Do you want a pet that recognizes you, draws closer in order to greet you, interacts and plays with you? Then get a Koi. Koi fish will always let you see the pet in them. Man made this fish and it can’t be found in the wilderness.

Koi fishes are bred all around the world. In fact, they are considered as the most famous freshwater ornamental fishes that live in ponds. They are also known as Nishikigoi, and they are Japan’s national fish. Koi is a mascot of the said country and it also serves as the courier of Japanese culture. Its name is taken from the Japanese word “Nishiki” which is used in describing a highly coloured piece of cloth and “Goior Koi”, the Japanese term for carp. Putting the two words together,  “Nishikigoi” means coloured carp.

Here are some books we recommend about koi history and their origins.
 

Contrary to the common belief, Kois aren’t native of Japan. They are said to come from China, Aral Seas, Eastern Asia, Caspian and in the Black. In fact, the first written documentation of Koi fish can be found in China. This fish was believed to be brought to Japan by the Chinese invaders. Koi fish was introduced in their black variety almost 2,500 years ago and they were first known as Magoi, which means black Koi. These fishes were initially bred in 1820s in Ojiya Japan. Ojiya, Japan is located in high mountains, where thick snow is present.

Since Koi fish is a good source of high protein, Kois are kept and grown in rice paddies for the farmers to have food in the winter. Some smart farmers made small farms near their homes and kept the Koi there to serve as their supplement for rice.

About 200 years later, the colored type of Koi fishes started to appear in the Niigata area. The red variations were set apart from the black Koi and selectively bred together, spawning into new and attractive color variations. During this era, the variation that was first produced was the “kohaku” or the white and red Koi.

After the colored carp, the next type that appears nearly 1800 has solid red, white and yellow fish that were bred selectively. Until early 1930s, these were the sole Koi varieties. At present, Koi fishes are bred all around the world and there are booming Nishikigoi breeding industries in Israel, South East Asia as well as the United States. There are so many varieties of Koi today and in reality, no two Koi look exactly the same. The finest Kois are still the ones bred in Niigata where almost 600 small family-owned Koi farms thrive.

If you find it hard to believe that there were fishes with extraordinary personalities and qualities, just look at Koi. This fish is very curious and they usually get into anything. The eyesight of Koi is so good. They can even visually identify the persons taking care of them. If they’re not comfortable with the visitors, they express it by swimming into the bottom of the pond. Another unique quality of Koi is that they are very sensitive to vibrations. They can even recognize the sound of their caregiver’s footsteps to the strides of a stranger. They are great pets because they can hear and they can even taste.

Koi jump if they dislike the water or if they are spooked. These fishes find it hard to adjust on water or to an environment that aren’t familiar to them. Sometimes, they die during the adjustment period. Koi can survive for a long period of time but when taken out of the shop or out of their pond, their average life span in their new home is just 12 weeks. Hence, it is always good to know the type of care that you should give to your Koi.

Related links about this subject:

Koi & Water Garden History
Some interesting info from 500 BC.
www.cnykoi.com/history/main.asp

The history of Koi or Nishikigoi
Farmers in Japan used to eat them as a winter food.
www.koiacres.com/koi/history.html

Koi the history
Learn about the mysteries of this fish.
www.absolute-koi.com/koi/index.htmls