Top 5 How Long Do Koi Fish Stay Pregnant The 125 New Answer

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The sticky eggs will cling to any vegetation or rocks in your pond and if successfully fertilized will start to develop. Brace yourself as the young koi fry hatch around 4 days after fertilization. They attach themselves to a sheltered spot and start to feed themselves off their yolk sac.Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically mate in warmer water in the spring or summer seasons. The mating period lasts about two to three days in which the female lays the eggs upon various surfaces while the male shortly after fertilizes them.In about two to five days, the eggs will begin to hatch, and baby koi, known as “fry” will emerge. After her part is complete, the female koi will begin creating new eggs. These will be laid in about a year’s time, as that’s how long it takes for them develop. So you’ve got your eggs.

How long does a female koi fish stay pregnant?

Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically mate in warmer water in the spring or summer seasons. The mating period lasts about two to three days in which the female lays the eggs upon various surfaces while the male shortly after fertilizes them.

How long does it take for a koi fish to lay eggs?

In about two to five days, the eggs will begin to hatch, and baby koi, known as “fry” will emerge. After her part is complete, the female koi will begin creating new eggs. These will be laid in about a year’s time, as that’s how long it takes for them develop. So you’ve got your eggs.

How does a pregnant koi look like?

Look at your koi and try to determine whether the belly looks rounded or a bit bumpy in appearance. A pregnant koi will have a very full, almost “bloated” look about it. It might look like it is holding small marbles inside, but these are simply eggs that it will lay.

What do I do if my koi is pregnant?

However, your koi will appear bloated and pregnant for up to several days before she’s ready to release her eggs. At this point, you could still stop the spawning from happening if you don’t want eggs or baby fish (fry) in your pond by simply removing the females from the pond, keeping them separate from the males.

Will koi eat their babies?

The simple answer to the question of whether or not koi eat their young is yes, they are known to eat their babies. However, they don’t necessarily do it on purpose. As omnivores, koi eat both plant and animal matter, such as algae, bugs, and flies.

Will a female koi lay eggs without a male?

Yep, females WILL release eggs with no males present.

How many times a year do koi breed?

Koi fish (Cyprinus rubrofuscus) typically mate once a year for about 6 to 7 years after reaching sexual maturity. Some breeders manage to prompt pairs of koi to spawn twice annually, but the female koi will lay significantly fewer eggs the second time around.

Do koi protect their eggs?

Koi will also lay their eggs on twigs nestled on the floor of the pond. Keep a careful watch on the eggs once they are laid, as many koi enjoy snacking on them. You may have to place any roaming hungry koi in a separate pond or tank to protect your eggs while hatching. Koi eggs are tiny and translucent.

Will koi reproduce in a pond?

In a pond setting, koi will breed as a flock, or group. If sexually mature males and females are present in the flock, and if environmental conditions are met, spawning will happen spontaneously. During spawning the male koi will become extremely aggressive.

How can you tell a male koi from a female?

There are two main indicators of sex in koi. The easiest way to tell is from fin shape and color. Male koi have smaller, more pointed fins that are opaque and generally colorful. Female koi, on the other hand, have larger, rounded fins that are partly or completely translucent or even transparent.

How big koi can breed?

Choose koi that are at least 3 years old.

Koi don’t sexually mature until they are about 3 years old. Wait until they are 3 years old to increase their likelihood of breeding and producing quality offspring. Koi are about 10 inches (25 cm) long when they are 3 years old.

How long is a fish pregnant?

As examples, the female swordtail and guppy will both give birth to anywhere from 20 to 100 live young after a gestation period of four to six weeks, and mollies will produce a brood of 20 to 60 live young after a gestation of six to 10 weeks.

Do koi get fat when pregnant?

Well, koi are never pregnant. Their ovaries contain eggs that they will expell and the male will fertilize. And yes this koi looks tad on the chunky side. As Nancy mentioned, there are several reasons that may cause this.

What age can koi breed?

Koi will start breeding when they reach sexual maturity. This happens when they are at least two years old and about 12 inches long. If you plan on breeding your Koi, it is better to wait until they are around 4 or 5 years old. Spawning is stressful and it can damage your Koi.

How long does koi spawning last?

What is this? In ponds, koi fish will spawn when the water temperature stays within the range of 65-70°F. This usually happens in late spring, May, or June. Although this is the “mating season” of koi fish, the egg-laying/spawning will only last for about 2 to 3 days.

What does a pregnant pond fish look like?

1) Appearance

What is this? To determine if your koi are pregnant, you would first need to find out which ones are females. Females will typically be larger than males and have rounder, more translucent fins. They also tend to have a wider build.

How do you know if a koi egg is fertilized?

  1. Fertilized koi eggs are clear & have a light yellow or brown color. …
  2. A large female koi can churn out as much as 100,000 eggs per kilogram of her weight!
  3. Microscopical view of carp eggs 3-4 hours following fertilization.

how to know koi fish is pregnant and ready to lay eggs
how to know koi fish is pregnant and ready to lay eggs


How long are Koi fish pregnant? Live Spawning or egg Layers – Fishkeeping Forever

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  • Table of Contents:

So how long is a Koi ‘pregnancy’

A big tummy is a good way of spotting the females in your pond

It is important that you don’t overlook other causes of a swollen koi and miss something urgent

The reproductive organs of a female koi are built for rapid expansion!

So where do baby koi carp come from

Make your broody koi comfortable

Fancy a bit of a koi breeding

Rounding up

How long are Koi fish pregnant? Live Spawning or egg Layers – Fishkeeping Forever
How long are Koi fish pregnant? Live Spawning or egg Layers – Fishkeeping Forever

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Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness Updating “Pregnant koi” is a term for female koi who are filled with eggs they are ready to lay. Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically mate in warmer water in the spring or summer seasons.
  • Table of Contents:

Carrying Term

Appearance

Spawning

Complications

Egg Care

Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness
Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness

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How to Start Your Pond with Koi Fish Eggs – Pond Cleaning Maintenance Supplies Products

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Ahoy Koi! Creating Your Koi Fish Eggs

Protecting The Eggs After Birth

Encouraging a Healthy Koi Population

Swimming Pretty Enjoying Your New Koi Pond

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How to Tell If Your Koi Is Pregnant | Cuteness

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How to Tell If Your Koi Is Pregnant | Cuteness Updating Japanese koi are not only very beautiful, but they also are sturdy fish that are able to adjust to many climates. Raising Japanese koi requires basic knowledge about their care, but because they are able to adapt to changing weather conditions, they are not as high maintenance as some fish.
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How to Tell If Your Koi Is Pregnant | Cuteness
How to Tell If Your Koi Is Pregnant | Cuteness

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Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens

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    Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens
    Updating …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for
    Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens
    Updating Well, this time of year, it’s definitely possible. Spring is when koi generally spawn. I’ve written before about how to determine the sex of your koi as well as how to get your koi to spawn, but how do you decide if your koi have decided to get spawny without your intervention? Well, first off, it’s worth noting that a
  • Table of Contents:

  Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens
Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens

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Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness

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  • Summary of article content: Articles about Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness “Pregnant koi” is a term for female koi who are filled with eggs they are ready to lay. Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically … …
  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness “Pregnant koi” is a term for female koi who are filled with eggs they are ready to lay. Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically … “Pregnant koi” is a term for female koi who are filled with eggs they are ready to lay. Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically mate in warmer water in the spring or summer seasons.
  • Table of Contents:

Carrying Term

Appearance

Spawning

Complications

Egg Care

Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness
Pregnant Koi Fish | Cuteness

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How Many Babies Do Koi Fish Have at a Time?

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How Many Babies Do Koi Fish Have at a Time? Technically, koi fish do not get pregnant because they lay eggs and do not give their babies alive. Is your koi fish pregnant and full of eggs? Are you wondering how many babies do koi fish have at a time?Is your koi fish pregnant and full of eggs? Are you wondering how many babies do koi fish have at a time? You will find…
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How Many Babies Do Koi Fish Have at a Time

How Long is a Koi Fish Pregnant

How Often Do Koi Fish Lay Eggs

How Many Koi Fish Eggs Will Hatch

How Many Eggs Do Koi Fish Lay

When Do Koi Fish Breed

How Many Times Do Koi Fish Lay Eggs

What Do Koi Eggs Look Like

What Do Baby Koi Fish Look Like

Do Koi Fish Eat Their Babies

Why Are My Koi Eggs Turning White

Conclusion

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Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens

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    Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens
    They don’t give live birth, and the eggs are fertilized outse of the body, so there really aren’t baby koi in your fish either way. However, your koi will … …
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    Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens
    They don’t give live birth, and the eggs are fertilized outse of the body, so there really aren’t baby koi in your fish either way. However, your koi will … Well, this time of year, it’s definitely possible. Spring is when koi generally spawn. I’ve written before about how to determine the sex of your koi as well as how to get your koi to spawn, but how do you decide if your koi have decided to get spawny without your intervention? Well, first off, it’s worth noting that a
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  Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens
Is My Koi Pregnant? – Loch Ness Water Gardens

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4 Signs Will Tell You That Your Koi Fish Is Pregnant | Waterworld Craze

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for 4 Signs Will Tell You That Your Koi Fish Is Pregnant | Waterworld Craze Technically, female koi fishes cannot get pregnant as they do not give birth to live young. Instead, they form eggs inse their bodies and drop them during the …
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Koi Fish “Pregnancy”

Importance Of Knowing Pre-Spawning Behavior

How To Tell If A Female Koi Fish Is Carrying Eggs – 4 Facts That Will Help You

What To Do If You Do Not Want To Breed Koi Fish

What To Do If You Want To Breed Koi Fish

4 Signs Will Tell You That Your Koi Fish Is Pregnant | Waterworld Craze
4 Signs Will Tell You That Your Koi Fish Is Pregnant | Waterworld Craze

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How Often Do Koi Fish Lay Eggs? Reproduction, Breeding, & Care

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How Often Do Koi Lay Their Eggs

Koi Fish Care

How To Tell The Difference Between Male And Female Koi Fish

Koi Fish Reproduction And Breeding

How To Take Care Of Koi Fish Eggs

How To Take Care Of The Newborn Koi Fish Fry & Make Sure They Grow To Adulthood

Popular Types of Koi Fish

Conclusion

How Often Do Koi Fish Lay Eggs? Reproduction, Breeding, & Care
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How to Tell If Your Koi Is Pregnant (Signs & Behavior) – Pond Informer

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  • Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How to Tell If Your Koi Is Pregnant (Signs & Behavior) – Pond Informer They can retain this appearance for a few days until they feel ready to release their eggs. At this point, they must be fed with high-protein … How to tell if your koi fish is pregnant? Guide to the signs of koi pregnancy and spawning behavior of pregnant female and male koi fish.
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Signs Your Female Koi Are Carrying Eggs

How To Encourage “Pregnancy” in Sexually Mature Females

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How long are Koi fish pregnant? Live Spawning or egg Layers – Fishkeeping Forever

If you notice that a koi is expanding rapidly, you may be bracing yourself for the flip-flap of little fins sometime soon! The sudden bloating of a laden female koi certainly does give the impression that baby fish are well on the way! Despite this fecundity being known as ‘pregnant koi’, all is not what it seems.

We are sorry to disappoint you but as remarkable as a truly pregnant koi carp would be, these fish are actually not viviparous. They do not give birth to live young but rather reproduce by spawning. It is far more likely that the rotund proportions you are observing are those of a female who is getting ready to release up to a million eggs, which is, in our opinion, just as exciting!

So, how long is a Koi ‘pregnancy’?

The duration of the spawning period can range from a few days up to a week or more while the lady in question awaits the right environmental and hormonal conditions to release eggs. Brace yourself for hours of following her around the pond! The spawning period can cause havoc in lots of ways especially as males vie for her attention.

Let’s take a look at how these magnificent fish reproduce and some timely tips for handling any gravid ladies that may be in your pond!

A big tummy is a good way of spotting the females in your pond

A spawning female may have been the first or only indication of the sex of your koi carp. After all, if you are not going out of your way to know their sex, koi are quite morphologically similar. Sexing koi is easiest when they are over 12 inches in length and mature.

There aren’t many clues but the fin shape and size are often a good pointer. In females, fins are large, round, and translucent in comparison to the colored and angular fins of a male. For a definitive check, the underside of the fish can be inspected.

A female has two cents and a male, one. Also, as a consequence of breeding, these ladies tend to grow larger and are typically built wider than the males. This will mean that a spawning female is going to be hard to miss as she is likely to be highly swollen and blimp-like!

Providing the best conditions possible for you Koi will allow them to breed more frequently

It is important that you don’t overlook other causes of a swollen koi and miss something urgent

Before you start thinking up names for your new fry, make sure you exclude other more serious causes of a swollen koi. Unusual enlargement or swelling can be a harbinger of serious health problems. It is prudent to exclude these key diseases of koi and goldfish that will warrant immediate intervention.

1.Dropsy

In this painful condition, the belly area of the koi is swollen all over or bulging to one side, with or without the scales raised. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection, tumor growth, or kidney failure. A ripe female laden with eggs can also succumb to this condition, so you should watch new mamas carefully. Poor water conditions are a known precipitant, and affected fish will need to be quarantined and treated quickly.

2.Swim bladder

Swim bladder disease is another nasty cause of swelling in koi. Again water quality is the most common cause of this uncomfortable swelling which is accompanied by buoyancy problems. Overfeeding can also contribute to problems with the delicate swim bladder.

3. Intestinal blockage

This problem is often only diagnosed post mortem, so be careful to avoid it. It can be induced by overfeeding and often affected fish will be gasping, struggling to swim, or trailing feces.

The reproductive organs of a female koi are built for rapid expansion!

Female koi have paired gonads that are located way down in the pelvis of the fish, between the intestines and swim bladder. Pink smooth ovaries may be separate or fused and have their own dedicated opening near the anal vent.

When breeding is around the corner, both male and female koi gonads will massively enlarge with female organs swelling far more than males. Female gonads undergo astounding growth as they become absolutely laden with eggs (up to 100,000 per kilo of body weight) and can expand to up to 70 percent of body size!

So, where do baby koi carp come from?

In this case, you will be glad it’s not the stork! With a large mature female packing in over 400,000 tiny pin-head sized eggs, koi carp spawning is something you definitely don’t want to miss. Koi will spawn up to twice per year, and usually, the first spawning is the larger of the two.

For spawning to be successful, females are usually around 3 years old and males 2 years. Conditions like day length, water chemistry, and temperature need to be just right. For spawning, koi carp usually requires a temperature of between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (15 and 21 degrees Celsius).

In the days that proceed with the egg scattering activity, your female koi will not only swell up but is likely to attract the ardent interest of the pond’s males who may be more than a little vigorous in their pursuit and may nudge the female’s swollen belly to stimulate egg release.

This close shadowing of the female is essential as males fertilize the eggs as soon as they are released. The sticky eggs will cling to any vegetation or rocks in your pond and if successfully fertilized will start to develop.

Brace yourself as the young koi fry hatch around 4 days after fertilization. They attach themselves to a sheltered spot and start to feed themselves off their yolk sac.

Make your broody koi comfortable

When packed full of ripe and ready eggs, comfort is everything! Make sure that you attend first to water chemistry and cleanliness.

Keep oxygen levels optimal

Good aeration is vital to support the rapid physiological and metabolic changes your female will be undergoing. If you do not have a pond pump to support aeration, it is well worth getting one. Dissolved oxygen should be at least 5mg of oxygen per liter. (Looking for a pond pump for your spawning koi? Read our helpful article on choosing a great pond pump and filter for small ponds).

Keep pH swings to a minimum

Remember that pH is on a logarithmic scale so even a small change can feel significant to your pregnant koi. Test your water and aim for a pH range of 6.8 and 7.9.

Water hardness

Keep harness between 60 and 150 ppm

Nitrates are a no-no

You should have an absolute moratorium on ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites which are the last thing a tender and bloated lady koi wants to deal with when bringing forth her eggs. Keep a tight rein on ammonia levels and the test is you see pH levels start to creep up.

Work with your koi’s nesting instincts and provide lots of shallow water vegetation that she will love to release her eggs in. Aquatic plants like Hornwort, water lettuce, and water hyacinth provide ideal surfaces and crevice for the sticky fertilized eggs and subsequent fry.

Fancy a bit of a koi breeding?

Perhaps the first encounter with spawning has given you the breeding bug. Yes, there is potentially money to be made but you will have to dedicate time and commitment to providing the right conditions and pond space for successful mating. Surprise spawning is much less stressful than active breeding for both you and your koi.

Once the optimal conditions are in place you could be waiting days for mating to occur and when it does it can be a little hard going on the fish.

The water needs to be clean, clear, balanced, and predator-free. One male and one female of suitable maturity will suffice. You will also need to feed your mating pair regularly with a protein-rich feed to support them through the mating process.

Breeders also pay attention to providing a suitable fry mat or ropes that can hold the deposited eggs. Once the eggs are released and fertilized, the adult koi will need to be removed from the pond to prevent them from predating the eggs and young fry.

Spawning leaves a frothy scum on the surface of the water, so get your filter in gear and be prepared for water changes. Usually, experts leave nothing to chance and inject both male and female koi with hormones to induce expulsion of gametes in a timely and controlled manner keeping all associated drama to a minimum.

This is called stripping of eggs and milt.

Rounding up

In the absence of untoward symptoms, a laden female koi is a sign of a mature healthy fish. Surprise spawning is unlikely to give rise to a pond full of fish as the eggs and fry are likely to be predated. However, keeping a close eye on a gravid female and maintaining tip-top tank conditions will get them through their ‘gestation’ intact.

Pregnant Koi Fish

pregnant koi in water Image Credit: Michael Pemberton/iStock/Getty Images

“Pregnant koi” is a term for female koi who are filled with eggs they are ready to lay. Koi do not get pregnant and are not live-bearers. Koi fish typically mate in warmer water in the spring or summer seasons. The mating period lasts about two to three days in which the female lays the eggs upon various surfaces while the male shortly after fertilizes them.

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Carrying Term

koi fish looking for food Image Credit: Donna Lorka/iStock/Getty Images

Female koi start to carry their eggs around wintertime for a few months until the mating seasons comes around. They carry several thousands of delicate, translucent eggs and will feed more eagerly than usual during the egg-carrying period. Do not expect this from females less than three years old, as koi are not fully mature until this time. Younger koi can breed, but the quality of the offspring will be quite low.

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Appearance

spawning female koi Image Credit: Everste/iStock/Getty Images

The appearance of a female that is carrying eggs should be very noticeable. The female will have a bloated appearance that will seem one-sided, usually the left side. She will noticeably larger than the male koi. If you notice this appearance in an immature female koi, or late in the mating season, it may be indicative of disease or some sort of parasite.

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Spawning

nylon rope Image Credit: Design Pics/Design Pics/Getty Images

When you notice your “pregnant” koi is engorged with eggs, help her out by providing areas to lay her eggs so they can be easily collected for incubation afterward. Use nylon rope cut into several strips, each a few feet long, and secure these along the pond walls as a resting point for her eggs. Koi will pick up on this fast and prefer a soft area to lay their eggs in comparison with a rough, hard surface.

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Signs that mating will soon take place are seeing the male nudging and rubbing against the female. The actual spawning itself is brief, lasting about half an hour. A sign that the mating has already occurred is observing a foamy like substance on the surface of the water. The female will also appear to be exhausted.

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Complications

male koi being aggressive with spawning female koi Image Credit: Everste/iStock/Getty Images

Sometimes female koi can fail to release their eggs. The eggs can reabsorb over time, but this is a slow process. Unreleased eggs can cause infection in the fish such as septicemia, and the results can be life-threatening. Many owners will have a professional manually remove the eggs before breeding as a safe breeding alternative because of the breeding process, which can pose harm to the fish. The breeding process can be pretty rough on the female koi; males may injure the female as several of them may go after the same female. Injuries can occur while the fish are working at expelling the eggs or during the general spawning period. Wounds and missing scales are common after the breeding process. It is important to keep a watchful eye during the spawning period because males can also become overaggressive, and fish may need to be separated.

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Egg Care

brine shrimp Image Credit: Mariusz-W/iStock/Getty Images

After the mating process, remove the ropes keeping the eggs intact and house in an aquarium or separate pond to protect them from being eaten by other adult koi, including the parents. They will do well in at least a 100-gallon tank with only a few inches of water. They will hatch in about three to four days and will not begin to swim until they are about two to three days old. It is best to keep them in the tank or separate pond until they reach about 3 inches to prevent other fish from eating them. During this time, feed them brine shrimp larvae, brine shrimp and crumbled koi flake food.

Is My Koi Pregnant?

Well, this time of year, it’s definitely possible. Spring is when koi generally spawn. I’ve written before about how to determine the sex of your koi as well as how to get your koi to spawn, but how do you decide if your koi have decided to get spawny without your intervention?

Well, first off, it’s worth noting that a koi that appears pregnant is not, one way or the other, pregnant in the same way that a human would be. They don’t give live birth, and the eggs are fertilized outside of the body, so there really aren’t baby koi in your fish either way. However, your koi will appear bloated and pregnant for up to several days before she’s ready to release her eggs. At this point, you could still stop the spawning from happening if you don’t want eggs or baby fish (fry) in your pond by simply removing the females from the pond, keeping them separate from the males. This shouldn’t hurt the females (assuming that you keep them in good conditions). Without males to agitate her into releasing the eggs, she’ll just reabsorb them as protein. She’ll also do this if you simply have no male koi in your pond with whom to mate.

If your fish is full of eggs, she’ll catch the eyes of the males around her and they’ll start to chase her around the pond to get her to release the eggs. This can get quite rough, though your females are likely to be fine, as they’re generally larger than males. The males will push against her sides, and eventually she’ll release her eggs into a protected area, usually among vegetation. The males will then release their milt over the eggs. Often several females in the same pond will have eggs at the same time, but usually only one female per day will actually release her eggs.

At this point serious koi breeders will remove the eggs from the pond to protect them (koi tend to eat their own eggs as well as fry). This isn’t entirely necessary, though, as some of the eggs are likely to survive either way. Be prepared, though, as generally very few fish will survive to adulthood.

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