koi food

[flywheel]

I have learned a lot from reading posts here but I have a few questions about food. How do I know when it is bad? It smells fine, looks fine, feels fine, haven't tasted it. When I buy food it goes into a sealed plastic container at room temp. Should I assume after 3 months I need to get new? I just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can for the koi. I have been feeding Tetra growth and color but I will be getting Rangen soon.
Ron

[Jackie Ramo]

Welcome. Glad you are ejoying the board.

As for the food, at 3 months I'd still feed it. It should be good for a minimum of 6 months or a year if stored properly. Mind this means the food had to be fresh when purchased.

A variety of foods is best for the fish. Pellets and fruit and veggies. Even a variety of pellets makes sure they get what they need. Most stay away from the colour enhancing foods. It can play havoc with the whites.

[flywheel]

Jackie, thanks for the quick reply. I will continue as I have been doing minus the color enhancing food. Would this explain a pinkish tint on the white areas of a couple of my kohakus that were snow white before?

[Jackie Ramo]

Exactly! Pink whites are the numer one complaint so no more colour food. But don't throw the food out, just mix it in with the new food. I feed 2 to 3 different pellets at any meal. I mix a container of pellets and when that is done I mix up a new one. The feed is always changing so the fish are always getting a mix of nutrients.

This time of year it is good to feed veggies and fruit for the added vitamin c and it is easily digested. Pellets are like kibble or donuts, not easily digested.

[Cinnamon]

I also feed 3 different kinds of food. I have had extremely well growth in the year and a half I have had the Koi. Mine are now eating twice a day but it is a LOT warmer here than most places. Our pond temps are running 74 F. I always add broccoli and kale which my Koi love. They love oranges as well. They eat 3/4 of an orange a day sometimes more. They seem to be happy healthy Koi!

Pam

[flywheel]

My koi are all smaller 4-12 in. so they are currently indoors at 68-76 degrees. I fed them some grapefruit a couple of days ago but until they go back to the pond I will only do so before a water change, I don't notice a litle pulp floating in a 10,000 gallon pond but it messes up my aquariums now matter how big. Better yet I'll have the kids net it out.
Jackie I spent an hour picking all the color enhancing pellets out of my food and mixed in some staple pellets. I'll give the color pellets to my parents to feed the fantails in their pond. No more pink koi for me!

[marla]

Jackie, I also didn't know that about the color enhancers. I don't think the foods I feed have it in but I'll be checking. I also mix the foods, in an old peanut butter jar, seals up nice, unless the grandson is with me, then I have to really tighten it down.