The Butterfly Koi boasts long, flowing fins that add grace and peace to even the largest backyard oasis. It is appropriately named for its long, flowing fins often resembling butterfly wings. It is these longer, distinct fins that differentiate the Butterfly Koi from standard Koi. The Butterfly Koi is available in a variety of colors and patterns, but is most commonly available in white, yellow, orange, or a combination of these colors. While Butterfly Koi can live longer than 200 years, their typical life span is 25 to 35 years. The ideal setup for Butterfly Koi is a 1,000+ gallon pond with a fine gravel substrate, rocks, and hardy plants. Because these Koi savor plant roots and will dig to get to them, be sure to place large rocks around the base of plants to protect them. You will also need to provide adequate filtration to maintain proper water conditions. Males are easily recognized by their concave anal section and occasionally by breeding spots on the head. Spawning may result in as many as 1,000 eggs, with fry emerging in approximately 4 to 7 days, depending on the water temperature. Feed fry small live foods or frozen daphnia for the first 3 to 4 weeks. At that time, gradually change their diet to crushed flake and pellet foods. Their color will emerge in about 3 to 12 weeks. Feed Domestic Butterfly Koi a quality pellet or flake food. Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1" to 3"; Medium: 3" to 4-1/2"; Medium/Large: 4-1/2" to 6"; Large 6" to 7"; X-Large 7" to 8"
