Koi fish are a popular and beloved species of fish that are often kept in ponds or water gardens. Their bright colors and distinctive patterns make them a beautiful addition to any outdoor space. However, catching your koi can be a daunting task, especially if you’re a new owner. In this article, we will guide you through the process of catching your koi safely and easily.
Why catch your koi?
Catching your koi may be necessary for a variety of reasons, such as when it is time to move them to a new pond or when you need to perform routine maintenance on your current pond. Additionally, if you suspect that one of your koi is sick or injured, you may need to isolate it for treatment.
Preparing to catch your koi
Before you begin catching your koi, it’s important to prepare your equipment and your pond. Here are the steps to follow:
- Get a net: You will need a large, sturdy net with a soft mesh to avoid damaging your koi. You can purchase a koi net at a local pet store or online.
- Empty the pond: To make it easier to catch your koi, you may want to partially drain the pond. This will reduce the amount of water you have to sift through, making it easier to locate and capture your koi.
- Remove obstacles: Make sure there are no sharp rocks, plants, or other obstacles that could injure your koi as you catch them.
- Prepare a temporary holding tank: Before you start catching your koi, prepare a temporary holding tank with clean, fresh water. This will allow you to safely transfer your koi and reduce stress on the fish during transportation.
Catching your koi
Once you have prepared your equipment and your pond, it’s time to catch your koi. Here are some tips to follow:
- Be patient: Koi are fast swimmers and can be difficult to catch. Be patient and take your time.
- Use a net: Use your net to gently corral your koi towards the surface of the water. Once they are close to the surface, quickly and gently scoop them up with the net.
- Be gentle: When catching your koi, be gentle and avoid squeezing or gripping them tightly. This can cause injury or stress to the fish.
- Transfer your koi: Once you have caught your koi, immediately transfer them to your temporary holding tank. This will reduce stress on the fish and make transportation easier.
- Count your koi: As you catch your koi, be sure to count them to ensure that you have caught all of them. This will prevent any fish from being left behind in the pond.
Conclusion
Catching your koi can be a daunting task, but with the right preparation and technique, it can be done safely and easily. Remember to be patient, gentle, and to prepare your equipment and pond beforehand. By following these steps, you can safely catch your koi and transport them to their new home or for treatment.
More information about Catching your koi
Before making any attempt to catch a fish you must have the
right equipment:
- a pan net suitable to accommodate the largest fish in the pond
- a viewing bowl
- a sock net
A pan net is very sha[[ow, which reduces the risk of the fish becoming entangled in the netting ln fact, this net shouLd
only be used as a guide and under no circumstances should you ever left the net out of the water with the fish in it.
you are basical[y trying to use it to shepherd the desired fish into a viewing bowl. ldeat[y. get a helper at this point to submerge one side of the bowl so that the fish can simply swim from
Catching your koi Netting a Koi single Handed
how to catch koi fish in a pond
1. Catch the koi to be inspected in a suitable size pan net.
2. Guide the koi to the bow with the net, then use the edge of the net to tip one side of the bowl below the water level.
3. Gently tip the net to transfer the koi from the net to the bowl.
Catching your koi (Netting a koi with a helper)
Step 1. Ask a helper to hold the bowl as shown.
Step 2 Move the net toward the submerged edge of the bowl.
Step 3 Gently tip the net so that the koi swims into the bowl.
Step 4 To prevent jumping, keep the water level quite low.
net into the bowl. if you have to work on your own, float the viewing bowl and half-fill it with water. Once the fish is caught, bring it to the surface and lift one side of the net so that it hooks over the lip of the bowl.
Then force one side of the bowl down into the water and simultaneously tip the fish from the net to the bowl.
The diameter of both the net and the viewing bowl must be wide enough to accommodate your largest koi. lt is advisable to opt for a floating bowl, otherwise, you may find you are spending more time lifting the bowl from the bottom of the pond than you are catching koi. when trying to catch a fish, follow a few simple rules.
These will make it easier for you to catch the koi and reduce the risk of damaging it. ldeally, leave the bowl and the koi in the water The bowl ls heavy and the water creates a suction force when lifted. There is a risk of serious back injury to the koi keeper.
1.Turn off a[t air pumps and water features so that you can see what you are doing.
2 Move the net so that its edge slices through the water This reduces drag and allows you to move the net much
more quickly.
Catching your koi using a sock net
Step 1. Pull the sock net through the water to make it wet.
Step 2. Coax the koi head first into the sock net.
Step 3. Hold each end of the net and lift it out of the water.
Step 4. Pull the sock net through the water to release the koi.
3 When bringing a captured fish to the surface. avoid any underwater returns. The pressure of the water returning to
the pond from these could force the koi into the net and cause physical damage.
4 if you are trying to catch small koi or the pond is very large. you may find it hard to catch the fish with one net. Rather
than chasing around the pond and risking accidentally bumping the fish with the net, try one of two tactics. Either ask someone to help you and give them another net so that they can keep the fish at one end while you try to catch it. If
this is not possible, lower the water level thus reducing the area in which the fish can swim.
5lf the pond is very large, netting a particular koi may prove too stressful to both yourself and the fish. In such a case it
may be advisable to get a custom-made seine net for your pond, which allows all the koi to be caught easily without
undue stress. Then you can simply remove the ones that need to be inspected and place them into a viewing bowl before allowing the others to return to the pond.
6.If a koi really is too difficult to catch, swith the pumps and aeration back on and try again, either after a few hours, or the following day.
Once you have a fish in the bowl, you may wish to move it or to inspect it more closely. There are two ways of moving fish without causing it stress and damage.
Using a sock net
Sock nets are available in various sizes. Ensure that the one you are using has a large enough diameter for he fish in question, and that it will hold the full lenght of the fish in the sock, First make sure that the whole sock is wet.
Then hold the sock net in one hand under the water in the bowl and use your other hand to persuade the fish gently into the sock head-first.
Once it is fully in the sock, hold the end of the sock in one hand and grasp the handle in the other, The sock net can then be lifted out of the water. keep the net as straight as possible.
To release the fish from the sock, simply immerse it in the water and let go of the end of the sock. Then lift the sock from the water by the handle. if done correctly the fish will swim out.
Catching your koi Using a plastic bag
If a sock net is not available, a plastic bag can be used in much the same way. The only difference is that as the bag is sealed at one end, you will have to tip the fish from the bag
1 Put the plastic bag in the bowl, half fill it with water, then coax the koi into it.
2. Hold the top and one of the bottom corners of the bag.
3. You can now lift the bag and move the koi as desired.
Check out our blog on how to breed koi fish and the meaning koi fish meaning behind the koi fish tattoo
Check out my daugher May Carl the kid fish keeper