There has been a massive rise in pet ownership since lockdown began last year. In the UK an estimated 3.2 million households acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, meaning that 17 million households (nearly half of all households in the UK) now own pets, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA).
But it’s not just furry animals that have been popular in lockdown.
“We’ve noticed more people buying fish and aquariums,” commented Dan Reep, Pets & Aquatics Manager at Squire’s Garden Centres.
“Keeping fish is a great hobby and can be very rewarding, and a fish tank or pond adds tranquility and peacefulness to your home. Now is the best time to buy pond fish such as Koi Carp as our new season stock has just arrived, so there’s a wide range of colour varieties and sizes to choose from. We’ve also got an excellent range of plants, liners, pumps and filters to keep your pond in top condition and give you lovely clear water year-round.”
Koi at Squire’s Garden Centres
New season Koi are available now at Squire’s Garden Centres in Badshot Lea, Twickenham, Stanmore and Washington. There are four beautiful colour varieties available:
- Platinum Koi – pure white
- Kohaku – white with red markings
- Sanke – white with red and black markings
- Yamabuki – gold
Prices range from £10 for a 3-inch Koi to £520 for a 20-inch Koi. Stock varies by centre.
What’s so great about Koi?
Koi are a beautiful ornamental species of fish that descend from carp. There are over 22 varieties, each categorised by their colour, pattern and nature of their scales. They are easy to care for and symbolise good fortune and prosperity in Japanese culture. Koi are intelligent, and can recognise the person who feeds them and can even be trained to eat from his or her hand. They are social and very docile fish and enjoy the company of other Koi. Their size is determined by the environment they are raised in, diet and genetics. On average they live for 30-60 years, but they have been known to survive for over 200 years in the right conditions!
What do you need to keep Koi?
You need a large pond with at least 5,000 litres of water, and a minimum depth of 1.5 meters, so that your Koi can swim to the bottom where it is warmer in the winter. As well as deep water Koi also need shade as they are susceptible to sunburn. The water should be kept at 15-25 degrees Celsius and it should be oxygenated by adding a pump. A good quality filter is also essential as it will ensure that your water is free from waste, such as ammonia and nitrite caused by the fish, keeping your Koi happy and healthy.
Koi are omnivores, eating both plants and animals – they particularly like insects, snails, worms, fruit, lettuce and even peas! Squire’s recommend a complete food such as Medikoi by NT Labs, as it contains high quality, natural ingredients, and is scientifically formulated to help maintain the immune system and keep fish healthy.
www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk