Although these ponds are man-dug, nature has taken back the ponds, with a little help from us. Water lilies and spatterdocks grow everywhere and heavy vegetation grows along the banks and into the shallows. Dwarf papyrus is a excellent plant to use along the pond banks: it spreads into the shallows and provides a excellent spawning medium and refuge for tiny fry of all species. Corydoras catfish attach their eggs to the papyrus stems and the koi push through it in spawning frenzies, scattering eggs everywhere. Bougainvilleas cascade down the banks and into the water giving a very thorny and safe haven from predators.

Because of these conditions we are able to observe many types of fish including koi in absolutely natural conditions. As is well known koi are sociable with other species of fish, providing the other fish is not small enough to get in the way of the koi's large mouth. Koi are not vegetarians; they are opportunists and will eat just about anything they can get into their mouths. I have watched these fish pull themselves halfway from the water and graze on tender grasses and even acorns that have fallen from the oaks.

Japanese koi carp are not schooling fish. This may surprise a lot of people. If confined in a small pool or pond they will all swim together, they have no choice. In larger areas of water they divide into social groups, mostly fish of the same size will swim together. This does not mean that all fish of the same size will swim together, it means that fish of the same size split into their own groups. Watching them in groups of hundreds or more is like watching family units. Each fish knows which group or family it belongs to.

As koi grow larger they tend to develop more individual personalities and do not rely as much on the safety of numbers. This generally occurs when the fish gets to be about a foot long. At this time the groups become smaller and quite a few fish of this size will be swimming alone or just two or three swimming together.

All this changes again with the big fish of two feet plus. These fish tend to do their own thing and pretty well swim alone. They will swim alongside of fish their own size and give friendly nudges and rubs. After all these fish have known each other for a long time. These large fish do of course group together when spawning occurs.

It is such a thrill when young koi start to emerge about a month after spawning. They get brave and start feeding with the big guys at about an inch long. Diving from cover to hit the food and retreating just as fast to the safety of cover. All the colors of the rainbow and beautiful to watch.

This is not a scientific report but simply the observations of a Florida fish farmer.