Winter Fasting

[Gallagher]

I'm looking for information on feeding habits and winter fasting.
It seems that a number of people who fast their koi notice that the koi continue to graze on the availible algea when they withhold food.

Questions: How do you determine the right temp for a fast?
Do you gradually reduce the amount feed or is it the frequency?

The basis of these questionsrelate to my observations.
My Koi have been inside 'some' for almost 4 yrs. ( it's that thing about wanting to build the final Koi pond outside, and the more I read, not only do I find out how much I don't know but also how much more costly it becomes. Hence no out door pond to date. Maybe this summer!
But I digress.
The temp in my indoor pond has slowly dropped to 58'f or 15'c over the last 3 months. Hey, it gets cold early here in Minnesota. anyway the fish have shown no signs that they do not want to eat!! They will beg for food when ever I'm around.
The question is, since my pond doesn't have algea for them to graze on, how do you know when to stop feeding?
Let's say you use the 5 min rule (what ever they don't eat in 5 min is removed) they do eat less at this temp then at 70, however they will want to eat again in a half hour. in fact I see no difference in the frequency in which they will take food, though the amount consumed in 5 min is less.
Any thoughts?

Jim

[adreamer2]

Well, you let that temperature drop to about 38 or 40.... They will only roll their eyes at you.....

They will feed until the temps drop to 50... You should stop feeding below that.... They will still eat... But, if it gets chilly, and I mean cold chilly, they wont eat at all... You wont even see them... They will huddle in a pile next to each other at the bottom of your pond....

[Gallagher]

Thanks dreamer, but the chances of my basement pond going to 40 is slim to none. I think that temp is way too cold and damaging to the kois health. what I really want to know is what temp do you start a controlled fast at. These fish will never see a MN winter under the ice and never huddle in the corner, that's just inhumane. Believe me I seen it and know first hand what it can do to a koi.
please don't get the impression that this that same old winter feeding question that comes around these boards every yr. What I would like to know is, are the health benifits of a winter fast dependent on w/holding food or w/holding food and low temps together.
If these two go hand and hand, what is the maxinum mininum temp this could be accomplished at, and for what length of time?
Maybe it is only w/holding food, many do this 3 or more wks prior to a show this cleans up the skin and brightens the colors.

Jim

[adreamer2]

Hi JimG...


I am not going to pretend I'm an expert... This learning about koi is all new to me, to tell you the truth....

Exactly what are you hoping to attain by fasting your koi?.... Is it for the purpose of inducing a breeding method, or to cause the koi to spurt in growth at a latter cycle...???

Here is a thread from Koi-Bito from last year that might help.....

Koi Bitto #8- The 80cm Quest: Part II

[MikeM]

I defer to those with real winter experience. I think you will find that those who can control their temperatures prefer a winter low in the 50F to 55F range for a full 6 weeks or longer.

In Florida fasting is a big deal because we are doing it when water temps are above 60F... no choice.

[adreamer2]

Well, thanks, Mike.... Even I can appreciate your modesty.... I now consider myself deferred....