Feeding &
Nutrition
- Like most subjects on koi keeping
this one could also justify a book in its own right, but your advised
to study the subject more fully. Koi will eat most things offered, yet
whether it's any good for them, and helps to develop them to their full
potential is a highly debatable point.
- Feed the best balanced diet you
can afford, over the course of time you will probably spend more on
food for your pets than any other thing... if your feeding correctly!!
- Provide a good fresh balanced
diet, using a good quality staple pellet from a reputable manufacturer,
as the central component of your menu. Keep pellets in an air tight
container.
- Feed little and often, take time
at each feeding to get to know each fish individually, check for health
problems, you will with time know instinctively when one of your fish
is 'off colour'. With this your fish will associate you with food and
will start to feed out of your hand, incidentally women are good at
this; it has something to do with hormones!! Remember, healthy koi are
koi that eat healthily.
- Normally koi will eat what is
offered within the first 5-10 minutes, you should remove any that is
keft after this time. Feeding is also temperature related, make allowances
when the water temperature drops below 55 farenheit, allow the fish
to let you know when they are no longer interested. Stop feeding when
the temperature drops below 50 Farenheit. Below 55 Farenheit use wheatgerm
based pellets in moderation
- If your at work all day, consider
investing in an automatic feeder. It's unfair to expet your fish to
go without food for hours and still develop and thrive.
- Apply common sense and don't
feed foods that your fish would never find or eat in their
normal environment such as high starch foods, cat or dog food, sugary
foods etc.
- You can feed wholemeal brown bread,
greens such as lettuce, certain shellfish are avidly taken but can pose
some risks, it depends on their condition and quality, just be aware.
The bottom line is to guarantee sensible nutrition by using a good quality
pellet as your basic foodstuff.
- One very important point in deciding
on your regular staple pellet food is the protein level, all bags and
containers have ample information on the breakdown of what the product
offers, if you go for a protein level of around 31% you will not be
far out.
- Bulk buying can save you considerably
over a given period of time, but don't buy so much
that it may become stale before you have used it up. Our supplies system
can help you overcome such problems
- Avoid all live foods if possible,
never use angler's live baits, such as maggots.
Hints
and tips continued........Treatnents & Medications