After you’ve had your koi pond for a while, you might want to add some variety to your pond.
Different breeds of fish can breathe new life into your pond, and look beautiful as they swim with your majestic koi.
However, it’s important to know which fish can share a pond with koi.
Different fish have different requirements, so it’s important to do plenty of research, and learn which breeds of fish can live in the same pond as your koi, and not just survive, but thrive.
Here, we will tell you everything you need to know about keeping koi and Arowana in the same pond, here’s what you need to know.
Size of Koi and Arowana Matters
Koi and Arowana can live in one pond, but the size of each fish determines how well they’ll coexist.
Expert fish keepers suggest that if you want to keep Arowana and koi in the same pond, you should make sure they are the same size, or that the koi are slightly bigger than their Arowana pond mates.
If the two breeds of fish are relatively the same size, then one won’t try to dominate or attack the other.
While Koi fish are mostly herbivorous, Arowana fish are carnivores, and that means that any smaller fish in the same pond will quickly find themselves becoming an Arowana’s snack.
On the other hand, Arowana won’t try to attack larger koi, and even if they do, the koi will be able to protect itself.
How To Prevent Koi and Arowana from Fighting
To keep your Arowana and koi from fighting, expert fish keepers recommend decorating the interior of your pond with plenty of vegetation.
This way, enough underwater plants are separating the two breeds of fish, and if one does try to attack the other, they can always go hide between the plants.
Can Arowana Live in Koi Ponds?
As you may already know, most domesticated fish can live comfortably in a tank.
However, koi are one of the few fish that you are recommended to keep in a pond instead, as they don’t belong in tanks.
So that raises the question, can Arowana survive in ponds instead of tanks? The answer is yes.
Although arowanas are usually found in rivers and lakes, they can survive comfortably in a koi pond as well.
What Do Arowana Need to Survive?
Arowana Fish can survive in bodies of water that aren’t rich in oxygen.
This adaptability allows them to survive virtually anywhere. What they do need is high-quality fish food, and a habitat that is carefully maintained.
Can Arowana Survive in Cold Water?
When the water of their pond reaches near-freezing temperatures, koi fish survive by going into a state of semi-hibernation.
Their metabolism decreases, and they don’t move around much, if at all. Some experts believe this experience allows koi to survive longer.
In captivity, and areas where it doesn’t naturally get too cold, some koi owners may even artificially recreate the environment in which koi hibernate.
However, if you intend to keep koi and Arowana in the same pond, wintering your koi will be absolutely out of the question.
Koi originates from the freezing waters of Japanese rice fields. In comparison, Arowana is found in tropical climates.
Although the two species of fish can share a pond, it’s important to create an environment in which both can thrive.
This means that you will need to monitor the temperature in your koi pond carefully and make sure it never gets so cold that your Arowana’s lives are endangered.
How To Keep Arowana Healthy in a Koi Pond
Creating the ideal ecosystem where both koi and Arowana can thrive is easier than one might think.
Like with any koi pond, you need to regularly measure specific parameters, from temperature to oxygen levels, pH levels, and mineral content.
Make sure these factors are all within a range that is suitable for both species of fish.
What Size Pond Do You Need?
If you’re planning to keep koi and Arowana together, you must remember that both these species of fish tend to grow incredibly big.
Some people claim that both Arowana and koi only grow as much as their habitat will allow them to. In both cases, this is blatantly untrue.
If given the care and attention they need, both koi and Arowana grow quite large.
This means you need to preemptively set up a koi pond big enough for the size your pet fish will eventually grow into.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can start with a small pond, and scale up later.
Not only will this cost you time, effort, and money in the long run, but it also wouldn’t be the best decision for your pet fish.
Do Koi Fish and Arowana Eat the Same Food?
When keeping koi fish and Arowana in the same pond, it’s important to remember that koi are herbivores, while Arowana are carnivores.
This means their diets are drastically different, and you have to feed them separately.
You can buy dry pellets that are specially made for each breed from your local pet store. First, feed your Arowana.
That way they’ll be satiated by the time you feed your koi, and they won’t bother attacking the koi while they’re eating.
Arowana and Koi Have Different Personalities
Amongst experienced fish keepers, koi are known to be graceful, peaceful creatures. It’s very rare for koi to display any sort of aggressive behavior.
On the other hand, the same can not be said for Arowana.
Arowana tends to be very territorial, and the males of the species are especially aggressive toward one another.
Some experienced koi keepers have even claimed to observe their pet Arowana try to fight their reflections.
In a tank full of Arowana, it isn’t uncommon to see some battle-hardened fish with torn fins and missing scales.
That is why experts recommend keeping a disproportionate number of koi and Arowana.
Once the Arowana know they are outnumbered they will fall in line, and eventually make peace with their pond mates.
If a few of the koi are bigger than the Arowana, the Arowana will recognize that they aren’t the dominant species in the pond, and start to act docile.
Usually, male koi only act aggressively when trying to mate. It’s possible that the male Arowana in your pond could perceive this as a threat, and attack.
If you see one of your male koi fish displaying signs of aggression because it wants to mate, it may be best to separate it from the rest of the pond.
In this way, understanding the different temperaments of both koi and Arowana can allow you to plan the population of your koi pond accordingly.
Can You Keep Goldfish in a Koi Pond with Arowana?
Goldfish are some of the most common pond mates to keep in a koi pond.
If you already have goldfish in your koi pond, you may be wondering if it’s a good idea to include Arowana with your goldfish.
The short answer is yes, you absolutely can include both goldfish and Arowana together in the same koi pond.
However, the same rules apply. Arowana and goldfish can coexist peacefully when they’re the same size.
If you buy baby Arowana and allow them to grow up alongside their goldfish pond, they may be less inclined to prey on them.
However, there is no guarantee that your Arowana won’t eventually grow big and devour the smaller fish in your pond.
In essence, while Arowana and goldfish can certainly coexist, that harmony might just hang by a very thin thread.
Some of the most experienced fish keepers have woken up to find that their Arowana devoured their goldfish.
If you rather not take the risk, it’s best to keep goldfish out of a koi pond that has Arowana in it.
Other Fish That Can Coexist with Koi
If you decide that Arowana doesn’t belong in your koi pond after all, but you still want to look for some new friends for your koi, other creatures may make suitable pond mates.
As previously mentioned, goldfish are a very common secondary fish to include in a koi pond, but other options include plecos, rainbow fish, and Japanese trapdoor snails, to name a few.
Plecos, for example, tend to stay closer to the bottom of the pond, feeding on algae that grow there.
They may even help control the growth of algae in your pond. Rainbow fish are another excellent addition to your pond, although expert koi keepers recommend only keeping one male, amongst multiple females of the species.
The Japanese trapdoor snail is an aquatic snail, a perfect addition to your koi pond if you’d like to include something other than fish.
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