Weapons for conquering the world can be different. For example, the Japanese jokingly call koi carp a weapon. Bright, mobile, trainable fish adorn decorative ponds around the world. There are books and magazines, koi carp lovers' clubs, shows and exhibitions are held.
The history of the appearance of Japanese carp
The Japanese carp came from wild black carps that inhabited the Caspian Sea basin more than two thousand years ago. The ancient Chinese bred carp, which had extraordinary taste and stamina, for food. Koi is translated from Chinese and means "carp".
Fish came to Japan with immigrants from China about five hundred years ago. Japanese peasants fish with non-standard bright spotty color crossed to get new color options. Fish with spots of white, blue, red colors became floating gems and made the passion for selection popular among Japanese nobility.
Today, koi carp is a fish that has gone through six breeding selections. Only after that is she assigned a category. Out of more than eighty varieties of Japanese carps, only fourteen colors are considered standard.
Japanese carp is almost a pet that has an individual character and responds to its name. He recognizes the owners by voice and steps, he can be hand-fed and stroked.
The content of Japanese carp in decorative ponds
Japanese koi carp does not need complicated care. For keeping in artificial reservoirs in Russia, it is better to choose fish grown in the north-west of the country, and not its Japanese or Chinese counterparts, which tolerate worse cold.
Under Russian natural conditions, the pond should be at least two meters deep and with a half-meter pit at the bottom so that the fish could warm up in cold weather and hide in the depths from the heat in summer.
The dimensions of the pond depend on the number and size of the fish and are calculated based on the volume of water of 50 liters or more per fish.
When the water temperature in the fall drops below + 10 ° C and lasts about two weeks, the body slows down the processes of breathing, excretion, digestion, carp stop feeding so that the food does not rot in the esophagus.
A pond compressor or fountain will help circulate water and enrich it with oxygen. So that the acidity of the water in the pond does not change, it must be regularly cleaned from the leaves falling from the trees.
The content of Japanese carp in the aquarium
If you provide good filtration and aeration of water, Japanese carp can be kept in a home aquarium of a sufficiently large size.
Carps, like all living things, grow and change with age. The angular impulsive "teenagers" are not as beautiful and interesting as respectable adults. But for keeping at least six-year-old carps, the volume of the aquarium should reach about a thousand liters, and with the prospect of growth of its inhabitants - two thousand.
Carps themselves do not need special transparency of the water, but there is no need for interference for observers, so powerful filtering is needed. You can do without aeration, but the squishy sounds made by carps, swallowing air on the surface, do not contribute to pacification.
The aquarium with Japanese carps needs to be well lit so that the fish look bright and contrast.
Feeding carps in an aquarium is best done with dry granular food, which enhances the color of fish and does not affect the quality of the water. You can supplement the diet with finely chopped fruits and vegetables, the remains of which must be removed from the aquarium after eating.
Since beautiful Japanese carps are an adornment not only of the aquarium, but also of the room as a whole, the choice of soil depends on the color of the fish and the interior. The main thing is that the amount of decor in the water is minimal.
Japanese carps were originally bred for observation from above. But how wonderful Japanese carp looks in the aquarium! The photo demonstrates this quite clearly.
Japanese carp food
It is best to feed Japanese carps with granular food, depending on the temperature of the water and the activity of the fish, from two to six times a day. In winter, carps eat very little. Koi carps respond well to any food. It can be beans, and cabbage, and watermelon. Since decorative fish are designed by nature to be admired, food for them is selected not only by the balance of nutrients, but also by buoyancy. Particular pleasure is given to owners by hand feeding.
If you set a decorative illumination under the surface of the water, then night insects flying into its light and falling into the pond will be a natural food for fish.
When feeding fish, whatever the pleasure this process brings, an unshakable rule must be observed: it is better to underfeed than to overfeed, especially with artificial feed.
Symbolism
In China and Japan, traditional cuisine is not complete without carp. The carp takes the blow of the cook’s knife, without flinching and without trembling in front of him. Maybe that's why the Japanese carp is considered a symbol of composure and fearlessness in the face of imminent death. The value of the image of this fish is great thanks to an ancient Chinese legend. According to this legend, the carp ascended to the Dragon Gate along the streams of the waterfall. Fearlessness and perseverance were rewarded - he became a dragon. In the natural nature, carps overcome the course not only in search of food, but also for procreation.
In the fine arts of Japan, carp koi occupies one of the leading places, and not only because of the bright colors. Japanese carp is a symbol of good luck, victory over circumstances, fortitude, the desire for self-improvement, inspiration for those who aspire to ambitious goals.
Japanese Carp Tattoo
The back, chest, thigh or shoulder are the places where the tattoo is applied, where the Japanese carp is depicted. The meaning of this image is luck. It is believed that the amount of luck that the image of the Japanese koi carp brings is proportional to the size of the tattoo.
The color of the fish in the figure is also important: black - overcoming the pain and strong emotions that raised a person to new heights; red - love, power and energy; blue is courage.
Unshakable courage, composure in battle, fearlessness before any fate - these qualities of a samurai warrior are embodied in the Japanese carp (tattoo). The meaning of this symbol is enhanced by the image of water, which symbolizes the course of life. If the carp is swimming against the waves in the picture, this means that a person is ready to overcome all difficulties in his life in order to achieve his goal. A strong character, a desire to survive in spite of everything will help such a person go against the opinions of others.
If the carp floats in the image with the flow, then this symbolizes peace after reaching the cherished goal, awareness of the meaning of life, confidence in swimming along the waves of life.
If a pair of fish is depicted on the tattoo, then this means a happy union, the harmony of the relationship between a man and a woman. In such a tattoo, the color scheme is important: the black carp is the father, bright red is the mother, white or blue is the son, pink is the daughter.
As you can see, a tattoo (Japanese carp) can have different meanings ..
Another dignity of the Japanese carp full of philosophical meaning: it can live for centuries. For more than two hundred years, a hand-to-hand fish — koi carp named Hanako — has lived.