a425couple wrote:

And, while I'm at it, a related question.
In the silt / gunk/muck, I've found little
white things/'bugs'. Ohh about 1/16" long,
thicker than a hair,

wigglers are larvae of midges, etc. Ingrid

I love that "etc" :-) I _should_ be able to remember what the white ones
would likely be, but the best I can come up with is also "midges, etc".

Interesting.
So, you figure their life cycle takes them from
the bottom muck, up through the water to
the surface, then they sprout wings and fly?

Pretty much. Some insects go through more than one stage before the
sprouting wings part.

(I'd of wrongly guessed they stayed as some
sort of 'muck worms'.)

There are "muck worms" - flat worms, nematodes and I think even relatives of
earthworms (though actual earthworms drown), but ime when you find
significant quantities of one type of worm they're insect larvae. Of
course, there are also leeches...

Even more evidence those fish were not doing their job!

Well, yes and no. The worms are generally not harmful.

"Less being hand fed Koi food for you!
Plow that silt, eat them wigglers!

They certainly _will_ do that - I only ever feed my fish for my own
enjoyment.

Back to basics of a natural diet,
work hard and live longer - less heart disease!
Less obesity and diabeties."

Yes, I just hate to see my Koi get diabetes - their legs fall right off,
doncha know...
--
derek