How do you base your koi food buys?

[HEADACHE6]

COOTER , I'm not sure you are covering everything ?

"My fish can't tell the difference" , "My fish absolutely love it" , "They go crazy" , "It looks like the same stuff" ????

What does any of the above have to do with anything ?

Don't say "My water stays healthy too" , that means nothing .

What amount of solids are you seeing or not seeing from this food compared to useing a quality food ? I can add 10 more questions if you like ?

North , Has posted some of the ingredients , they are very different . Yet your main comments are as I posted above . "Comparable" ?

I'm not saying this food is total crap , but your comments so far have done nothing for making me want to try it . By the way , Children will go crazy for candy over veggys , but would you only feed candy because there Crazy for it ?

[Cooter]

Quote: Originally Posted by HEADACHE6 COOTER , I'm not sure you are covering everything ? "My fish can't tell the difference" , "My fish absolutely love it" , "They go crazy" , "It looks like the same stuff" ???? What does any of the above have to do with anything ? Don't say "My water stays healthy too" , that means nothing . What amount of solids are you seeing or not seeing from this food compared to useing a quality food ? I can add 10 more questions if you like ? North , Has posted some of the ingredients , they are very different . Yet your main comments are as I posted above . "Comparable" ? I'm not saying this food is total crap , but your comments so far have done nothing for making me want to try it . By the way , Children will go crazy for candy over veggys , but would you only feed candy because there Crazy for it ?

Like I said, I see no differences. I'm not a scientist, so I can't break it down to the T, but I have an 850 gallon pond with about 30 fish, mixed with koi and goldfish. I use a 2000gph biofilter, and 2000 gph pump with an aerator. I have lettuce, lilies, and hyacenths in my pond. My water is crystal clear, and my ammonia levels are right on. My pond couldn't be any healthier. I also have about 30 frogs that take up residency around it. I don't know what else you would want to know. I am just a leisure owner, not a show owner. My fish are just that...fish. They get hungry, I feed them. My wallet doesn't shrink because of it. I'm not trying to push that food, or say it is any better than any other, just voicing my opinion about my past purchasing experience, and the quality of food IMO is great.

[HEADACHE6]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooter Like I said, I see no differences. I'm not a scientist, so I can't break it down to the T, but I have an 850 gallon pond with about 30 fish, mixed with koi and goldfish. I use a 2000gph biofilter, and 2000 gph pump with an aerator. I have lettuce, lilies, and hyacenths in my pond. My water is crystal clear, and my ammonia levels are right on. My pond couldn't be any healthier. I also have about 30 frogs that take up residency around it. I don't know what else you would want to know. I am just a leisure owner, not a show owner. My fish are just that...fish. They get hungry, I feed them. My wallet doesn't shrink because of it. I'm not trying to push that food, or say it is any better than any other, just voicing my opinion about my past purchasing experience, and the quality of food IMO is great.

Thank's for the details of your pond system .

I only have 8 koi in a 6,000 Gal. pond , so i'm going shopping ! Anyone know where I can get around 200 koi cheap ?

[KoiCop]

Cooter . . .

Your need to take a deep breath and think this through, fella.

Start at the top of the screen where it says:

Straight from Japan . . . For the Serious Hobbyist!

Now, do you really think this is the kind of site that's going to be receptive to discount koi food, discount pumps or discount koi?

We're all about show koi and koi shows, their breeders and dealers, keeping them and keeping them healthy.

So if you're interested, and want to learn about how serious hobbyists approach things, stick around. If not, well . . . there are boards for every level of this hobby.

[weesec01]

Just to share with your. I have recently trying for another new brand "XXX" and it supposed "Claim to be a good pellets". I normally will keep a small portion of pellet into a container for daily feed and replenish when finished. Two and 1/2 months later, I notice that there are many small tiny insects moving around in the container with pellets. Does it mean that the pellet food is not fresh any more? how long shall the food freshness last once we open a new pack?

Your comment please. Thanks

[KoiCop]

Once we open a bag of food, the remainder is kept in cannisters with vacuum seal lids we got from the local pet store.

Keeps them fresh -- not to mention bug free.

[dick benbow]

When it comes to koi food, I want to see the list of ingredients, expiration date and percentage of protein. I select my food for the koi I'm in charge of
initially by what I have read or talked to others that I respect who have some knowledge of results. I buy in bulk with a friend and repackage the food into smaller 2 lb bags to insure freshness and lowest cost. I do this with three basic % of foods that I feed based according to temperature and what needs to be accomplished. Growth,maintenance, lower temperature.

All foods are not created equal. Neither are all ponds, quality of koi or purpose for keeping them. YOU are responsible for your koi's health and for providing them with what they need to accomplish that purpose. I store my
food in the dark in cool places that neither heat up or freeze.

I also read the maufacturer's instruction as to amounts of food to feed under what temperature and adjust to my local knowledge.

Breeders and dealers feed a different food based on what they wish to accomplish. Cost is a consideration for both, and most dealers are interested in a maintenance food and quick turn over of stocks. Breeders want that in certain cases and also food that will grow their charges in the mud or winter green houses.

Hobbyists like ourselves with less koi to feed and perhaps less of a restricted budget to work with can feed high end foods to accomplish their purpose with show koi.

Many High end hobbyists refuse to use color enhancing additives believing that the breeder has put the genetics into the koi and it's their job to bring it out naturally.

finally as my thoughts wind down, I want to thank Jim North for his maintenance of this board. It's not an easy job, he has criteria to enforce, and i think he cares and is the right person to be doing what he does.Thank-you Jim.

Cooter, please don't give up on this board or be discouraged. You can learn so much here. When you told me the size of your pond and the numbers of stocking, I was there 30 years ago. While I enjoy your "pluck", in the years to come you'll begin to see there was some wisdom in what Don had to share with you. People learn by being around people who have "arrived" at the pinnacle of their sport, and many of the posters here are there and better yet ready to lend a helping hand to someone else who wants to learn.

Finally let me say, the more I learn of this hobby, the more I need to learn.
In food alone there is controversy over wheatgerm and fishmeal and now you have a new product out with earthworm. I will be getting some of that product and seeing how it works into to what I know already. With knowledge nothing stays the same, the parameters are always changing, new bloodlines, new water maintenance techniques, new chemicals....We're all very fortunate to have KB as a medium of knowledge exchange, thanks Brian

[Steve Nguyen]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooter Well, I didn't realize there were editors sifting through here. pm me if you want to know where I get it. I dont see what the big deal was.

I think Jim tries to keep things in balance. this board needs fund to keep it in operation. dealers paid to advertise what they sell on this board so why others get to advertise for free.

Steve

[weesec01]

Please allow me to mention here. Basically, everyone respect this principle of this forum. The topic of the forum sometime may lead to some controversy and dispute however, we are here to learn and not argue but debating. A few things where we as a member here needs to take note are copy right, sensitivity of brands name may cause either damage or so call free ad. Cooter may not have the intension, but just need to be careful.

I hop around in this forum almost everyday without miss, just to learn new thing. Indeed, I have learnt a lot everyday. Thanks guys for your passion and patience.

I have disposed off the whole pack after notice that it is not fresh?? I will try to get what are the nutritious in term of % and posted again here.

[Cooter]

Thanks everyone. I have only been at this for about 3 years. I do what works for me. Like I said, I am not into the show portion of the koi, just a hobbyist. My fish are healthy and happy, and I'm not broke. I will stick around. There seems to be some nice people here.