Spirulina

[lildude]

Quote: Originally Posted by CarolinaGirl No...you can't live on just beans and rice either. Beans and rice together make up a complete protein...but protein is only a small part of the diet. No one food is perfect.

what if you were to add a carbohydrate like tortilla's?
Thus the mexican eric comes out...

[MikeM]

Corn is not a very digestible food source for koi. So the tortilla is out.

Think about what is available for consumption in a natural pond and you will start to answer your own question... insects, insect larvae, aquatic crustaceans, plant leaves, plant stems, plant roots, plant seeds, newts, salamanders, frogs (at least certain species). You'll not find pellets with such ingredients. The new EA One feed is an attempt in that direction, but using saltwater marine life rather than freshwater food sources. We 'make do' with what is commercially available and reasonably appropriate substitutes. Koi are not piscevores, but fishmeal is a substantial percentage of most better feeds. Kind of substitutes for the meaty crustaceans and obviously has the appropriate content for building fish muscle and bone. Wheat is more digestible for koi than other seed-based meals, and adds the plant-based complex of proteins and nutrients. But these basics are not a balanced diet. Just check the ingredients on such feeds as Hikari Staple... variety and still needing vitamin supplements to form a basic diet.

[lildude]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM Corn is not a very digestible food source for koi. So the tortilla is out. Think about what is available for consumption in a natural pond and you will start to answer your own question... insects, insect larvae, aquatic crustaceans, plant leaves, plant stems, plant roots, plant seeds, newts, salamanders, frogs (at least certain species). You'll not find pellets with such ingredients. The new EA One feed is an attempt in that direction, but using saltwater marine life rather than freshwater food sources. We 'make do' with what is commercially available and reasonably appropriate substitutes. Koi are not piscevores, but fishmeal is a substantial percentage of most better feeds. Kind of substitutes for the meaty crustaceans and obviously has the appropriate content for building fish muscle and bone. Wheat is more digestible for koi than other seed-based meals, and adds the plant-based complex of proteins and nutrients. But these basics are not a balanced diet. Just check the ingredients on such feeds as Hikari Staple... variety and still needing vitamin supplements to form a basic diet.

Huh..
This reinforces what carolina girl said, Variety is key.
I give my koi sometimes oranges, cantalope, lettuce, and much of the time, earthworms. Earlier in this thread someone said earthworms are close to being a balanced diet for koi, but are not. I guess im doing an ok job.

[kevin]

Guys

Firstly, I believe pellets in general to be overpriced diets for our fish which most hobbysits are TOO reliant upon, after all most are 70 percent wheat flour so its like giving fish three quarters semolina, whether wheatgerm or fishmeal based.

That said, as part of a diet along with alternative sources of food, ie cockles,mussels,QUALITY paste foods ( I make my own and Carp anglers from the UK amongst us will know all about high nutritional foods), along with pearl barley etc all go to make a BALANCED diet.

I dont believe colour enhancing additives are right for our fish full stop, neither do some of the leading breeders in Japan, but diet along with water quality and good pond keeping are the main issues. The cosmetics industry relys on the five percent we cant achieve ourselves,the remaining 95 percent being good diet, water intake etc and thats how I label colour enhancers

Furthermore, poor diet is I believe responsible for lots of ailmets like ulcers etc in our koi we otherwise blame other things for.

Regards

Kev