One of the traditional additions to any backyard water garden is fish. It can be very relaxing to sit by your pond and watch the fish swimming in the sparkling water. You can buy large goldfish for your pond, or you could go with the traditional Japanese style and invest in some Koi. According to Japanese legend, Koi symbolize prosperity and good luck, and we could all use a bit of that. Aside from the legends, Koi are delightfully-colorful fish available in many colors such as orange, black, silver, gold, and other shades depending on where you buy them. They will make a lovely addition to the natural setting you're trying to establish in your own back yard.

There are several things to keep in mind when you go out to buy Koi at a pond fish vendor. Look at how clean the facility is kept. If the fish are swimming in grungy water, they may not be healthy. Koi are delicate creature that need clean water and the right food. Be sure to ask the owner of the facility a lot of questions to make sure that he really knows about the needs of Koi so that you can be relatively confident that the fish you are buying have been well cared for. The price of the Koi will depend on their size and vary slightly depending on the type of Koi they are. Buying young fish will cost less, and you will have the fun of seeing them grow up right in your own pond.

Select your Koi with care. There are certain things that you need to look for to ensure that your fish are healthy and infection-free.
* Check the scales of each fish to make sure they look even and undamaged.
* Make sure the fin rays are straight.
* Look at the eyes. They should be in alignment and not popped out.
* Make sure that no fluids are oozing from their bodies anywhere.
* Avoid fish that have small white spots or splits.

You can buy Koi on numerous websites, but the disadvantage of that is that you won't be able to inspect them when you buy them.

In order to ensure your Koi have a long, healthy life, you have to take good care of them. Make sure they have clean water. Use mechanical, biological, and UV media in the water as appropriate. Having a waterfall will be a good way to keep the pond aerated for your fish. Keep a colony of at least four to five young Koi, because they are social creatures that like being with others of their own kind. Feed them the foods they enjoy, such as shrimp. If a Koi appears to be ill, treat it immediately. By taking preventive measures and providing the type of environment Koi require, you'll have fish to enjoy for years to come.