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You can learn more about koi fish by clicking
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There is a wide variety of Koi fish food available. How do you decide what to feed your precious
Koi?
For starters Koi are voracious eaters, consuming almost anything that comes their way, so it's up
to you as their caretaker to provide your fish with a balanced and nutritious diet.
You have the option of feeding a commercially available food, live insects, or a combination of
both these items. In addition you can (and sometimes should) feed occasional treats, fresh
foods and nutritional supplements.
Koi fish are omnivores, meaning that they will consume both plant and animal matter, and their
preference runs towards larvae and aquatic insects. Many Koi pond owners either minimize or do
not include plant life in their ponds because of their desire to have the Koi themselves be the main
focal point.
Another reason they leave plants out of the equation is the enthusiasm with which Koi fish devour
any edible in sight, often tipping over and destroying aquatic vegetation in the process! So...if you
are one of those who leave the plant life out of your pond you MUST provide your Koi with
adequate nutrition.
The most common and convenient type of Koi fish food is manufactured dry foods made
especially for Koi. They come in many different forms including pellets, granules, tablets, chunks
and flakes. These products are easily stored, relatively inexpensive, easy to feed and contain
sufficient nutrients.
When deciding which type and size to feed you need to take into consideration the age and size of
your fish and even the time of year. The best Koi fish food for the summer months will contain
more protein than the foods you feed in the cooler months when your Koi are less active. It should
go without saying that you will want to choose smaller size pellets for smaller and younger fish and
larger pellets or chunks for larger fish.
Many Koi owners like to use additional supplements to enhance the colors of their fish. In theory
this works but take into consideration that the red color pattens in Koi are determined genetically.
If the red fades then supplementation will not restore it even though the supplement may contain
the raw ingredients necessary for color enhancement.
Supplements do improve the overall health of your Koi and do boost their immune systems.
Commercial Koi fish food preparations incorporate some supplementation into their recipes.
However new and more effective products have been developed in powder form and can be mixed
with your current Koi fish food. Just make sure you do your research and aren't overfeeding any
particular supplement as too much of even a good thing can be toxic to your fish!
Particularly if you are leaving the vegetation out of your pond you will want to feed your Koi some
fresh foods.
Many fresh foods supply vitamins and minerals. Bear in mind that these Koi fish foods are meant
to be offered as occasional treats and not included as dietary staples.
The following are some fresh foods you can offer your Koi:
* Lettuce:
Lettuce is an excellent treat for Koi fish. You can begin serving lettuce by shredding the leaves
and letting them float in the pond. After a few weeks you can put in a whole head of lettuce and
watch your Koi enjoy tearing off the pieces on their own. I recommend Romaine or Leaf lettuce as
these contain more in the way of nutrition than ordinary iceberg lettuce. Once all the leaves have
been eaten remove all the remaining pieces from the pond water.
* Oranges:
Oranges are another favorite Koi fish food. They are high in Vitamin C which is a powerful
antioxidant and also helps lower stress levels. These can be served by cutting them into segments
and putting them into your pond with the rind intact. The Koi will rip away the flesh, leaving the rind
behind. As soon as your fish are done eating make sure you remove any leftover remnants.
* Prawns:
Koi consider prawns a delicacy and they are also a good source of protein. Since they are high in
protein they should only be fed in the summer months when your fish require a higher protein Koi
fish food for extra energy and can digest the protein more efficiently.
* Garlic:
Koi adore garlic and will consume almost anything that is covered with it. You can use a coating of
garlic to entice your Koi to eat out of your hand.
Finally, you should consider adding insects and larvae to your Koi fish food repertoire. If you do
decide to offer your Koi insects then mealworms, soft-shelled crickets, bloodworms, blackworms,
waxworms and tubifex worms are all suitable.
Feed them sparingly, and don't feed them at all unless you can guarantee they are from a
pesticide-free environment. As with prawns it is best to feed these higher protein treats only during
the summer months.
Even though there is such a wide selection I hope this article has helped answer the question:
"What is the best Koi fish food?"
The author, Alan Deacon is a koi expert. For more information about Koi feeding and the best Koi
fish food visit ==> http://www.KoiCareBasics.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Deacon
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You can learn more about koi fish by clicking
http://www.thekoifishguide.com/
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