The holiday shopping season is upon us. We know that shopping for a koi enthusiast can be tricky, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the ins and outs of koi keeping. If you’re searching for a great koi-related holiday gift but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together some gift ideas sure to delight any koi lover.
Pond Maintenance Supplies
When it comes to keeping koi happy and healthy, pond care is essential. Any koi keeper knows just how time-consuming and costly pond upkeep can be. Luckily, there are plenty of tools and supplies that can make the job a bit easier. Has your koi aficionado mentioned a piece of equipment that needs replacing or a maintenance item they wish they had? If you are fairly certain you know exactly what they want, this is a good place to start. However, if your koi enthusiast has talked about needing, for example, a new filter, but they haven’t specified a certain type or brand—all hope isn’t lost! Check in with pond-savvy friends or family, because they may be able to give you the details you need to make the best purchase for your koi lover’s pond.
If you’re not comfortable purchasing equipment, there are plenty of other pond maintenance necessities and gadgets that make great gifts. A digital PH meter, a new water test kit, or a pair of pond gloves are all great options.
If you’d rather not delve into the abyss of pond maintenance tools, another option is to give the gift of manual labor. Maintaining a pond is hardwork, and every koi kichi would appreciate a helping hand. Consider creating a homemade booklet of coupons for simple pond upkeep tasks, such as skimming leaves, cleaning filters, or adding water. This is a thoughtful and inexpensive gift for kids to give koi-keeping parents or grandparents.
Decor
Ambiance is everything. The right decor can turn a regular koi pond into a backyard oasis. If your koi fanatic has a pond in need of a makeover, pond decorations are the perfect gift.
A spitter or fountain is a great feature to add to a koi pond. Aside from looking great, they can also help keep koi healthy by providing aeration. There are a wide variety of spitters and fountains to choose from. If you aren’t sure what best fits your koi keeper’s taste or pond aesthetic, a simple spitter like this one will feel right at home in any koi pond.
Another way to brighten things up is to add some pond lighting, such as this remote control color-changing light set. Or, consider buying your koi lover a water plant kit like this one. Water plants are not only a beautiful accent, but they also increase oxygen production in the water and provide shade for koi during summer months. If it’s the area surrounding the pond that needs some love, there are plenty of pond-side garden accessories that make excellent gifts. Any koi kichi will love this garden fountain or this wind chime.
Koi Care
The number one priority for any koi keeper is making sure their koi are properly cared for. Quality food is a must. If you happen to know your koi lover’s preferred food brand, definitely go with that. If they don’t have a favored brand or type, this blog post can help you gain some insight on what to look for in koi food. You can’t go wrong with Blue Ridge Koi & Goldfish Food.
Keeping koi safe is a big element of koi care. Regardless of where your koi enthusiast lives, it’s important that they protect their pond from potential predators. The first step in purchasing deterrents is to identify the local predators that could pose a threat to your koi keeper’s pond. The local animal control, fish and game association, or other neighborhood pond-keepers are all excellent resources for information about area wildlife and predators.
Once you’ve identified the predation threat, you can determine the best deterrent for your koi buff. This crocodile head decoy is great for scaring away ducks, geese, and heron. If raccoons, foxes, or opossums are the problem, a predator control light is a good choice. Another idea is to give your koi enthusiast netting so that they can cover their pond and protect the koi, especially at night when predators are most active. Or, buy an underwater tunnel that provides a place for koi to hide from predators.
Koi Resources
Koi keeping is a complex hobby that requires a lot of reading and research, so it’s important that your koi fanatic has plenty of informative and reliable resources. Are they in need of some pond-side reading? Think about gifting them a subscription to KOI USA magazine. The publication, which is owned by the Associated Koi Clubs of America, has information on topics like pond construction, filtration, fish health, DIY projects, and more.
If you know that your koi enthusiast is interested in a particular koi-related subject, a book on that specific topic would look great wrapped in a holiday bow. Koi for Dummies is perfect for the newbie koi keeper. The Manual of Koi Health has a ton of information on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. If pond design inspiration is what they need, Garden Ponds, Fountains & Waterfalls for Your Home has ideas and instructions for design and construction of under- and above-ground oases.
Finally, a membership to a local koi club or society is an ideal gift for the social koi keeper in your life. Clubs and societies are a great place to meet other area koi enthusiasts and share koi- and pond-keeping tips and tricks. Check out this blog for a list of clubs and societies near you.
Koi Fan Gear
For some enthusiasts, their love for koi extends far beyond the pond. If your koi kichi falls into this category, help them showcase their koi fandom when they aren’t pond-side with koi-themed gear and products. Spice up their home decor with a koi shower curtain and matching bath mat. Or, add a subtle touch of koi to any living space with this koi pillow cover or this koi wallpaper.
Your koi buff will love sitting by the pond and enjoying their morning coffee with this mug. Consider getting them this koi phone case so they can protect their phone and the many koi photos on it. For fancier occasions, this koi tie and these koi earrings are the perfect addition to any outfit.
Fish
Of course, gifting live koi is always an option. But, before you decide to buy your koi lover a brand new fish, there are a couple things you should keep in mind. It’s important to make sure that their pond isn’t at capacity and that they have room for a new addition. Many koi kichi take great care in choosing new fish for their pond, so be sure you know their preferences for varieties, color, and fin type before making your purchase. If you feel overwhelmed by the many options or you aren’t sure about your koi keeper’s preferences, a Next Day Koi gift card is probably the best choice. This way, your koi lover can pick out the perfect fish when they are ready
If you feel confident about making the purchase, Next Day Koi has hundreds of koi to choose from. When you place your order, you’ll be asked to pick a delivery date. Make sure you pick a date when you know your recipient will be home to accept their gift. If you’re worried about keeping the koi comfortable during transport, check out our climate-controlling shipping options.
BONUS: Gifts for Future Koi Keepers
Do you know a koi enthusiast that is a bit too young for a pond of their own? If so, maintenance tools and care supplies probably aren’t the best gifts. Any young koi buff will love this koi fish plush. It might not be the real deal, but it’s certainly more cuddly than your average koi. Young koi kichi can start envisioning their dream pond with this koi coloring book and jot down future pond must-haves in this notebook.
Whatever you choose, the koi lover in your life will appreciate the time and attention you’ve dedicated to getting them the perfect koi-inspired gift this holiday season.
interested in gifts for a person raising koi fish
Hi Anita. We would recommend a gift certificate. With a gift certificate, your recipient can select the variety, size and quantity of fish that they would like to add to their pond.