carp cuisine

[kingkong]

For example, the bighead carp that could wipe out every living creature in the Great Lakes, eats half their weight in plankton every day. The Asian imports grow to 110 lbs. That is one bag of Mazuri Ogata a day per jumbo.
I don't think most people feed near enough. These koi feed voraciously. I have fed my koi 8 times today from daybreak on and they still act hungry. Say I have 30 koi that average 3 lbs., Oh my, that's 45 lbs of food a day. Maybe not quite that much but I am close to 10 lbs today and I am still going to feed more.

[RayJordan]

I have seen the opposite. Most hobbyist overfeed their koi. Amount fed per day is dependent on many variables. Water temp and wheather temp is increasing in spring or dropping in fall, total weight of koi, abililty of pond/filter system to handle heavy feeding without water quality starting to suffer. Age and sex of koi also some into play.

My general reccomendation is to increase amount of food fed from 1/2 to 1% of body weight per day as temps rise from 55 to 65F. 1.5 to 3% as temp rise from 65 to 80F. reduce feedings if temps rise above 80F. As temps drop in the fall feed 4 to 3% from 75F to 70F and then same as in spring. Divide total daily amount fed equally to feed every 4-6 hours. This is assuming that your pond/filter system can process this amount of food. Water quality is more important to maintian than growing too quickly. Also watch baby shape if getting too fat reduce amount fed.

[kingkong]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan I have seen the opposite. Most hobbyist overfeed their koi. Amount fed per day is dependent on many variables. Water temp and wheather temp is increasing in spring or dropping in fall, total weight of koi, abililty of pond/filter system to handle heavy feeding without water quality starting to suffer. Age and sex of koi also some into play. My general reccomendation is to increase amount of food fed from 1/2 to 1% of body weight per day as temps rise from 55 to 65F. 1.5 to 3% as temp rise from 65 to 80F. reduce feedings if temps rise above 80F. As temps drop in the fall feed 4 to 3% from 75F to 70F and then same as in spring. Divide total daily amount fed equally to feed every 4-6 hours. This is assuming that your pond/filter system can process this amount of food. Water quality is more important to maintian than growing too quickly. Also watch baby shape if getting too fat reduce amount fed.

Let say for example one has a monster filter or a open system so no matter how much food is put in, the water chemistry will not suffer. I am reading about grass carp that eat 100% their weight per day. Now Ray, it just doesn't seem possible that 1%-3% of body weight is enough, but let say it is. For my case we are at 100 lbs. of fish x.03 or 3 lbs.of food. So a 40lb. bag of fed at this ratio will last about 13 days, now that sounds good as long as the koi will grow. Thanks Ray-

[dick benbow]

Ray's recommendation is spot on. Like all things in nature there is a time and place to get things done according to the seasons

[Regenmeneer]

Ray,

on Ni you showed us the feeding regime Maruyama quoted for sansai or older female (not tategoi). But I would be very interested to know a/his feeding regime for other situations, like tategoi, males, younger koi and if in mudponds or hobbyist ponds.

Regenmeneer

[sharpey999]

I go to a place in the uk and fish for Japanese Blue carp which are between 90-105lb each. The amounts of bait we use can be seen clearly in certain areas of the lake and they will clear 10kg of 40% protein bait easily in a day.

Air pressure and water and air temperature have a massive impact in the way (confidence) and amount the feed. I would like to think that this is in some way similar to captive kept koi. If all things are right could we possibly feed up to 20% body weight a day?

[kingkong]

Quote: Originally Posted by sharpey999 I go to a place in the uk and fish for Japanese Blue carp which are between 90-105lb each. The amounts of bait we use can be seen clearly in certain areas of the lake and they will clear 10kg of 40% protein bait easily in a day. Air pressure and water and air temperature have a massive impact in the way (confidence) and amount the feed. I would like to think that this is in some way similar to captive kept koi. If all things are right could we possibly feed up to 20% body weight a day?

Do I understand that one blue carp eats 10 kg (22 lbs.) of bait daily, or the entire population in the lake gets fed 10kg daily?
I think that if our tanks were big enough for proper koi exercise, and filters were big enough to hold water steady, one could possibly feed 20% body weight.
I am going to try 10 % bw feeding due to the fact my captive koi seem to have hit a wall in size development. Air temp has been in the 80's F. The demand feeder also makes allot of sense. 100 lb blue carp...that is huge, be careful Sharpey! Do you tie a rope around your waste and attach it to a tree when you go for the big ones?

[ChrisC]

For those of you who calculate as Ray suggests, how do you determine the body weight of your koi? I would assume that you decide how long they are, then use a chart to determine possible weight, right? But there are 24" koi and then there are 24" KOI. Curious.....

When I went to Sakai Fish Farm this year, they had the combined weight of the koi written on paperwork on their automated feeders--clearly using a system.

[kingkong]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChrisC For those of you who calculate as Ray suggests, how do you determine the body weight of your koi? I would assume that you decide how long they are, then use a chart to determine possible weight, right? But there are 24" koi and then there are 24" KOI. Curious..... When I went to Sakai Fish Farm this year, they had the combined weight of the koi written on paperwork on their automated feeders--clearly using a system.

I have no exact way. As a matter of fact I use the comparison method. I can still see that 4 lb. bass I cought like it was yesterday.
So say 18 to 19 inches 3 lbs
20 to 22 inches 4.5 lbs.
In order to be measure food weight intake apples to apples using natural food intake such as plants or plankton, the dry pellets should be hydrated with water for a more acurate comparison. I am going to measure one cup dry and one hydrated to see the absorption weight amount.

[RayJordan]

I'll try to answer some of these questions about feeding koi. Weight of food is based on dry weight of koi pellets. If you think about it the amount of nutrition in a pound of koi pellets is many many times greater than a pound of "natural food".

% of body weight is estimated using a lenght chart. If anyone wants a copy of my chart just email me it is in a excel file and you insert lenght and it calculates the weight. I would add or subtract a bit to compensate for heavier or lighter than average koi. In reality you fine tune the amount feed based on water quality and targeted koi development. For example, if you best koi is getting to fat or not growing enough I would sugest you adjust your feeding for that koi with the most potential.

Yes Futo reccomended different foods/feeding regemines for different koi ages/sexes and mud pond vs hobbyist pond.

Baby koi get a much higher protein pellet (50-60%) until harvested the first fall.

Koi do much better if seperated by sex and age until 4 years or older then only seperated by sex.

While in mud ponds feed both sinking and floating pellets. Because of very low stocking rates can usually feed at higher rates than in hobbyist ponds. Weather is also a significant factor when feeding in a mud pond. Days with heavy rain or bad weather koi are not fed. Water quality and koi condition are carefully monitored in mud ponds and feedings the same as in hobbyist ponds.

I can't help you with specifics of feeding tategoi. When asked these questions just told that it is secret. I do know they are not fed and color enhansers and are not grown as rapidily but grown for maximum development. Also some natural foods are added vs just feeing pellets.