Have you ever thought can you swim with koi fish? Many homeowners own a giant koi pond or are going on a vacation, and they are curious to find out if it’s possible to swim with the beautiful and majestic fish. My answer is yes, it’s possible. However, most would agree that it feels yucky swimming at a close distance with pet fish. And it’s true as well.
I will explain why it’s possible and why you shouldn’t carry out the desire to swim with koi.
3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Swim With Koi Fish
There are some adverse effects that we may cast upon ourselves and even the fish when we swim in a koi pond. I believe they will explain best the answer to “can you swim with koi fish?”.
- The human body carries bacteria that may threaten the natural environment of koi fish and kill some expensive ones. Also, koi are freshwater creatures that can tolerate salt for a short time only. If you accidentally add salt to the water through sweats or swim suits, this will impact the health of the fish negatively.
- Entering the habitat of koi fish can stress them out and cause koi to react violently. They don’t intentionally bite us until we bleed, but they may swim frantically and hit our body with theirs. In the long run, the stress may remain and cause koi to get sick and affect the life quality of the entire tank.
- Koi pond may contain bacterias that are harmful to human skin or body. Some people experience a rash. Some are attacked by deadly bacteria, so much so that they have to cut fingers or even arms or legs. This is not a typical case, given that the condition within the pond has to be severely unideal, but there still exists a slight possibility of suffering this situation.
Advantage Of Swimming With Koi Fish
It will definitely be a one-of-a-kind experience swimming with koi fish in a giant pond. You can interact with the wildlife and learn the habits of koi fish up close. This can also be a chance for you to check out every nook and cranny of the pond to find parts that are not ideal for the fish’s life quality. Other than that, there aren’t any specific advantages when it comes to swimming with koi.
Unlike what various hobbyists think, koi don’t eat skin cells either. What we experience with fish that eat dead skin cells is called fish pedicure. This treatment involves garra rufa, a small and freshwater species. This is the type that many spas use to bring customers a unique experience of dead skin removal. As for koi fish, they aren’t attracted by the idea in general and they will never attempt at nibbling on your epiderm.
If we swim with koi, we are just doing it for fun. There is no medical or health benefit.
Video: Swimming with Koi
FAQs
Is it safe to swim with koi fish?
There is always a risk of contaminating the fish pond or catching bacteria or parasites from the fish. In any case, an attempt to carry out this action doesn’t have any health benefit, if not bringing disasters to you or the koi. Overall, swimming with koi fish is possible but not recommended.
Do koi fish aquariums need heaters?
Koi fish are cold-blooded, so they don’t need a heater to survive in the winter. However, it’s not superfluous to prepare a heater for all cases. Aquarists should keep in mind the ideal temperature for bacteria to develop and thus occasionally use heaters to avoid contamination of the koi aquarium or pond.
Will I get sick swimming with koi fish?
It’s possible getting sick swimming with the fish if the koi pond is contaminated with bacteria. But, if the living conditions of the fish are standard and check all the boxes, there shouldn’t be any severe health problems.
Annette M. Chaney is an experienced marine biologist with over 20 years of experience as an aquarist and fishkeeper. She started her first aquarium at a young age, filling it with frogs and goldfish obtained from the ten-cent pet store.
Annette grew up caring for and breeding African Cichlids, which led to a hobby in high school that doubled as a profitable means. Attending Reed College gave her time to solidify herself as an accomplished aquarium caretaker with an eye for sales. After that, from 2009 – 2013, she studied at Roger Williams University – one of the most prestigious universities for Aquaculture and Aquarium in USA. She is the founder of AquariumCircle since 2010.