So you’ve decided to buy that fish tank, finally! Congrats! You took the first step to finally realizing your dreams of having a pet fish in your tank. Now comes the tough part: deciding how much is A 20 POUND KOI FISH WORTH?
What will you do with your precious new companion? Will you display it proudly around the house? Will you set up a designated space just for it in your tank?
If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, then this article is for you. Here, you’ll discover everything you need to know about the wonderful world of koi fish. More importantly, we will reveal to you the exact price—at which point you’ll finally know whether or not your 20 pound investment will be worth it.
Table of Contents
What Size Should You Get?
When it comes to fish tanks, there are basically two different schools of thought: the big-tank school and the small-tank school. If you fall into the big-tank camp, then you’ll most likely want to go for the gargantuan and up. This is where you’ll be able to house multiple fish species comfortably, and it’s also the category that most people think of when they think of “fish tanks”. Depending on how much space you have, you might also want to consider investing in a fish tank that’s half as big as the one you have now. That way, you’ll get the best of both worlds – room for more fish and less space being taken up by water.
On the other hand, if you fall in love with the sleek and stylish look of smaller tanks, then you might want to consider getting a 10 or 12 inch fish tank. Not only will they fit neatly on your coffee table, but they’ll also be small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. If space is one of your concerns, then this is the category to focus on.
How Much Does It Cost To Feed The Fish?
Besides space, how much do you need to spend on food? Well, like with most pet purchases, this will depend on a variety of factors. First, how expensive is your natural food source? Second, how large of a meal do you need to feed your fish? Third, how often do you need to feed your fish?
For instance, salmons, which are common fish in the wild, are quite expensive to purchase in large quantities, especially since they don’t reproduce a lot. So if food is one of your major concerns, consider getting a quality food like dry food or mealworms instead of live food like fish or shrimp. The reason being that over time, the live food will start to smell a lot, making the whole tank seem a lot less appealing.
How Long Will It Take To See Results?
Just like with most living creatures, not all of them will thrive and grow at the same rate as others. Some fish, like the char (especially the gold char), will take a little while to grow to maturity. This is why, generally, you should wait between two and three years before you start seeing any noticeable results from your fish tank. During this time, you’ll have to feed them at least twice a day, in order to maintain their health and continue to grow at a steady pace.
On the other hand, some fish, like the tiger fish, are almost instantaneously mature once they reach the size of eight to twelve inches. So if you see these fish in person, you might mistake them for being larger than they actually are, because their growth spurt happened a lot faster than normal. This is why, if you decide to go with the tiger fish, you’ll have to change their water twice a month, in order to maintain their health and provide them with the best chance at survival.
Does Size Matter?
There are many benefits to having a small fish tank. They’re a lot easier to look after, for one thing, and they require a lot less room than their larger counterparts. This means you’ll have more of it available for other purposes. For example, if you have a lot of plants that you want to grow over time, then a small fish tank is the perfect solution, because you won’t need as much room to accommodate all of them comfortably. Plus, the smaller the tank, the less likely you are to see problems with the water quality, which is always a plus when you’re dealing with live aquatic animals in your home.
On the other hand, if you decide to go with the bigger fish tanks, then you might want to consider getting one that’s half the size of the one you currently have, because while they’re a lot easier to look after, they still require a lot of space. This is why, if you decide to go the big route, you might want to consider buying an already established tank that’s been around for a while and has had previous owners who took the time to properly set it up. Older, pre-built tanks like this one will almost certainly require a higher price than a brand new one would, but the benefits of having a known-working tank outweigh the cost sometimes, at least in my opinion. At the very least, it’s something to think about.
How Much Does It Cost To Maintain?
So, let’s say you’ve decided to go the extra mile and get the most out of your fish tank. You’ve purchased the best environment for your precious little creatures, you’ve set up the tank just so, and you’ve started seeing some pretty decent growth in your little fish. How much does all of this cost?
Well, let’s start with the fact that electricity bills will go up if you start displaying your fish more frequently in front of your family and friends. The tank will continue to function as long as it is fed and cleaned properly—which means lots of water changes and some form of chemical treatment. So, in terms of pure finances, you’ll have to weigh up the costs of buying a larger tank, setting it up properly and maintaining it over time with electricity bills and food costs against the initial investment of buying a smaller one that will eventually pay for itself. In the long term, investing in a well-fed and well-maintained fish tank is usually the best option, at least from a financial standpoint.
Will They Eat What You Provide?
Another important factor to consider when purchasing a pet is what type of food will they eat? Just like with humans, not all animals enjoy the same foods. Some animals, like the dwarf crocodile, will only eat fish, while others, like the mink and the snake, prefer animal flesh. This means you’ll need to make sure you provide them with what they need—or ask the seller if they have any dietary restrictions before making a purchase decision. It would be best to contact the seller directly to get more information, rather than going by what you see on the packaging, because sometimes the truth is more complicated than what the label would have you believe.
Are They Easy To Breed?
One of the main reasons why people get fish is because they want to breed them. If you do too, then you’ll want to consider getting an already established tank, which will make this process a lot easier. Simply give them some time – around six months to a year – after which point you’ll be able to start seeing eggs begin to appear in the water. Once you do, it’s a simple matter of providing them with some high quality food, until the hatchlings are grown and ready to be hand-fed.
On the other hand, if you decide to get a smaller, newer tank, then this whole process could take much longer. Not only that, but the smaller the tank, the more challenging it will be to breed the fish successfully, because the eggs will have a harder time hatching successfully. In addition, some fish, like the tiger fish, are almost instantaneously mature once they reach a certain size, which makes them harder to breed as well. This is why, if you decide to get one of these fish, you’ll have to give it a lot of attention over the course of several months, in order to ensure it successfully spawns and the eggs hatch successfully. It will be a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it.