Most of the time, koi food that floats is the best choice. It allows you to see the fish when they come up and monitor the amount they are eating. Fish can be fed once or twice a day as long as they can eat what you are offering within about 3 minutes. That means no food is sinking or flowing into the skimmer.
When uneaten suspended algae seeds (fish food) gets sucked into the skimmer or caught between plant leaves or on the side of the pond somewhere, it is going to contribute dramatically to algae.
If your system has a really strong current and you just can’t avoid try one of these things:
* turn the pump off when you feed them
* put in a hoop that will float and always feed them in the hoop to keep food from going into the skimmer. You may want to leave the hoop in all the time so it is not something they are afraid of.
Floating fish food – Our koi eat round pellets, I just don’t have a good photo of that right now!
Fish Not Coming Up for Food?
Fish may shy away from rising to the top when they have recently been moved from one pond to another.
If the they haven’t been fed on a regular basis they may not realize it is ok to show themselves when food hits the water. Usually, if you feed them a little everyday and stand there for a few minutes, they learn to come up anytime you are near the pond!
If your fish have been coming up but not, suddenly won’t, it is likely because a bird or another predator stopped by and they are terrified. This can go on for a couple of weeks even if the predator is no longer a problem. And of course, if the predator keeps coming by, the fish just hide that much more.
Sinking Fish Food
If they are new fish or they have been recently traumatized by a predator, these are instances when sinking fish food can be used. Be very careful not to overfeed with sinking food because if they don’t consume it, algae will!
Most koi food is just fine for feeding goldfish and koi in a pond. Stay away from the flake stuff, that belongs in aquariums or for very tiny koi.
We like Blue Ridge Koi fish food and there are many good quality foods out there.
This is Microbe-Lift Koi and Goldfish Food that sinks
Spring Fish Food
In early spring, the fish don’t need a high protein food. In fact, their digestion is just coming back on line so they need to be fed lower protein food to start. Feed them less than you would normally in the summer. Say, what they can eat in a minute when you first start feeding them and work your way up 3 to 4 minutes. You can change to a higher protein fish food when they are vigorously eating and the water temperatures are above 60 degrees.
How Often to Feed Fish?
How often you feed the fish depends on several things. Answer these questions to figure out what is best for you and your fish:
1. Is the pond a natural ecosystem that has lots of aquatic plants, and at least some algae?
2. Does the pond have good circulation?
3. Does the pond pump run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
4. Do you want to interact with your fish?
5. Do you want the fish to come out when you walk up?
6. Do you have any interest in feeding the fish right out of your hand?
If you at least answered yes to 1 through 4, you really can feed them every day and even twice a day. Just remember to start slow in the beginning of the season and only feed them what they can eat in roughly 4 minutes.
The more they eat the more they poop! If you have increased the food you are giving them, and are beginning to have algae issues, cut back the feeding.
If you have more of a solid concrete, little circulation, and no plants pond, you may need to feed your fish once a day, but no more, and test the water on a regular basis.
Getting ready for new fish?
Ready to transfer fish to your pond from another? Make sure to read our guidelines. Click HERE.