Raising koi fish is an incredibly fun and rewarding way to increase the amount of fish within your pond.
While you cannot control the exact brood you will get, raising up a batch of baby koi fry offers the opportunity to locate some real diamonds in the rough.
In order to successfully raise these baby koi fish, though, you do need the proper tools and materials.
One of the best ways to help create strong little fish is to use a koi fry mat.
Let’s take a look at some different options and learn how to best use a koi fry mat to raise up your new babies.
What is A Koi Fry Mat and How Do You Use It?
As a way to help give the koi eggs and fry something to hold onto while they are developing, koi fry mats make raising baby koi fish significantly easier.
In traditional koi fish breeding, the koi fry mats, also known as spawning mats, are placed in the breeding enclosure while the parent koi fish are breeding.
The fibrous material pieces of the mat float in the water and over a short period of time, the eggs in the pond become trapped on the material.
Since they are stuck to it, they are easy to monitor and not at risk of being knocked out of the pond or damaged.
Once the eggs are deposited and fertilized, you can either leave the koi fry mat in the pond or tank with the parents or move it to a separate fry enclosure.
If you leave the mat, now containing thousands of individual eggs, in the pond with the parents, do be aware that they will likely consume a good amount of the eggs.
This is normal. If you wish to prevent this, moving the mat to another enclosure is the best option.
As the eggs grow and hatch over the course of a few days, the mat will offer a place of safety and give the budding koi fry a place to hold onto, allowing them to anchor themselves temporarily and grow into their new bodies.
This is why koi fry mats are so widely recommended within the koi fish community.
If you are looking to save money and want to avoid plastic spawning mops, this FidgetKute product is a great option that is reusable and safe for baby koi fish!
The strands are made of 100% acrylic fiber, with each mop containing around 100 strands that are eight inches long.
The darker green hue of the fibers works to be a protective measure to add camouflage to prevent the eggs being eaten by the adult koi fish while they are still developing, if you choose to keep the parent koi in the original tank or enclosure.
The suction cup attachment mechanism makes it easy to position, reposition, or remove the koi fry mat and creates the perfect seal to prevent the mat falling over or harming the eggs.
Plus, the brand backs their product with a money back guarantee, ensuring that if you are not completely satisfied, you can get your money back. You have nothing to lose!
Made of a stainless steel base that is not harmful to fish and is smoothed to prevent any potential injury, this is a very durable koi fish spawn mop that works perfectly for a host of different breeding situations.
Perhaps one of the best features is the white nature of the mop that makes watching for hatching eggs quite easy.
The fibers of the mop are soft and made to act as an incubator for your eggs, increasing their hatch rate when used with proper water conditions.
All in all, this is an affordable, solid choice that features good craftsmanship and offers the ability to reuse, move, and manipulate the tool to suit a wide range of tanks and enclosures.
Another brush style product, this Deelicious Trading Koi Brush Mop is an excellent koi fry mat that features a camouflaging green color that works to help in hiding the eggs from the adult fish that may be in the enclosure and from any predatory creature that may encounter the eggs.
The super soft brush can hold or stick to any egg type, offering complete cover for your budding koi fry.
It is a great choice for placing in a tank where fish will soon spawn and offers a great surface area to suit a lot of eggs and fry all at once.
Can You Breed Without A Koi Fry Mat?
Koi fish breed naturally without a koi fry mop or mat all of the time. They are, after all, fish that originated from wild carp.
That being said, having a koi mop or mat will help you in ensuring the eggs are safe and make it easier for you to monitor them and take care of them.
It creates a space where the eggs are not overly exposed and protects them from other fish or creatures within the pond or tank.
All of this is to say, while they are not a necessity, if you want to increase the changes of your koi breeding venture being successful, you probably need to invest in one and use one.
It can make a massive difference and makes the entire process much easier for you.
A Koi Fry Mat Is A Helpful Tool
Koi fry mat products are a staple tool in most breeding operations since they increase the visibility of the koi eggs and make it easier to monitor and care for the budding baby koi fry.
While not a necessity, it certainly helps to have one on hand!
