Visually there is no discernible difference between the two brands of Koi food that I have used. Koi, like goldfish, were bred for ornamental ponds to have bright, attractive colour patterns. They are actually hybrids with Asian carp and, like Ghost Koi, are not considered true Nishikigoi. Koi can be kept in both tanks or ponds, but they are best kept in ponds.

Japanese Koi carp are specifically bred for both colour and form. This just goes to show how polluting Koi food is and how even if the water looks clear it may not be suitable for Koi to live in.

A good quality of dry Koi fish food can be the base of the diet; then you can add insects, meal worms, earth worms, small pieces of freshwater fish. Koi and tattoos of Koi are traditionally considered lucky. Koi Carp magazine is the magazine for Koi hobbyists the world over. I have a big pond in the back yard with hundreds of goldfish and Koi. Breeding directly inside the pond will make the most of eggs and fry end up eaten by adult Koi.

Koi Food

Koi feed most actively at temperatures in excess of 15c(59F), thus sexually immature fish can grow rapidly during the summer months when the temperature is warmer. Complete and balanced Pond Fish Food that contains all the essential vitamins and minerals! Once Koi are mature, their growth rate slows considerably; in sexually mature fish, most of the food eaten is utilized in producing eggs or sperm in preparation for breeding. The Koi Kupcakes reduce the chance of overfeeding as the fish must energetically push the bobbing Kupcake around the pond in order to eat it.

Nozomi Koi food is manufactured under stringent quality control measures, emphasizing nutrition and natural immune system enhancers. The feeding pattern, and thus the growth rate, of Koi depends on many factors, such as water temperature, water quality, stocking density and genetic background. If a Koi has continued to feed during winter its rings will not be clearly defined and it will therefore be difficult to age. T

he vivid oranges, reds and whites of Koi and Goldfish are the result of a complete, balanced diet. Water temperature a very important in Koi keeping, as it determines the feeding schedule best suited for the fish.

Koi Pond Pumps

A Koi pond is an enclosed, re-circulating, freshwater system for keeping Koi (Japanese fancy carp). Pump head or total dynamic head is the most misunderstood topic among fish pond or Koi ponds owners.

In order to pick out the correct pond pump for your fish pond or Koi ponds there are 5 steps you need to go through. If it is a larger fish pond or Koi pond you may want to turn it over only once every 2 hours. One of the reasons swimming pool filter systems do not work very well on Koi ponds is that they are designed for mechanical and chemical filtration of water.

Koi Carp Information

Koi are an omnivorous fish and will often eat a wide variety of foods, including peas, lettuce, and watermelon. Koi and tattoos of Koi are traditionally considered lucky. The hobby of keeping Koi spread worldwide after plastic bags and shipping of Koi became both fast and safe for the fish.

• Koi
• Large Goldfish
• Oscars
• Catfish
• Any large fish!

Product Description
Bulk Floating Pellet Fishfood for Ponds, Koi and Lg. Cichlids This great bulk fish food is perfect for: * Koi * Large Goldfish * Oscars * Arowana * Pacu * Catfish * Any large fish! Pellet size is approximatley 1/4". Perfect for fingerlings yet still fine for the largest fish you will feed. 99.5% of the food will float. Will not cloud the water! Your fish will LOVE this food, but feed only what they will consume in 10 minutes. Feed twice a day. Fish wil… More >>

KOI FOOD – 10 Lb. 32% 1/4 Floating Bulk Koi Food

• Nutritious diet for all cold water fish
• Contains multi-vitamins and stabilized vitamin C
• Will not cloud water
• Extremely palatable
• 5+ year shelf life

Product Description
Laguna All Season Goldfish & Koi Food, Medium Floating Pellet, 7 oz… More >> Laguna All Season Goldfish & Koi Food, Medium Floating Pellet, 7 oz

• Crude protein (min) 38% Crude fat (min) 5% Crude fiber (max) 4% Moisture (max) 10% Ash (max) 10%

Product Description
Winter is always just around the corner. Help your pond fish adjust to the cooling temperatures with specially formulated Wheat Germ Stix from Chengro. Containing less protein and more carbohydrates, Wheat Germ Stix are easily digested in temperatures 65 degrees and lower. The all-natural and healthy choice for the long winter ahead…. More >>

Wheat Germ Stix with Probiotics – Floating – 5 lb.

Investigate any raised scales and release the pressure causing them. These things need to be done under anesthesia and a properly equipped treatment box will be invaluable at these times. Brushes make excellent solid separators, as well as biological media. They are available in a range of sizes to suit the filter.

Koi pellets may also be formulated to include a number of additives to improve or enhance various aspects, such as color and disease resistance. Koi enjoy brown bread. Break it up or throw a whole slice onto the pond surface. The fish will suck it and tear pieces from it. Fresh, frozen or tinned peas make another interesting summer treat. Cook them before use.

Koi will play with a whole lettuce thrown onto the water surface as they chase it around the pond. Like peas, sweet corn sinks to the bottom. As the fish feed head down and tail up, you can observe them from a different angle. Fish food is also processed in the form of floating koi sticks. These are staple diet or pale and high protein darker sticks.

Bentonite Clay

The Japanese have spent many years developing the different breeds by careful selection and also developing their own formulas of food for the best growth, color, and health. The best koi in the world are grown in mud ponds in the fertile valleys of Niigata in Japan. The reason for this is because of the minerals present in the clay of these mud ponds that ad to the color and health of the koi. Dainichi is the only koi food that incorporates bentonite clay in their koi foods. Bentonite clay contains over 60 minerals and trace elements that aid in enhancing digestion and growth, as well as neutralizing metabolic toxins. Koi that have a poor diet will show up in the whites looking dingy, especially in the face where it will look more yellow than in the rest of the koi. You can also add bentonite clay directly to the pond water to help stabilize the water ph. Koi will ingest significant quantities of silt and other indigestible detritus from their natural environment which will act to bulk out the diet. Having gravel in the bottom of your pond gives a place for this silt and detritus to build up without having the turbid water that you would in a mud pond. It will also harbor worms and small crustaceans that the koi will feed on. Water lilies can be taken out of the pots and planted directly in the gravel adding to the ecosystem of the pond.

High Protein

The metabolism of koi reaches a peak at water temperatures of 75° F. During this time it is essential that they receive a high protein diet to aid in growth and color. They also need to be fed at least twice a day, three times is better. Koi do not have stomachs, and when their metabolism is high they forage constantly. Fish meal and krill for color are protein ingredients to look for in a high quality koi food.

Koi Eat Plants

There are a lot of people that will tell you not to put Japanese koi and plants together. Pet stores and internet articles suggest that koi will destroy any plants you put in your pond. Koi are omnivorous and need vegetable matter in their diet. A high quality koi food will contain spirulina algae which also enhances color. Since koi forage constantly it is good to grow a plant in your pond that will keep up with the appetite of the koi. Watercress is an excellent plant food source for koi. Watercress contains significant amounts of iron, calcium and folic acid, in addition to vitamins A and C, and koi love it. It is best to plant on a shallow ledge with rocks around it to keep the koi from pulling up the roots. You can buy it in the produce section of your grocery store. Just stick it in some shallow water in gravel and it will grow.

Different Foods for the Seasons

During the cooler seasons of spring and fall it is best to feed a food that is higher in vegetable matter, lower in protein, and easy to digest. In the summer months, when the water temperature is above 70° F switch to a higher protein formula. When the water temperature is above 70° F it takes about 16 hours for the food to move completely through a koi digestive tract. At 50° F it can take up to 60 hours and food intake is much less. Only feed the koi as much as they will eat within a few minutes. It is much better to feed 3 times a day in the summer months. At 50° – 55° feed 2 – 3 times a week. When the water temperature goes below 50° F do not feed the koi at all. If the food is not digested due to the low metabolism it can rot in the gut of the koi and cause death.

Cost Versus Quality

If you consider the cost of a high quality food versus the “cheap” foods, there is not that much difference. Keeping healthy koi using a high quality food means fewer outbreaks of disease and lower mortality rates. You are not spending money replacing koi or treating for disease with medications due to poor health because of a poor diet. You also have to go by weight and not just the physical size of the bag. Cheaper foods tend to be more airy while the premium foods tend to be more dense, so it looks like you are getting more food than you actually are with the cheap food. Many times, if compared by weight, the price is pretty close. In the long run it may actually be cheaper to buy the premium food. You will definitely notice the difference in the color, growth, and overall health of the koi over just a short time.

For more infromation visit KoiPondFever.com