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i am now getting into koi and would like to know alot. i am confused on the types. from what i understand the types are scale types? i am looking for more color koi that scale type. how ever i would really want to know the name of the leath skin koi? i how to start a new pond soon and fill it with high fin loaches as well as yellow,white,black, and the red and white koi. those are my favorite koi colors.

I don't have koi, but I think you are doing the right thing by asking questions first. Many people "act", then start to think and wonder and by that time, the damage is done.

Where in the US are you - a warm climate or are you heading into Winter like I am in Michigan?

I would suggest checking books out from the library, and make sure to balance them with book that were written more recently. Todays koi-keeping may have evolved from years prior.

Here's a start:

[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764154486/qid=1100469253/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-2708730-2725425?v=glance&s=books]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764154486/qid=1100469253/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-2708730-2725425?v=glance&s=books" style="COLOR: #C000C0[/link]

kois's come in many different varieties. the main groups are metallic and non-metallic, these are then split down to scale pattern and colour patterns. The varity of names are made up from japenese words that describe the colour pattern, lustre or scalation of a particular koi.

how many fish would you like to have?

i would say for a healthy koi pond they should be 100-250gallons per fish. this is becasue they produce so much waste and can grow to 3ft.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Not to mention the shark, which grows to 23", is very active, and needs a powerful current, and is fairly sensitive to nitrates/trites.