I would like to put a spot light shining down on the pond. Will that affect the fish in any way?

NO

Hi,

Now maybe this will spark a good debate.

I have lights shining on my three of my ponds during the night, but at the 4th pond none.
Since I installed the lights, no spawning took place in the ponds with the light, but only in the one without lights!
My question is this; is it possible to claim that the lights on the ponds during the night influence the spawning of Koi?

No lights! Had a spotlight in my previous pond that was on in the evenings, and found that the fish were spooked a lot more easy and also did not settle in the evening. the were quite aprehensive when feeding, not like the normally would. With the light off it was fine they settled. would not put a light next or close to my pond.....

Although have to share, if you take your koi out and replace them with green or black bass, then you need to have the light on and they feed on the insects.

Pieter J de Villiers wrote:

My question is this; is it possible to claim that the lights on the ponds during the night influence the spawning of Koi?

Interesting thought, and I would say yes, it will affect spawning.

With silkworms, I currently influence their biological clock, manipulating the seasons, by artificially influencing temperature and length of days versus nights with a light. By doing this, I get two batches in a season.

By altering the length of the days versus nights with artificial light, you surely influence the biological clock of the koi?

agree, their whole day / night rythem must be out. Surely that will effect growth etc. If there was advantages would the big koi farms not have lights up then?

I have 3 x 50w small downlighters under my bridge, they shine into the pond below at diffirent angles. So some parts of my koi pond is lit and other areas are dark. I also have 2 japanese lanterns around my pond that gives a relaxing atmosfere for me, they also lit the pond surface slightly.

My koi are not spooked by the lights but also have to say that im not blinding them with a huge spotlight that might upset koi when its suddenly turned on. My koi pond lights are automaticly switched on at 6pm-4am. I adjust the timer as the days get shorter. The lights autmaticly switch on before its dark so i dont think they realise that the lights have been switch on.

I use to have a swimming pool spotlight in my koi pond - underwater. This did spook them a bit and i removed it when i found that the light was the source of leak in my pond.

With the summer heat my koi are much more active in the early mornings or at night than during the day and so i have adjusted their feeding schedule to take advantage of this. I tried to feed during midday but the kois tend to stay at the bottom and they ignore the pellets and they only started to eat again around 5pm. I think this is normal behaviour, fishermen will tell you that you catch more fish early in the morning or just before sunset than what you will during the whole day...and thats because the fish naturally eat at those times....i just extend it a little.

But im sure it will affect the koi...whether it wll impair their growth i dont know, i think it will have quite the opposite affect as they think that their days are longer or maybe even never endng and they will graze more than during the normal cycle. They do go and sleep, I have come out to look at my koi pond at aroung 2am in the morning before while the lights are on and some of the koi do go and sleep in the darker areas. They either float just underneath the surface and others lay on the pond floor.

I also guess it depends on how the koi have been raised. My friend Eugen has a spotlight right above his pond that he switces on manually at night when he wants to see his koi and feed them. His koi is very happy with having the whole pond lit, they hand feed and swims around very normal. When Eugen is done admiring his pond he switches the spot off. His koi have all been bought as tosai so they have become accustomed to it.

ye, I didn't mean I would leave it on all night.
I would just switch it on if I wanted to admire the fish at night and then switch it off again.
I just wondered if the brightness would affect their eyes, but then the sun is bright.

I have 2 lights over my pond that is on 24/7 and it lights up my entire pond.

would that have an effect on my koi?

My koi isnt the tamest of fish perhaps the light have something to do with it?

Thanks

Nardus

I think natural lightning is the best. My mind tells me that putting a light by the pond will mess up there biological clock. Everything needs the right amount of rest during night and winter nights are longer than summers and by lighting up your pond in winter makes me think will scramble this for them. JMO

Maybe i will add a timer and swich the lights off between 12pm and 4am.

nardus

I know some of the show guys put up big lights that shine over the pond to "extend" the days so they can feed more, but are switched off at 22:00 or 23:00, not sure,with their last feeding. As far as I know they don't use it in winter. Maybe Andre le Roux can help us out here.

I think lights for security or viewing should be ok if not too bright...they can scare them if switched suddenly.

I have a light on the one section of my pond which works with my outside lights....it's a spot light that shines directly on.

And at night, if you have crystal clear water, not much looks better!

I switched one light off and will only turn it on when feeding.

The other light doesnt cover the whole pond so there is dark areas in the pond at night.

nardus