Koi and plants have been getting along fine for thousands of years.
Koi's that are overstocked in a tiny space and sadly lacking in decent
meals will turn on plants when desperate. As a matter of routine, koi
like munching on plant roots and anything else they can fit in their
mouths...

With koi growth rates as much as 2ft in two years, sooner or later
they will outgrow many preform tub sized ponds, it might take a well
planted area 10'x10' to keep them occupied with plants growing as fast
as the koi nibbles them.

There are many plants which have koi proof roots. cattails, carex,
iris, nuphars are but a few varieties of aquatic plant that can cope
with the worst fish grazing. Creating cordoned areas within a pond can
create a 'nursery' area for small starts of plants

Some like nymphaeas, the water lilies have brittle feeder roots,
which, guess what, are sold with weave baskets often, (to make an
extra buck) knowing full well your kois will destroy the roots and you
will be back for another water lily (kerchung)

If you plant water lilies in solid sided containers (a.k.a. buckets)
the koi can't get at the brittle feeder roots, they do grow fine in
koi pools, unless the lily is way small and delicate. There are
several 'vigorous' water lilies that can cope with koi, no problem.
Gladstonia, Attraction, alba, AJ Welch, etc spring to mind

All in all, a careful selection of aquatic plants will do more for
your water quality and koi than any of the way pricey filters and
sterilisers ....a lot less bother....

Its not a bad idea to grow plants on, away from the koi pool, in say,
large water butts, so when they have established roots and growth,
they are strong enough to cope with aggresive fish....

Nicer to look at, too...

andy

http://www.members.aol.com/abdavisnc/swglist.html
(andys aquatic plant list for interesting swaps)
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"LYNN FORRES" wrote in message ...
the local experts
tell us that you never put plants in with koi because they tear them up and
make a mess.