Feeding Your Koi: Getting the Best Results

Koi are the centerpiece of any good garden pond. They grace such waterways with their beautiful colors and friendly nature. They can be easily trained to come to owners and are really a great 'pet', although most people generally do not think of fish in such a light. Raising them is an ancient Asian tradition, dating back hundreds of years ago, when people first raised koi from the carp strains common in Asian bodies of water. One of the most enjoyable parts of raising koi is feeding them, as koi are often willing to take food from the owners without shying away. Feeding koi is a vital part to raising them and while some parts may seem like common sense, there are a few ways to get the best results possible through feeding.

Location

If you have a decent size pond, try to always feed the fish in the same general portion of the pond. This will lead to them associating such a region with abundant food, causing them to congregate in packs there when people come near. This helps create a better feeding scenario, as most of the food will be gobbled or sucked up quickly by the whole school of koi, rather than the food dissipating quickly around the pond and rotting.

Timing

Feeding the koi at a set time is a good practice, especially with larger ponds. Koi will eagerly await such times, once they get used to it (takes a week or so) and will congregate in the above location at such times. Of course, part of having fun with koi is being able to feed them when guests come over and show them off, so its ok to feed them randomly too. It's best to have a few set feeding times overall, with the random times few and far between, as to not throw off the koi's internal clocks (if they have such a thing).

Food Choice

Koi food can be very expensive! There are many manufacturers of koi food worldwide, and most large pet shops carry several different types of koi food. Always read the label and see what ingredients are in the food, and make specific note of the protein and other nutritional percentages. Compare these with different types of koi foods to find the right blend for your koi. Floating food is the best and is what most koi food is, forcing the koi to come to the top and feed visibly. Research online to find the best food for increasing color, size, breeding, etc. Also, many people recommend not feeding koi when the weather dips below 50 degrees Farenheit, as the food will supposedly turn rancid in their stomachs. I'm not sure how this is known, but it is widely stated in koi publications.

Clothing Coloring, Bells, etc

Some people try to get their koi to recognize them through the use of a wearing a certain color of clothing when they come near, or by ringing a bell before feeding (Pavlovian?), etc. For us, our koi just come near whenever we show up at their feeding spot, with food in hand. It's up to you how much work you want to put into 'taming' your koi through feeding. Feeding koi is a great experience, for young and old alike, just be sure to take the necessary steps to ensure your koi's protection and health from such feeding practices. Have fun!