What Plants Do Your Koi and Pond Like The Most
Sun-sensitive might be the last thing people assume koi fishes to be, but these ornamental fish do best when they are shielded from direct sunlight.
This is why building a koi pond comes hand in hand with choosing koi pond plants.
To help you in choosing koi pond plants, here are some pointers.
The Importance Of Choosing Koi Pond Plants
Aside from providing your koi with shade especially during summer, there are other reasons why choosing koi pond plants is important.
For one, aquatic plants increase the amount of oxygen in the water, providing better aeration for your koi fishes.
They also help keep the water clean by reducing the amount of light that enters the pond, thereby preventing quick growth of algae and by filtering pond water.
If you intend to breed koi, then aquatic plants also serve as a great breeding ground as female koi will attach their fertilized eggs to the plants.
Some guidelines in choosing koi pond plants
Bear in mind, however, that your koi will try to gnaw on the plants, so it’s important that you take some precautions.
The following pointers will help you in introducing aquatic plants into your koi pond:
Determine what kind of aquatic plant you want to introduce into your koi pond
Floating plants for protecting your Koi from the sun
Such as water hyacinth, lotus, and water lily are free floating, with their vegetation on the surface of the pond and their roots submerged.
They are the easiest to take care of, but you have to keep watch as your koi will likely gnaw on them.
Marsh plants for the borders of your Koi pond
Are plants that can be planted in the shallow part of your pond, partially submerged and protected from grazing koi.
Submerged plants to improve the oxygen in the Koi pond
Are placed in the bottom of the pond. they are the most likely target of grazing koi, but they are also the best bet for aerating the pond.
Koi Pond Planting Strategies
Aquatic plants require constant upkeep, but there are things you can do to make them easier to maintain.
If predatory animals aren’t a problem, you can create a plant shelf along the edge of the pond.
This is essentially a container suitable for planting and you can weigh down the plants with stones to form a barrier between the plant roots and the koi.
You can also consider making a vegetative filter.
This can be done by growing plants in a separate containment area which is directly connected to your pond.
This will serve as a natural filtration system, all while providing your pond with more oxygen.
Choosing koi pond plants is not really as difficult as it may sound.
You just have to figure out which plants are best suited to your taste, as well as the particular needs of your pond.
For better results, consider consulting with your local koi supplies store as to which plants are best suited for your pond given its specifications.
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Have you built a pond to put these plants in? If you haven’t then check out Important Things To Remember When Building A Koi Pond
