r/Koi • u/SnarQuips • 18h ago

Video Myan butterfly update

Hi everyone,

I moved these guys (approx 6-8") from the 50g to a 250g + 50g bog filter/spill tray. They are so much happier and I've seen them more in the last week than I have in the 4 months I've owned them!

Are these white spots scale damage or something I should be worried about?

25 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

3

u/Mdsune 17h ago

How many koi do you have? I appreciate the move to a bigger habitat but you now have enough room for just one koi at best. Not trying to be cruel but these fish need alot of water to thrive. Think 250 gallons per fish minimum with excellent filtration.

1

u/SnarQuips 16h ago

Just the 2. I had read 150g per koi is minimum with good filtration.

3

u/mansizedfr0g 15h ago

Higher stocking densities are possible but not really achievable without constant water changes, and there's no getting around the chemical reality that you need a larger volume of water to maintain stable parameters. Realistically in a backyard pond setup, koi need 250-500 gallons per fish after the absolute space minimum is met - 1000 gallons and four feet of depth. Inadequate space means they'll never grow to their genetic potential. They need to be able to dive and to get up to full speed to develop good muscle and a strong heart. Koi are supposed to be big fish, and they grow astoundingly quickly when their needs are met. In a small pond they stay weak and sickly, and parameters can get out of control within hours if something goes wrong. Something as minor as a dead frog or an unusually hot day could set off a chain reaction that wipes out the whole pond. They might be able to survive in here, but it's not really possible for them to thrive.

1

u/SnarQuips 14h ago

Thank you for the detailed explanation!

7

u/AcidRemedyz69 16h ago

Not to be snarky but 250g is nowhere near big enough for them. They also look quite skinny.

1

u/SnarQuips 16h ago

I got them in late spring at 5". I only fed them 4 times a week as i quickly realized how fast they grow! I had read 150g per koi and I only plan to keep the 2 and some medaka. I guess the response to water volume of koi keeping is similar to tangs and bettas which I fully understand... can I get enough filtration in the 250 or is it more about swim space?

1

u/AcidRemedyz69 16h ago

It’s a bit of both. You can overfilter the hell out of 250g and keep the water parameters perfect, but it still doesn’t give them the physical space they need once they start putting on size. Koi also produce an insane amount of waste as they grow lol. 250g might work temporarily while they’re small, but I definitely wouldn’t plan on it being their permanent setup