How Much to Feed our Fish?
 

Hey all,

Here in Colorado the weather is starting to warm up. Last night as I was
cleaning our pond filter (clogged because the Koi are now swimming around
and we haven't cleaned the pond yet, but will happen soon), I noticed the
fish are out! Now, I have read that we should not feed them right now (max
pond temp was 50 deg. yesterday), as the chances of a refreezing is very
high here . You should know that this is our first spring with the pond in
a house we just purchased 3 months ago, but I have already read several
books and am coming up to speed on taking card of the Koi. I want to
start finding out how much to feed them, so that when the time comes to
start feeding, we can be ready. We have 9 Koi, ranging in sized from about
18" (2 fish) to several small fish about 6 inches long. Also, we both work
so we can't do the 5 feedings a day thing. So, I am looking for some advice
on how much to feed the Koi if we feed them once or twice a day. Any help
is greatly appreciated. Also, here are some pictures of our pond:

http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=58
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=61
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=62
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=63

Joe

How Much to Feed our Fish?
 

It takes a little time to learn how much food to give them at one time. It
is best not to overfeed, as water quality will go downhill fast. Start with
maybe 1/4 cup of food and see if they can eat all of it within about 5
minutes. If not, remove the excess, and start with a smaller amount the
next feeding. If they eat all of that, then you can try increasing quantity
slowly until that magic 5 minute amount is reached. The amount to be fed at
the start of the season, should be significantly less than that, since the
filter will not be up to the additional load. As the fish grow, they will
need more. Right now mine eat about a cup of food at a feeding.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Joe Blow" wrote in message
...
Hey all,

Here in Colorado the weather is starting to warm up. Last night as I was
cleaning our pond filter (clogged because the Koi are now swimming around
and we haven't cleaned the pond yet, but will happen soon), I noticed the
fish are out! Now, I have read that we should not feed them right now
(max
pond temp was 50 deg. yesterday), as the chances of a refreezing is very
high here . You should know that this is our first spring with the pond
in
a house we just purchased 3 months ago, but I have already read several
books and am coming up to speed on taking card of the Koi. I want to
start finding out how much to feed them, so that when the time comes to
start feeding, we can be ready. We have 9 Koi, ranging in sized from
about
18" (2 fish) to several small fish about 6 inches long. Also, we both
work
so we can't do the 5 feedings a day thing. So, I am looking for some
advice
on how much to feed the Koi if we feed them once or twice a day. Any help
is greatly appreciated. Also, here are some pictures of our pond:

http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=58
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=61
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=62
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=63

Joe

How Much to Feed our Fish?
 

Thanks a lot for the info RichToyBox!

Joe

"RichToyBox" wrote in message
et...
It takes a little time to learn how much food to give them at one time.
It
is best not to overfeed, as water quality will go downhill fast. Start
with
maybe 1/4 cup of food and see if they can eat all of it within about 5
minutes. If not, remove the excess, and start with a smaller amount the
next feeding. If they eat all of that, then you can try increasing
quantity
slowly until that magic 5 minute amount is reached. The amount to be fed
at
the start of the season, should be significantly less than that, since the
filter will not be up to the additional load. As the fish grow, they will
need more. Right now mine eat about a cup of food at a feeding.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Joe Blow" wrote in message
...
Hey all,

Here in Colorado the weather is starting to warm up. Last night as I
was
cleaning our pond filter (clogged because the Koi are now swimming
around
and we haven't cleaned the pond yet, but will happen soon), I noticed
the
fish are out! Now, I have read that we should not feed them right now
(max
pond temp was 50 deg. yesterday), as the chances of a refreezing is very
high here . You should know that this is our first spring with the pond
in
a house we just purchased 3 months ago, but I have already read several
books and am coming up to speed on taking card of the Koi. I want to
start finding out how much to feed them, so that when the time comes to
start feeding, we can be ready. We have 9 Koi, ranging in sized from
about
18" (2 fish) to several small fish about 6 inches long. Also, we both
work
so we can't do the 5 feedings a day thing. So, I am looking for some
advice
on how much to feed the Koi if we feed them once or twice a day. Any
help
is greatly appreciated. Also, here are some pictures of our pond:

http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=58
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=61
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=62
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=63

Joe

How Much to Feed our Fish?
 

Joe,

A maintainence diet portion for your fish is 1% of their body weight.
If you are trying to get growth it is 2-3% of the fish's body weight.
This percentage is then divided up into a number of small meals and
feed over a 12 hour period in which there is daylight.

Tom L.L.

"Joe Blow" wrote in message ...
Thanks a lot for the info RichToyBox!

Joe

"RichToyBox" wrote in message
et...
It takes a little time to learn how much food to give them at one time.
It
is best not to overfeed, as water quality will go downhill fast. Start
with
maybe 1/4 cup of food and see if they can eat all of it within about 5
minutes. If not, remove the excess, and start with a smaller amount the
next feeding. If they eat all of that, then you can try increasing
quantity
slowly until that magic 5 minute amount is reached. The amount to be fed
at
the start of the season, should be significantly less than that, since the
filter will not be up to the additional load. As the fish grow, they will
need more. Right now mine eat about a cup of food at a feeding.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Joe Blow" wrote in message
...
Hey all,

Here in Colorado the weather is starting to warm up. Last night as I
was
cleaning our pond filter (clogged because the Koi are now swimming
around
and we haven't cleaned the pond yet, but will happen soon), I noticed
the
fish are out! Now, I have read that we should not feed them right now
(max
pond temp was 50 deg. yesterday), as the chances of a refreezing is very
high here . You should know that this is our first spring with the pond
in
a house we just purchased 3 months ago, but I have already read several
books and am coming up to speed on taking card of the Koi. I want to
start finding out how much to feed them, so that when the time comes to
start feeding, we can be ready. We have 9 Koi, ranging in sized from
about
18" (2 fish) to several small fish about 6 inches long. Also, we both
work
so we can't do the 5 feedings a day thing. So, I am looking for some
advice
on how much to feed the Koi if we feed them once or twice a day. Any
help
is greatly appreciated. Also, here are some pictures of our pond:

http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=58
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=61
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=62
http://www.nmsu.net/mick/viewphoto.phtml?photoid=63

Joe

How Much to Feed our Fish?
 

the first food I feed in spring is romet B to ward off aeromonas and other bacteria.
The DH Steve of the Goldfish Guru gives his fish a pint of high protein stuff for
their pond full of monster koi. about 60 of em. huge mouths. and the koi grow like
weeds. he feeds just once in the evening so they dont swim it off I guess.
I think I am overfeeding mine. Ingrid