Poisonous Plants - Midwest Pond and Koi Society (2024)

FAQs

What pond plants are safe for koi? ›

Eelgrass helps filter the water, but koi and other fish don't tend to find it as tasty as Hornwort. Eelgrass gives fish places to hide in the bottom of the pond as it grows. Fanwort helps to oxygenate the water and provides a safe place for koi and other fish to lay their eggs.

Cardinal flower, Taro, and Calla in my pond are just a few that are on the list of being poisonous. While I have not seen my fish eat the roots of these plants, the roots are readily available for them to eat should they so desire.

Never fear, it really is possible for koi and aquatic plants to live in harmony in the same pond. The key to the plant-eating koi dilemma is to make sure you have the correct koi-stocking density for your water garden. Put too many koi in a pond and they'll compete for everything – especially food.

Most of the time, death in koi carp is caused by poor water quality. Making sure you have proper filtration, regular testing and maintenance will all contribute to the quality of your pond water, and therefore the health of your fish.

One method you can try to prevent Koi carp ruining your waterlily display is the secure an upturned empty hanging basket over the top of your waterlily pot. This stops the fish grazing on the newly emerging leaves while they are still quite tender.

Koi are ravenous, and they're not picky eaters! But Eelgrass, lotus, umbrella plants, water lettuce, and water poppy are five aquatic plants that koi fish won't eat. We recommend getting some of these aquatic plants for your koi pond.

Removing and Trimming Plants

To balance the pond ecosystem effectively, no more than 60 percent of the surface or the substrate should be covered with plant species. If you have a tall water grass invasion, you may need to take out the fish and invertebrates to perform a complete water change.

Lotus are an excellent selection for introducing lush green foliage crowned with spectacular flowers to your koi pond. They add a sense of awe and enchantment to your pondscape. Try some this season—and have plenty of pelleted food on hand for your swarming, frustrated koi!

Abstract. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a new therapeutic agent against streptococcosis and monogenean infections in fish.

Use water lilies, poppies, and other floaters to keep algae under control and the water cool in the summer. What Kind of Plants Do Koi Like? Koi eat water lilies, hornwort, mosaic plants, hyacinths, duckweed, and water lettuce. Since most of these water plants are fast-growing, a little nibbling is rarely a problem.

Is creeping jenny toxic to koi? ›

Koi and other fish find Creepy Jennys a real treat, which is helpful as a pond owner because this aquatic plant is considered invasive in some areas and can take over a pond. It grows nicely on rocks and water features.

Can water lilies be planted in a fish/koi pond? If you have Koi in your pond, you will need to put larger stones on the top of the basket and use a hardy variety of lily.

Don't feed koi fish anything high in carbohydrates. You should also avoid feeding them white bread, peas, and corn.

Being omnivorous, it's not surprising that koi like to nibble on your plants. Free-floating plants, such as hyacinths and water lettuce are common munchables. Rooted plants such as lilies and lotuses are less often eaten, but some fish can't stay away!