Koi Care Basics Blog

Koi fish need to need to be cared for on a daily basis, but due to their hardy appetites their owners catch a break as to how, and how often they are fed.

It is important to keep feeding time a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Koi feeding is a very interactive part of the day for the Koi owner.

Koi need a well rounded diet, thus their feedings should include a variety of foods to keep nutrients in balance. Koi fish are omnivores which means they will eat meat as well as plant matter.

The environment and their owner are two sources of food for the Koi fish. Voracious eaters, they eat just about anything that comes their way and fits in their mouths! They eat foliage off of the underwater plants and this should be paid attention to as any plants left unprotected may disappear.

Insects getting into their range are also fair game, including worms, snails and crickets. Koi have also been known to pull themselves partly out of the water to gather up fallen acorns and nibble on the grass.

Owners can offer the Koi fish an assortment of delicacies that will be savored and enjoyed. Watermelon, peas, lettuce and corn can be offered as special treats. Getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals, fat, fiber and protein is important to their quality of life and feeding a special pelleted food will ensure that they receive it. The fish will rise to the surface to feed as the store bought pellets float on the surface of the water.

Feeding time is a good opportunity to check on their health. Check them for injuries, irregularities and see that they have good appetites. A healthy diet helps to enhance the coloration of the fish, making them brilliant and beautiful to watch!

Water temperature can also have an effect on their appetite, with 61-75 degrees Fahrenheit being optimal for them. Koi are most active during the summer months and should be fed a high quality diet during this period.

Feeding is not necessary during the winter months because their digestive sustem shuts down in cold water. When water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit any food left in their stomachs can become rancid. This can cause them to become very sick.

Highly entertaining and gorgeous, the Koi fish is a joy to own. They learn to recognize their feeder and gather round at regular feeding trimes. With patience they can be trained to eat right out of your hand! Never boring to be around, the Koi is a lively creature that will brighten up any backyard pond.

In conclusion, a balanced diet is extremely important, but there can also be plenty of fun and games involved.

Get your FREE 10-part mini-course and learn more about how to take care of Koi at my website KoiCareBasics.com

Alan Deacon

The key to feeding Koi properly is that feeding Koi depends on the season. Actually, to be more specific, feeding Koi depends on the water temperature.

If you are feeding Koi in heated ponds then they can have a regular, year-round diet. Koi kept in heated ponds do not have to adjust to changes in water temperature.

Feeding Koi properly during the summer months encourages growth, helps in tissue maintenance and repair as well as helping lay down fat deposits and providing nutients that the fish can store for use during the winter months.

When water temperatures are between 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit (18-20 degrees Celcius) feeding Koi should incorporate a high protein diet that will promote growth. Conversely, feeding Koi in cooler temperatures involves less protein as it becomes more difficult to digest then. Instead it is excreted into the water, which not only makes feeding Koi more protein a bad feeding plan, but also pollutes the pond water.

You need to assess feeding Koi in the cooler months of fall and spring when Koi appetites are subdued. During this time feeding Koi should involve a change from a high protein feed to a wheat germ based diet that is easier to digest in the cooler temperatures.

Feeding Koi at temperatures below 46-50 degrees Fahrenheit should stop altogether. In these twater temperatures Koi won’t feed at all and will rely on the nutrients that it’s already stored to get it through the winter.

When the weather begins to warm up again and your fish begin seeking out food you can start feeding Koi the wheat germ based diet again. Then begin feeding Koi by gradually mixing in the higher protein summer food as the water warms up.

Amounts for feeding Koi depend on their age and body temperature. Feeding Koi fry is different from feeding Koi adults. When water temperature is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit Koi up to 1 year old eat 5-10% of their body weight, Koi between 1 and 3 years of age consume 5% of their body weight daily and adult Koi (3 years and older) consume 2% of their body weight daily.

A good rule of thumb for feeding Koi is to offer as much food as they will eat within 2-3 minutes at each feeding. When feeding Koi you will notice a big surge of activity at the beginning of each meal, then as they start to get full they will eat more slowly. This is the point at which you should stop feeding Koi.

As far as the frequency of feeding Koi take note that at temperatures of around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celcius) feeding Koi should be planned for 2-3 times per day. Feeding Koi in colder temperatures (50-59 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-15 degrees Celcius) is only required once per day.

As you can see, it is extremely important to note seasons and temperatures when feeding Koi!

If you are looking for an exceptional Koi food enter “Hikari Koi food” in the search box when you follow this link for feeding Koi!

Alan Deacon
You can learn much more at my site…
KoiCareBasics.com