Koi Care

1. They are illegal in the state of Maine

In 2014, a Maine woman had her Koi forcibly removed from her residence after a failed attempt to legalize Koi keeping in her home state. Having a Koi pond and keeping Koi fish is currently legal in 49 out of 50 states. She fought all the way to the state's supreme court, but was ultimately rejected when they upheld the lower court’s ruling.

Koi care starts with a pond that can support the fish as they grow. Plan filtration, aeration, water testing, feeding, and quarantine before buying koi. This beginner guide explains the essentials and gives you a repeatable care routine.

Download the free beginner koi care checklist and pond-test log (PDF, 2 pages). Print it for daily checks, maintenance notes, and water readings.

A low stress environment is crucial for successful Koi keeping. Use the following tips to help create a better home for your Koi.

Parasites

Overfeeding

Koi fish should only be given as much food as they can eat in a couple minutes, twice a day. Unless you have a large filtration capacity and you are trying to boost your Koi’s growth rates, giving them more that the recommended amount of Koi food will pollute the pond water.