Barbels, Teeth, Stomach and Stuff You Thought You Knew about Koi

Here’s a Pop Quiz:

1.  What are koi barbels?

Well, if you do not know what ‘barbels’ mean, it’s ok.  Many people wouldn’t know either.

Most people just call ‘em ‘whiskers’, for want of a better word.  I’m referring to the long protrusions at the top of a koi’s mouth.

Koi Barbels

Actually, the koi has 2 pairs of barbels, the top pair being more prominent than the bottom one.  Barbels are actually tactile organs that contain taste buds and are used by the koi to sense food especially in murky waters or under the sand.

2.  Do koi have teeth?  How about a stomach?

It may surprise you, but koi do NOT have teeth or a stomach.

How do they digest their food, then?

Well, when the koi eat, their food actually goes through the mouth and are crushed by bony projections in their gills before passing through the esophagus into the intestines.  The koi’s intestines are very long and that’s where the food is completely digested.