I think it important to distinguish between feeding a balanced, quality diet to allow pigments to develop to their potential, and the feeding of color enhancing foods to create saturated pigment cells "ahead of their time". A poor diet will result in poor color, so to an extent all who feed a proper, well-rounded diet are enhancing the color. But, this is quite different from feeding foods with a high proportion of such ingredients as spirulina, shrimp/krill, peppers, carrot, spinach, etc. and the chemical carotenoids/xanthanylls(sp?), which will intensify colors before their normal maturity. [Either is far different than the use of hormones and the like, and I'll not even go there!]
You can generate a debate as to whether the heavy use of color-enhancing foods will permanently damage the color cells in a koi's skin. Some will say that it will, particularly in young fish or if used during periods of slow growth. Some will say a quality fish in periods of growth are not harmed one bit. Some will say that they've used color foods "forever and all the time" with no ill effect. Some look at a color-enhanced fish and say "it looks great" and another experienced eye will say "it's too colored-up". So, the comments need to be weighed carefully to reach a conclusion.
It is common practice for poor quality tosai to be "colored up" for sale. These highly colorful, inexpensive 6" fish will grab a lot of attention they would otherwise never get. It sells fish. I think some of the bad rap on color foods is that such tosai fail and fade. A color-enhanced purple Hi is incredibly beautiful!...but it will fade to nothing in a period of months. But, don't necessarily blame food or chemicals. It would have faded regardless. However, just because a conclusion was reached for the wrong reason does not mean the conclusion was wrong. Enough highly experienced koikeepers have had negative experiences over the years to cause color foods to be used with caution. Even if color cells are not damaged by "over use", it is certain that the whites become yellowed, and blushes of secondary Hi can arise to ruin a fish, or blotches of orange will appear on what had been a pure yellow Ogon. Perhaps these would have eventually appeared any way, but it makes a big difference whether the discolorations are on a three year-old or a twelve year-old.
If fed a mix of wheat and fishmeal-based pellets intended for koi, and in a pond where algae is available for grazing, your koi are going to have the color nature intended. Toss in an occasional earthworm and such and they'll thrive. The best way to get the best color is simply to have healthy, active fish. Adding some "color food pellets" on occasion is not likely to do harm, but the more that is used, the more the risk of unsightly discolorations. During periods of high growth, the risk is less.
...BTW, that's a jumble of facts, thoughts and opinion. Have fun sorting out which is what.
09-01-2006
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