Koi Feeding Tips
What do you know about koi feeding? An outdoor water feature, like for instance a pond and waterfall combination, is a great place to take your love of pet fish from an indoor aquarium to the next level. Pet fish like koi make a fantastic addition to water gardens and are a great hobby to keep you occupied and entertained for years to come. Some find that pond fish become as important a pet to them as a cat or a dog, and other people name their pond fish! However you go about keeping your new pets, its important to learn about koi feeding.
To Feed or Not to Feed
When you first bring your new pond fish home, its likely they’ll be a little while they get used to their new environment, and they might not seem that interested in the food you’re giving them. Don’t spend too much time worrying about this, just sprinkle in the food a little bit at a time and take a couple steps back. In a few minutes your koi should seem more interested in the food. Remember that being consistent with koi feeding will help them get used to your visits to the pond.
Everything you put into your pond impacts the ecosystem and is processed by the filter, so its vital to make sure you feed your fish high quality food specifically designed for the fish in your pond. Low quality food can lead to issues with water quality like algae and murky water that will cause poor water conditions.
Koi and pond fish can have treats from time to time, something that can be fun for the whole family. Foods like watermelon, mandarin oranges, and Honey Nut Cheerios are options that will make your fish go crazy. But again, its important to remember that the ecosystem of your pond will have to handle the leftover food that isn’t consumed by your fish, so be mindful of not overfeeding them with little treats.
Its also important to note that not all pond owners practice koi feeding, since many pond ecosystems create enough food and nutrients for fish to eat, but larger fish need more food than smaller ones and might take to your aquatic plants as additional snacks.
Five Minute Rule
Feeding your fish the amount they can eat within five minutes is a good rule to follow with meal times. Feeding your fish adds a bit of fun and further whimsy to having a pond or water feature in your garden!
Choosing the Best Food
Earlier we pointed out the importance of feeding your pond fish high quality food if you’re making the decision to feed them, but according to recent studies that have compared the digestion of protein in pond fish found that fish proteins are the most easily digested by other fish. So, in short, fish eat fish.
Are Plant Proteins Bad?
Plant proteins aren’t automatically a bad thing to feed your pond fish as they provide additional nutrition value like fiber and carbs. When used in tandem with aquaculture proteins, plant proteins are a beneficial additive to your pond fish’s diets, so foods that list fishmeal first and then wheat germ, soybean meal or corn gluten meal means its a perfectly acceptable and nutritious food.
Feed Your Fish the Right Way!
Your pet fish rely on you for proper nutrition and food, so make sure you’re feeding them the best food, feeding them at good times of the day, and giving them fun treats to enjoy, ensure the health of your finned friends and increase your enjoyment of your outdoor water feature. Contact us for more information.
