Feeding a Koi 101

In feeding koi fish, there are a couple of things to consider. I will list some of the most common questions of koi hobbyists.

1. What should I feed my koi?
• Koi fish are omnivorous fishes. They should be fed a balanced diet just like humans. Currently, fish flakes are given. There are a few koi-specific feeds available online, however, I will have to check the legibility of these feeds. I very seldomly provide human food as treats for my koi. Examples of which I can give are bread, citrus fruits and squash. They can be given in small tid bids, especially since my koi are 3-inches big. 
• I have not tried giving my koi blood worms or any other protein source. I have yet to find a reliable source of these kinds of food. I will make a review of them when I finally get to buy them.
2. When should I feed them
• Temperature plays a huge factor in feeding koi. When the temperature drops at 10 degrees Celsius and below, they usually refuse to eat anything and that is completely normal. When water temperature rises, their metabolism will improve. This is why summer months, koi should be fed more frequently. I get an average of 26 to 29 degrees Celsius for my aquarium, therefore I feed my koi more frequently. 
• Water quality should also be monitored to determine how often you should feed your koi. When the total dissolved oxygen (DO) of your tank or pond drops, so will the feeding frequency of your koi. Their metabolism is greatly impaired during these times. Here is a a chart from the Kodoma Koi Garden website in order to enlighten us on the frequency of feeding based on the temperature of the environment or your aquarium. 
3. How much should I feed my koi?
• It is very important for a koi hobbyist to keep in mind that kois do not have stomach that is why they always appear hungry. Although koi will appear to be asking for more food, they should never be overfed! I feed my koi in small amounts, enough for them to finish within 5 to 10 minutes. If there is any leftover food, they should be removed in order to prevent polluting the water. The rule of thumb in feeding koi is feeding them in small amounts frequently.

How do I feed my koi?

Prior to owning koi fish of my own, I took pieces of advice from long time koi hobbyist. If you are to consult blogs from the internet, they will usually suggest feeding your koi with different kinds of feeds available internationally. In the Philippines, not all pet shops selling koi fish sell feeds specialized for koi. Most of the time, they will hand you flakes that provide a balanced diet. Though I cannot go against their claims that the flakes are nutritious, if you are concerned with feeding koi with feeds that will enhance the color of fishes, therefore you might want to consider looking for those that are specific for koi. 

My koi after feeding, they dwell into the bottom of the tank in order to feed on fish flakes that settled into the bottom of the tank

I feed my koi at about three to four times a day in minimal amounts in order not to cause shock to the system, keeping in mind that they do not have stomachs like we do. I feed them 

I make sure that the aerator in my aquarium is in good condition, giving me peace of mind that their metabolism as well as their overall health won't be impaired. 

As for the treats given to them, I tried feeding them unprocessed bread crumbs twice and so far, I have not noticed any drastic changes to their attitude. In my opinion, providing treats to koi should be taken cautiously since we might overfeed them, or we might cause pollution to the water if not all bits of the unfinished treat is scooped out of the water.

I might do a part 2 of this article containing my personal reviews on the suggested feeding styles. 

See you! ✌