You can feed (some) fruits to Koi!
YES! A bit of variety is good for fish and they love it!
Most of us LOVE watermelon! Did you know koi and goldfish love it too?? Yes!! if you give them a slice of watermelon they’ll love it! Give them seedless. The rind helps it float so you can cut a whole circle or a 1/2 circle about an inch thick. If they have never had it before, it will take a little bit for them to figure it out. Did you know that koi taste their food (when it is new) to make sure it is something they want to eat? Yes! But once a brave fish takes a bite- they will pass on the information that this is a fantastic treat! They will push it around making sucky sounds until they have devoured it!
Can I feed other fruits and vegetables to Koi?
You can! Try:
- Strawberries
- A head of romaine lettuce. (Especially if you have larger fish).
- Chopped spinach. (start with a small amount. They won’t be familiar with it at first.)
- If you feed your aquarium fish blood worms, try adding it when you feed them the pellets (make sure it’s already thawed out). Even if some sink, they’ll find them. Koi love to root around. You know how chickens like to scratch around? Same thing. Koi are chickens in water! Water Chickens! LOL!!
- Peas – cooked peas!
- Zucchini – Yes, cut it longways.
The food may float, but your hand remaining there helps the fish get used to you.
What about other treats?
Have you tried Koi Krunchies?
They are made by Aquascape and they float and include wheat germ, fish meal, vitamins and minerals.
I have heard that koi will eat Cheerios. That sounds kind of cute, although, the 1st three ingredients listed are wholegrain oats, corn starch and sugar. None of those are good for koi.
Treats should compliment what they normally eat, not replace it. If koi were fed Cheerios instead of fish food, they would suffer from malnutrition. Their colors would not be vibrant, they could be more susceptible to disease and could even die without proper nutrition.
Basic Rules about Feeding Fish Treats
Remember that they will be skittish about trying new things at first.
- If a piece of fruit or vegetable is put in they won’t be able to really get after it until it gets stuck somewhere so it’s stable.
- You can try holding it in your hand to stabilize it while they eat it.
- When you first put something new in you may have to check back later (it can take time).
- If the current sweeps it into the skimmer, get it out!
- Do not feed them anything citrus. (I don’t care what thing you saw on TikTok).
Treats like these should not replace their regular koi food. Most fish food companies have researched what fish need in their diets (or at least copied from someone who has). Certainly some brands offer better quality that others. That may be a whole new subject!
Are my Koi suffering because I didn't feed them fruit?
Wondering if you have been doing something wrong if you haven’t been feeding them fruit or veggies? NO! You’re not doing anything wrong!
They need a good amount of protein in the summer months to help keep their colors vibrant. However, you absolutely DO NOT need to feed them fruit or anything other than their food. Only try it if it brings you joy (and hopefully them)!
* This blog was NOT written by AI. This was written by me. I am not a professional writer, I am a pond person. Therefore, if you see a typo, please forgive me!
*No koi were harmed in the making of this content.