Koi-Food

[Mike Snaden]

Hi Mark,

No, I don't feel it will harm the Koi in any way... far from it. But, with perhaps a Koi of 50cm, it would be very easy to make the Koi very obese. I also feel that some Koi actually prefer to pig-out on the tofu and pumpkin in preference to the pellet food offered. One or two Koi at Momotaro seem to virtually live in close proximity to the tofu/pumpkin, and as a result seem to suffer a little with discoloured white ground. A customer of mine bought an 85cm Kohaku which should have gone to this years BKKS National. Unfortuantely, this Koi scratched it's face, so we didn't take it. This Koi was always to be seen up on the feeding shelf of the 1500 ton pond, eating more pumpkin and tofu than any other Koi in the pond. This Koi had staining to the skin, that took all Summer to clear up. It also took a few months for the Koi to get accustomed to feeding from the surface in the UK! Every time food went in, the Koi would go straight to the bottom, and start grubbing around!

Mike.

[markgardner]

I think, in reality it's a case of everything in moderation. Variety, including natural foods gives the chance for the koi to get something of benefit which may be missing from a standard pelleted diet.

Ref that Kohaku, yes, i've video footage of it feeding on 'the shelf'!

Mark

[bil]

Personally I think not. Too much squash and sweetpotato especially is probably not good, but better feeding squash and prawns/shrimp than pellets IMO.

[crazy kujyaku]

Mike provided a fascinating insight into the feeding behaviour of the different sizes of koi. I think, myself included, alot of hobbyist overlook this fact so easily.

My question is, in Momotaro's 1500 ton pond, what are the size variance? And if the large koi take as much as 1 hour to graze, would not the pellet food be completely leached of its nutrients?

Basically, my question is: what is the best feeding method for large koi that take their time in eating?

Thanks.

BTW, Mike, are you the guy that i met last autumn hanging around in shintaro's and gontaro's?

[Arthur]

Feeding koi the best is a very tricky business :-(

As was posted by others before, koi at different stages need different nutrition regimes. Tosai in large settings will eat high protein food 6-8 times a day without harm, to the contrary, they will strive and grow.

Nisai in the warmer months will happily eat 3-4 servings a day of high (but lesser level than tosai) protein without building any conformation issue.

Three years and older are much different in their feeding habits: they eat more slowly and need LESS proteins.

This said, ALL koi (having much longer gut that wild carp) need some fiber. In Spring/Fall, I give them a supplement of vegies (Romaine lettuce, broccoli, oranges, etc.) and in Summer I give them water mellon and the likes.

One should not generalize food needs of all kois at all ages: their needs are VERY different. That is why, as was already said, serious breeders/koi keepers, keep the different age kois in separate ponds.

[Bob Hart]

Just a though for a normal hobbist with mixed sizes of Koi, based upon what you've said Mike.

Feed with pellets and after 10-minutes when the Tosai are filling/full up, put in some Pumpkin/Tofu etc for the larger Koi to then graze upon and allow a longer feed? Rather than just put the Tofu/Pumpkin in as a substitute feed in stead of pellets.

[Mike Snaden]

As Mark has said, feeding a variety of food will mean that where one food lacks, another may supplement.

Feeding the pumpkin in moderation, as a treat, is I think an ideal. But I wouldn't do this with a pond of smaller Koi.

I would be nice to think that putting pumpkin in the pond after pellets would help, but the trouble is, that small Koi will fill themselves to the brim with food. After 10 minutes were elapsed, the small Koi would then be ready to try and sqeeze in the pumpkin mix!

Tosai of around 10cm are a prime example of how much small Koi can eat. They can be relatively slim before a feed, but like rugby balls immediately after a feed. An hour later, the shape will be pretty much back to normal. If these Koi were allowed 'all you can eat', they would ruin themselves!

Mike.

[markgardner]

So for all those people that managed to squeeze in 'just one more mince pie' over the Christmas period consider yourself the a tosai!!

[Mike Snaden]

How can I be a Tosai???... my body shape doesn't slim back down an hour after feeding!!!

[markgardner]

Mike

That's just to do with poor body shape to start with

Mark