Optimum color enhancing food/ additive

[Mike Mazur]

As we enter into the longer days towards spring in the N. hemisphere it is time for me as others to think of the upcoming growing season. What good is growth without color? I have looked far and wide at all the items out there and have found info on a new item (to me) and was wondering if anyone knew of it/ used it/ or had usefull info on it. I am not plugging a product but trying to find out what is known and or trying to help out the fellow hobyist looking for the same results. The product is called Naturose and is a dried algae product made in Hawaii. It is expensive but from what they say a little goes a long, long way. It is the type of purchase a local society would make and then divy up as it comes in a one KG size which can treat up to 500 lbs of dry weight Koi food. the material is 1.5% Astaxanthin by weight. The same material found in spirullina however much more concentrated. It is a powder which can be sprinkled onto dampened pellet food or mixed with a cool mix paste. Heat is an enmy and should be avoided. Any stories or further interest are welcome. 75 days till spring!

[aldonna]

HI Mike! Haven't heard of Naturose for coloration but if you want to send me to Hawaii to check it out for you I'll revamp my frozen schedule so's I can go. How's that for cooperation and dedication to the cause!
I think in St.Erne's new med book he states that Marigold leaves have the highest concentration of colorants for red/yellow. I think it was astaxanthin. I'd check but I loaned my book to a buddy I helped get addicted to koi and I kinda feel a tad guilty about callin' for it back so soon. :smt019 SO it would seem that what we want to color would dictate the feed.
I went to a healthfood store and after he quit chuckling the owner said he could get it for me @ $14 per pound!?? A natural product as little processed as possible would seem the best way to go.
Don't forget my sacraficial offer! If ya need me pal, I'll go there for ya!!

[Mike Mazur]

http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1....goodnight all

[dick benbow]

Hi Mike,
If this product is anything like spirulina, you have to be careful about shelf life! most spirulina comes from mexico and at best lives for 6 months on the shelf. then depending on the process of adding to the food, more can be lost. end result is your paying top dollar for something your not receiving.
One of my hero's is Toshio Sakai. he has said many times in his improptu seminars that he doesn't feed color food to his tategoi for as long as 4 years as it affects the way the Final Color will turn out.
In my opinion, i think the color is put into the koi by the parents and skill of the breeder and it's your job as a keeper to provide quality water to allow it to naturally develop.
one dominant thing i have learned in koi keeping regarding color and pattern is the longer it takes for something to arrive the longer it stays there. I tend to be skeptical of quick fixes. i do know that color on a koi is like a fine oil painting. the end color from the artists pallet is based on the base color first applied. for go sanke and many other popular koi that color would be white. what's your thoughts ( or the thoughts of others) on putting more emphasis on feeding foods touted to improve the shiro (white)?

[Mike Mazur]

To improve the white is also of great concern for this is the pallete that the red rides upon ... I need that too as it is very hard for me to catch my fish in their large living quarters to place them into blue bowls to look at. I need the white to make them stand out! So yes white is equallly important.

[aldonna]

HI guys! I always just kept my dominant white gosankes and platinum based group out of direct long term sunlight. THEN I discovered CALCIUM montmorillonite (Bentonite in this area). There is SODIUM mont as well. Definitely not as good. The C-mont works great!!
Al