Physical Description
Koi fish are a colorful, ornamental versions of the common carp. Though carp domestication is believed to have begun in China as far back as the 4th century, modern Japanese koi are believed to date back to early 19th-century Japan where wild, colorful carp were caught, kept and bred by rice farmers. There are now dozens of different color varieties of koi.
Size
Koi can grow up to 3 feet (90 centimeter) in length.
Native Habitat
Wild koi are native to the fresh bodies of water around the Black, Caspian and Aral Seas. Domesticated in the 19th century, carp have now been introduced throughout the world.
Food/Eating Habits
Koi are omnivorous feeders who will eat food found at all depths of water.
The Japanese koi at the Kids' Farm are fed a floating pellet, though they will also eat aquatic insects, algae and plants.
Conservation Efforts
Koi have been introduced all over the world, and they are farm-raised in large numbers for food, for ornamentation and for sport fishing. Wild populations are now at risk from hybridization with released or introduced domestic stock. They are also threatened by river control — wild carp need flooded areas in order to reproduce.
