Koi Feeding
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Koi are omnivorous feeders, they eat both vegetable and animal mater, including insects (such as tadpoles, mosquito
larvar, worm), algae and other miscellaneous food that the environment provides. You will often see koi eating
algae from the sides wall and bottom of your pond.
As the koi doesn't have a stomach (see the digestive system) as such they cannot eat large amounts of food at any one time. This is the reason Koi are constantly browsing, foraging and eating.
Therefore it is important to remember a little and often is the best rule to follow when feeding koi. You should only feed your Koi what they can consume in 5 - 10 minutes as they will always comsume more they could comfortably eat. Over eating can lead to various health issues.
Overfeeding can also lead to an increase in ammonium Compounds / nitrates which if left unchecked could be fatal.
Over time your koi become bolder and tamer as they get use you and their environment you should be able to start to hand feed your koi.
Koi Hand Feeding
- Feed them in the same location every time.
- Drop a small handful of food and stay there to observe.
- Gradually, the Koi will equate you with food. Don't worry if your fish seem to not be paying attention. They know that your hand is in the water and they know that pellets didn't just appeared out of nowhere.
- The bravest or hungriest will start to eat and the rest will follow.
- They must see you when they eat.
- Don't walk away from the pond before they start to eat.
- Put your hands in the water while they eat.
- Withhold food for a day if they won't eat in front of you.
- It is only a matter of time and their friendship will be yours and all of your fish will swimming, jumping and splashing towards you every time you walk by the pond.
These two photos were taken in Singapore early 2005 on the top of Mt Faber at the cable car station. Both of my daughters (aged 5 and 9 at the time) got a lot of enjoyment feeding the koi. We spent nearly an hour feeding, playing and observing the koi and they have continued hand feeding our koi at home.
Hand feeding your Koi can be relaxing, help to break your daily routine and is a pastime that can be enjoyed by all members of the family (as long as children are well supervised).
Your Koi will eat from your hand if you have the patience to earn their friendship and by following the simple steps below you will be rewarded by hand feeding your koi in no time at all.
Feeding Guide
|
Water Temp. (°C.) |
Feeding Frequency |
Food Type |
|---|---|---|
|
Over 30°C. (86°F) |
Feed no more then 2 times daily (no more then 4 times daily for small koi) |
At higher water temperatures koi can lose their appetite. Feed smaller amounts of an easily digested food if your fish are in good condition. Try to reduce the water temperature by providing shelter from direct sunlight. Baby koi are less affected by higher water temperatures and can be fed small amounts more often. |
|
20-30°C (68-86°F) |
Feed 2 to 4 times daily or more in smaller amounts. |
Koi are most active in this temperature range. You can feed as often as you like any of our color enhancing, growth or staple diets. Feeding smaller amounts more often can actually increase weight and girth more rapidly. Always monitor your water quality and the activity level when deciding how much to feed. Always avoid feeding within one hour of sunrise or sunset. |
|
15-20°C (59-68°F) |
Feed 1 to 2 times daily. |
Carefully monitor your pets activity level in this temperature range. As the water temperature drops so does your koi's digestive capacity. Care should be taken to avoid over-feeding and offering food during periods of inactivity. Always feed during the warmest part of the day if your water temperature is not stable. |
|
5-10°C (41-50°F) |
Feed no more than 2 to 3 times weekly. |
When the water temperature is in this range, technically you may stop feeding until spring. If your koi are active and you want you can feed an amount they will consume within a minute or so, but never more. Always try to feed between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. |
|
Below 5°C (41°F) |
Stop Feeding. |
Your koi should be in their hibernation mode now and no feeding is necessary. |
Feeding guide suggestions taken from information supplied by Hikari Koi Food Products.