For a Vibrant and Healthy Koi
The darting colorful koi fighting over the koi fish food is an amusing sight. It is unbelievable how the fish can be such gluttons. But be happy they are as rambunctious as kids at feeding time are because koi fish food keeps the fish healthy and their colors livelier than the rainbow.
The Basics of Your Koi’s Meal
Like your dogs, koi need quality fish food and not just any fish food. They need fish food especially formulated for easy digestion during cold weather and a regular fish diet during warm weather. The fish foods have different ingredients to help enhance koi color, size, breeding, and health.
The quality of the food is not about the price but it is about the freshness of the food pellets; and the fish like a variety of food. They get bored with the same meal every day. There is also a danger that the fish will not get the needed nutrients if you keep feeding them the same fish food. You can add some chopped fresh greens and fruits to their regular meals to add variety to their food. Your koi will love this pampering.
Since they are voracious eaters, they need three meals a day and some snacks in between. When you appear at the regular feeding hours, they will crowd near edge of the pool waiting for you to toss their treats and the riotous scrambling for food begins the moment you toss the food pellets.
Food Treats
Fish pellets and chopped fresh fruits and vegetables should be small enough for them to swallow. Larger pellets will be ignored and that is a waste and a hazard to the health of koi water. Minimize waste by feeding them fish food in medium-sized pellets and give them small servings each meal.
Introduce live food into their diet. The fish will love this treat. Prawns, worms, and cockles will earn you their affection. Each season, there will be different culinary delights for them. Ask a koi expert what to avoid because some live food are not good for koi, such as maggots.
Now do not think you can forget commercially prepared fish koi food because you can feed them live food. This would cause nutritional deficiencies. Live food should be treated as occasional treats such as the Japan imported silkworm pupae, not the staple of the koi’s diet. The silkworm pupae can cause koi disease if given regularly.
More than Just Feeding
Feeding koi is not easy. You have to watch out for the water temperature, take the weather into account, and not the general health condition of the fish. During winter, koi need fish food that is easy to digest like cereal because their digestion slows down during winter. The food is stored in the gut for longer periods, which can be fatal. Avoid feeding them high-protein fish food because this takes long to digest in cold weather.
During summer, high-protein content about 35 to 40 percent in the fishmeal-based koi fish food, will benefit the koi, help them grow and stay healthy. Koi fish food however will vary during the breeding season. If you want to be 100% sure you are feeding your koi right, get expert advice.
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