The koi pond is really coming alive as we head deeper into spring. Other than the ramshorns I added a few weeks back, there have been no new additions to the pond. The koi themselves, though, are way more active, and Dr. Wife and I both the think the water is clearing up slightly thanks to the Japanese Trapdoor Snails and some recent top-ups with fresh water. At any rate, we can see maybe an inch deeper than we could before, and it helps that the koi are coming closer to the surface more frequently.

As the weather warmed up earlier this year, the koi would splash up only when I tossed food into the water. The most intrepid of them, Sunny, would occasionally pop up when he heard my approach, my feet treading on the gravel as I shook the bag of koi food.

Now, I’ll frequently catch multiple koi skimming the surface even outside of feeding times. When I do get home in the evenings and bring out the feed, they are excited. They’ll start swimming over each other to get at the good stuff, and some will even swim to the edge of the pond and start flapping their big fish lips at me.

It’s really satisfying to see the pond coming to life. With the water getting a bit clearer, we’ve been able to make out more details on the fish. We’re also able to spot them swimming more easily.

That goes for the rosy red minnows, too. There are a few that have gotten long and—I particularly love this—a little fat. That means they’re getting plenty to eat. I have contemplated getting them some fish flakes, as the koi feed, which comes in little hard balls, is too big for them to fit into their mouths (although they try). Apparently, though, they’re shaving enough nutrients off the koi feed and doing enough feeding on algae and biofilm that they’re getting chunky—“thicc” with two “Cs” as the kids say.

While feeding the fish after church on Sunday, our beloved Sunny failed to make an appearance. Dr. Wife grew mildly concerned, as Sunny is usually the biggest bigback in the pond. He loves to eat, and other than Cobbler is the most active fish. That our big, bright koi boy wasn’t making an appearance caused some consternation. I checked the filter, which was fortunately free of a large, yellow koi. Dr. Wife wondered if a bird might have plucked Sunny up, which does happen to koi, unfortunately. I told her I would keep my eyes peeled.

I went out later that evening and did a second feeding. Sunny did not immediately come up—and when I say “immediately,” I mean he is usually surfacing within a mere second of the food hitting the pond’s surface. But after about five seconds, there he was—our golden boy, chowing down with the other koi.

I keep calling Sunny a “he.” I have no idea if Sunny is a boy or a girl. There is a way to sex them, but I’m not particularly keen on the idea of examining fish genitalia. Sunny does have some masculine traits, though, and it’s interesting that even fish have personalities. He is clearly the “alpha” fish (I don’t know if koi establish such hierarchies, but Sunny is definitely the king of the pond). He doesn’t bully the other fish, but he does not hesitate to get his meals. He is a gentle giant, ruling his domain with a genteel girth. Yours portly approves.

We’ve enjoyed some cool evenings, which makes sitting outside with the koi after work a joy. In a few weeks the heat will hit and stay until Thanksgiving (gulp!), and even sitting still will result in reams of sweaty misery. But right now, conditions are perfect. One evening, in the late afternoon, I caught the golden rays of golden hour casting beautiful reflections on the Japanese elm/maple (I’m still not sure which it is) next to the pond.

What a peaceful repose! The koi pond was an unexpected but lovely surprise with our home. It has brought me endless joy, and I love how delighted Dr. Wife gets every time she feeds the koi. She has such a beautiful heart for animals.

God Is Good!