With winter coming who has changed their Koi's diet or stopped feeding?

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by Chris Neaves Good evening, I am curious - why do you change the food in winter? why wheat germ? Regards, Chris

Koi can digest lower protein food in colder temps better, the fish are less active and plus it is best to start to get the fish use to feeding on lower protein food before the temps get really cold. You dont have to feed wheatgrem, you can feed lower protein food as long as it is less than 35%. Unless your system has a heater then you dont have to worry about changing the food.

[keokoi]

My pond this season never really got out of the 50's. I think I was in the 60's for a month. The growing season was not kind to me but the koi seemed to maintain the quality a bit better this season with the cooler water. Feeding pretty much stayed with vegetable matter. I never got to feed my Hi Silk at all. I will remain feeding Vegetable matter with low proteins.

Santa Cruz is good for surf and bikinis but bad for koi growing. KLiving near the ocean has its plus's and Minus's

Joe

[Chris Neaves]

Good evening to all,
The questions were asked about changing diet in winter and why to wheat germ .... this interests me.

I have one more question - how much carbohydrate do you guys (and girls) think is good for koi - for that matter how much carbohydrate should be in a koi pellet?

I am just asking to get a feel of koi enthusiasts concepts of koi nutrition and why ....

This is a very interesting subject that seems to be full of myths ...

Kind regards,
Chris

[Chris Neaves]

Hi Jagger,

You have a very cool picture below your name - where did you get it? Do you have a high resolution picture of it?

It would make a great wallpaper on computers.

Regards,
Chris

[Bob Winkler]

Quote: Originally Posted by Chris Neaves Good evening, I am curious - why do you change the food in winter? why wheat germ? Regards, Chris Good evening to all, The questions were asked about changing diet in winter and why to wheat germ .... this interests me. I have one more question - how much carbohydrate do you guys (and girls) think is good for koi - for that matter how much carbohydrate should be in a koi pellet? I am just asking to get a feel of koi enthusiasts concepts of koi nutrition and why .... This is a very interesting subject that seems to be full of myths ... Kind regards, Chris

Hi Chris,

Such naive and simple sounding questions from a very learned source... Almost seems like a trap. I agree that there are many myths in koi nutrition, but thank you for pointing out your goal in asking the questions as innocently as you did.

I look forward with much anticipation, your information on this subject, and have thoroughly enjoyed your koi knowledge from past posts. I have incorporated a fair bit of it in my own koi keeping philosophies. I believe some "newcomers" and "latecomers" may not be as aware of the depth of your koi knowledge as they might be, but soon will be.

[PapaBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Winkler Hi Chris, Such naive and simple sounding questions from a very learned source... Almost seems like a trap. I agree that there are many myths in koi nutrition, but thank you for pointing out your goal in asking the questions as innocently as you did. I look forward with much anticipation, your information on this subject, and have thoroughly enjoyed your koi knowledge from past posts. I have incorporated a fair bit of it in my own koi keeping philosophies. I believe some "newcomers" and "latecomers" may not be as aware of the depth of your koi knowledge as they might be, but soon will be.

I was curious about why he might be asking that as well . Sly fox he is .

In more direct response to the question at hand, I do cut down on protien content and feed quantity as the water cools. If I see them munching contentedly on carpet algae, I consider it warm enough to feed them in moderation. If they aren't munching on it, I don't push food on them just to have my filter suck it up. We've had several light frosts over the past few weeks and last night it got down into the high 20's. Today they aren't munching, so I'm not feeding.

[BobinCA]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Winkler Hi Chris, Such naive and simple sounding questions from a very learned source... Almost seems like a trap. I agree that there are many myths in koi nutrition, but thank you for pointing out your goal in asking the questions as innocently as you did. I look forward with much anticipation, your information on this subject, and have thoroughly enjoyed your koi knowledge from past posts. I have incorporated a fair bit of it in my own koi keeping philosophies. I believe some "newcomers" and "latecomers" may not be as aware of the depth of your koi knowledge as they might be, but soon will be.

I too await Chris's responses to the observations made on this post. I am well aware of his vast knowledge in the area of Koi nutrition. Rather than a trap, I think we are going to learn about some "koi myths" that maybe we have taken for fact?

Bob A

[RayJordan]

I consider Chris to be one of the few/true experts on koi nutrition. I look forward to his comments.

[MikeM]

Well, Chris, everyone's waiting for you, but hesitating to volunteer. I guess I move to wheatgerm for two reasons. First, following the crowd that says it is more digestible. (I've doubts about that.) Second, it is the one sinking pellet I can obtain that is lower in protein (but not really low!). I recall Bil posting on NI some interesting thoughts that "the crowd" has it wrong... that what we should be doing is feeding protein without carbs and really watching the lipids during winter. As I recall, he suggested moving to a diet of just prawns and whatever algae can be grazed during winter, feeding only what is eaten. Right after that I tried little "cocktail shrimp" left over from a holiday event (no sauce ). The koi did not care for them. They preferred the sinking wheatgerm pellets. So.... I didn't try to force them to accept an unfamiliar food.

Does that give you a jumping off point?

[Bob Winkler]

Quote: Originally Posted by BobinCA I too await Chris's responses to the observations made on this post. I am well aware of his vast knowledge in the area of Koi nutrition. Rather than a trap, I think we are going to learn about some "koi myths" that maybe we have taken for fact? Bob A

By "Trap", I was talking somewhat to those who answered, to give a heads up to consider who they were answering to. I was thinking he might know the anatomy fairly well.