Mark Cable
December 12th 04, 03:35 PM
Hi all - I have a 3,000 gal 5ft deep pond with biofilter set up and 7 Koi
20 - 26inches and live in Sussex, Southern England.
My problam is with winter feeding. All of the books I read and food packets
tell me to stop feeding when the temperature is below 10c and only feed once
a week or so at temperatures of 10 - 15c. The books say that at these low
temperatures the fish will become dormant, go to the bottom and not want to
feed. However my fish seem just as hungry as ever, I can't get near the pond
without them coming to the surface looking for food and when left alone they
certainly don't seem to sit about at the lower levels of the pond. I am
currently feeding them Hikari wheatgerm in very small quantities (two or
three large pellets each) once or twice each day and they are eating all
that is offered (I feed them high protein in the summer and a mixture of HP
and staple in the spring/autumn). Should I still being doing this at these
low temperatures? If they refused the food I would happiliy stop feeding
them but they appear to be as hungry and active as they are in the summer. I
have read that at lower temperatures they find it hard to digest food but
what would happen in the wild or in a large self-sufficient pond where
natural foods are always available? Would they carry on eating or stop when
it got cold?
I would be grateful for any help or advice you could give. Thanks
20 - 26inches and live in Sussex, Southern England.
My problam is with winter feeding. All of the books I read and food packets
tell me to stop feeding when the temperature is below 10c and only feed once
a week or so at temperatures of 10 - 15c. The books say that at these low
temperatures the fish will become dormant, go to the bottom and not want to
feed. However my fish seem just as hungry as ever, I can't get near the pond
without them coming to the surface looking for food and when left alone they
certainly don't seem to sit about at the lower levels of the pond. I am
currently feeding them Hikari wheatgerm in very small quantities (two or
three large pellets each) once or twice each day and they are eating all
that is offered (I feed them high protein in the summer and a mixture of HP
and staple in the spring/autumn). Should I still being doing this at these
low temperatures? If they refused the food I would happiliy stop feeding
them but they appear to be as hungry and active as they are in the summer. I
have read that at lower temperatures they find it hard to digest food but
what would happen in the wild or in a large self-sufficient pond where
natural foods are always available? Would they carry on eating or stop when
it got cold?
I would be grateful for any help or advice you could give. Thanks