Koi Feeding - How to Properly Feed Your Koi Fish

Did you ever have a friend when you were growing up who would eat just about anything? Well I did, and his nickname was koi Ken, named after the koi fish that, like Ken, would eat just about anything. Koi fish are omnivorous which means, well, they eat just about anything! They enjoy eating plants as well as other smaller fish. Even though koi fish enjoy a wide and varied diet, koi owners still need to pay close attention to how they feed and care for the fish in order for them to remain healthy.

One thing to be cautious of if you own a koi pond is your low hanging plants. Koi fish have been known to eat any plants that they see hanging in the water and if your plants are treated with insecticide, this could harm the koi fish. In addition, considering the fact that koi fish have been known to pull themselves out of the water to eat such things as acorns lying near a pond or errant blades of grass, koi fish owners need to be careful to not let leave small items near the ground where the koi could get to them. While you certainly need to feed your koi fish regularly, you don't want them ingesting your child's toy racecar or their favorite small stuffed animal.

One thing that koi fish love to eat is insects. Much to the delight of their owners, koi will eat just about any insect that lands on the water or is close enough to the surface for the koi to snag. This is just another added benefit to owning these incredibly beautiful and wondrous creatures.

While koi fish will forage for food such as plants, insects and algae in their own habitat, there are many types of food that koi owners can feed their fish. Believe it or not, some koi owners serve a variety of delights to their koi including watermelon, green peas, and even lettuce. Other folks like to hunt for bugs and worms to drop in the waiting mouths of their gloriously colored friends. The most common type of food for koi fish is fish pellets. Fish pellets are small cylinder shapes pieces of food made especially for fish. They contain the right amount of proteins, fats, and nutrients to help keep the fish healthy and colorful. It is a fact that the type of diet a koi eats will greatly affect the brightness or dullness of their ornate and colorful bodies. Fish pellets add to the enjoyment of the fish because when you feed them, the pellets float on top of the water. Fish owners delight at seeing the fish swim to the top and this gives them a good opportunity to see their pets close up.

A key fact to remember if you are a koi pet owner concerns feeding them in the winter. Because the fish stop feeding once the temperature dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and their metabolism slows way down, food they eat can rot in their belly causing extreme sickness.

If you pay attention to the food your koi eats, give them a varied diet, and remember not to feed them once their metabolism slows down in winter, your koi will be happy, healthy, and colorful for years to come.