fish.
They get a well-maintained home and good diet and you get to watch them grow and enjoy the satisfaction it brings.
Having an outdoor koi tank is an experience like no other and definitely worth looking into if you have space and means to take care of one.
