These are some basic steps you should definitely follow:

1. Do not release new koi into pond immediately upon reaching home after purchases;

2. Float the plastic bag of koi into pond, taking care to wrap bag with wet newspaper during the hot afternoon for at least one hour; (make sure the retailer puts enough CO2 in the bag. Let them know how long your trip will be and add two hours to it.)

3. After one hour of floating, open platic bag and add pond water gradually into plastic bag with koi for about fifteen minutes and release it gently into pond;

4. Abstain from feeding new koi for at least 2 days; (after that, start feeding it medicated food incase of any ailments it might have)

5. Do not introduce new fishes into pond during green water as p.h is generally above 8 degrees, fluctuating up and down;

6. Should new koi be introduced during green water period, extreme care must be taken to acclimate the condition of pond water and those in the plastic bag very slowly and gradually taking at least half an hour for the process.

7. Add salt to into the pond before introducing Koi into the new pond. As nitrification is still in process, this would result in a high level of ammonia in the pond. Adding salt in the pond would convert the ammonia into ammonium , which is far less harmless and toxic. depending on what time of the season you do it,

If your koi does a Jumping Jack koi, that means there is a slim coat issues or it has not acclimated to the water. Put either a foam block on top of the pond or just cover it with a net.

You should find out if the koi has been quarantined. If it has, that is great. But if not, we would be weary of buying it. The best scenario is to quarantine the fish and treat it yourself if you have room. Try to buy fish in the late spring or summer because of their immune system.

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