| True fry will do best with abundant zooplankton and infusoria. When supplemental (dry or paste) feed is used to boost the bulk calories, the quality of the dry feed is much less important if the fry are getting all the essential nutrients from natural forage. As fish biomass (density) increases and the contribution of natural productivity decreases, the quality of the dry or paste feed must be increased.
Maybe Bill, the nutritionist, will step up here. However, without knowing what feeds and/or feed ingredients you have at your disposal, it will be hard to suggest a formulation. In general, you may want lower protein and higher carbohydrates than what is used for many other species.
Like you, I suspect most diseases are more likely to erupt if there is poor water quality or poor diet. Carp pox is a virus which a healthy koi can apparently be exposed to without becoming diseased. But, I am not sure if that is the case for koi herpes virus (KHV) and spring viraemia of carp (SVC). You are probably taking precautions to insure that KHV does not enter your facility.
Where are you ranskye?
-steve hopkins |