Koi are living jewels that can add beauty to a pond for up to 50 years. It’s essential that you focus on their nourishment just as much as you painstakingly care for their pond. Feeding the right koi food can do wonders for their health, color, and pond water quality.
- Fancy packaging and a high price dosn’t mean it’s a great koi food. Neither is how much your koi seem to be enjoying the food… they’ll eat just about anything!
- The first thing to look for on the label is protein. The amount of protein you should feed is based on the age of your fish. Younger fish are growing rapidly and need more protein – around 35%. More mature fish only need about 30%. And more protein is not better! Excess protein just passes through the fish and pollutes your pond with ammonia. That’s why our Ultra Balance Growth and Maintenance formulas have 35% and 30% protein.
- The source of the protein is also important because different sources have different amino acid profiles. The amino acids found in white fish meal are best for koi health, growth, and reproduction. That’s why it is the first ingredient in our koi foods.
- Now take a look at carbohydrates and fats. Koi use carbohydrates as an immediate energy source to kick-start their digestion. They use fats as more of a long-term energy source. Fats also make up important components of cell membranes and are essential for metabolic processes.
- Avoid foods with high amounts of fiber which is an indicator that the food is full of cheap fillers. Fish do not fully digest fiber, it simply passes right through them without providing any nutritional value.
