Feeding Koi Treats

Feeding Koi Treats

Like any other type of pet, people find it fun and popular to give their Koi treats. You might delight in seeing your Koi respond to treats while you, your children, or grandchildren feed them. While this is a great bonding experience between pet and owner, some precautions should be taken.

There are many types of foods that are available that may contain nutritional value, and will not harm your Koi in any way.

Natural Koi Treats- The best type of treat to feed your Koi is what they would find naturally in their pond. Things such as earthworms, tadpoles, and bloodworms are found in ponds, and may be eaten by your Koi without your knowledge. The best way to find out what natural treats are available is just to look around the pond. Once you know what it out there, then you can either dig up the treats from the ground around the pond or buy similar products at your local store.

Prawns- Prawns are edible crustaceans which are similar to shrimp, but are usually larger. Prawns are actually very good for Koi because they are high in protein. You can find prawns at a number of places including your local pet stores, department stores, and feed stores.  Prawns are also one of the best treats to promote hand feeding.

Lettuce- Lettuce is high in essential vitamins and minerals, and it quite healthy for your Koi. There is no need to tear the lettuce in smaller pieces as the Koi can find joy in doing it themselves.

Fruit- Koi will eat a wide variety of fruit. When feeding your Koi fruit, make sure to break the fruit up into small pieces. Fruit should only be fed to your Koi on special occasions, as most fruit contains high amounts of natural sugar, which can be bad for Koi in large amounts.

Bread- One of the cheapest treats available is Wheat Bread. Take a piece of bread, break it up, and roll it into small balls before throwing it into the pond. Be sure to avoid all types of white bread, as it may contain small amounts of bleach and other chemicals that can potentially be dangerous to your Koi.

Koi will eat pretty much anything that you put in the pond with them, no matter if it is good for them or not. Since Koi do not have a sense of what is bad and good for them, as their owner you must control their snack diet. Another potential problem is over feeding treats. Again, Koi do not have the knowledge to know when to stop eating, and weight issues may come from overfeeding treats.

Are Koi & Goldfish Different?

Are Koi and Goldfish different?

Goldfish and Koi are both selections of carp, but from two different families. Goldfish are mutations from crucian carp and Koi are from common carp. In general, goldfish tend to be smaller than koi, and have a greater variety of body shapes, and fin and tail configurations. Koi varieties tend to have a common, cigar shaped body, but have a greater variety of coloration and color patterns. They also have prominent barbs on their lip and large, broad heads.

Koi Do’s & Don’ts

Do’s

1. Feed your fish once or twice a day.
2. Keep your pond aerated and filtered 24 hours a day.
3. Keep your pond clean of debris on the bottom.
4. Watch carefully for anchor worms, lice and other parasites. Medicate every 3 months to kill and control parasites.
5. Use a chlorine remover whenever adding fresh tap water.
6. Have medication and chlorine remover on hand for emergencies.
7. Most filters should be cleaned at least twice a year even though the water looks clear. There is no such thing as a filter that never needs to be cleaned!
8. Check the water on a weekly basis for pH and nitrate levels, and keep stocks of additives to re-balance the water quality when necessary.
9. After transporting Koi, float the bag (unopened) in the water for about 30 minutes to allow the water temperature inside and outside the bag to equalize before releasing the Koi.  After the proper water temperature has been reached it is a good idea to further acclimate the fish by opening the bag and allowing some of your pond water to enter the bag.
10. Always be careful when netting or handling your Koi. Removing the protective slime from the body can injure the fish.

Don’t's

1. Overfeed
2. Change all the water in the pond at once unless absolutely necessary. Sudden water temperature changes may adversely affect your Koi.
3. Over-medicate. Use correct dosage or under-medicate if you are unsure.
4. Overstock the pond. Koi will require more oxygen and room as they grow.
5. Keep the water level of your pond too close to the top edge of your pond as fish may jump out or predators may catch your fish.
6. Permit the use of any chemicals near the pond. Also, do not use fertilizers in pond plants.
7. Feed your Koi if your pump goes out, they will use more oxygen if they are fed.

Aquarium Koi

Smaller koi make excellent aquarium fish and become fun, responsive pets.  They are simple to raise and require very little special care – no tank heaters needed.  The fish will match their growth to the size of their aquarium.