FEEDING MY FISH 

MAZURI wheat germ pellets is my main diet. Due to the short summer season in Canada it is an ideal food for me. The crude protein of 31% is ideal for most of the year. During the winter months in my heated pond I try and keep the temperature at 68 F. In the spring and fall I dare not feed a higher protein than wheat nuggets. It is a year round food as it is easily digestible. During the peak of summer the temperature can easily climb quite high where I have to cut back on feeding so there is only a very short space of time to feed a higher growth food. Besides that these higher growth foods have little to do with growth it is more the genes of fish the stocking rate as well as water condition in my opinion. I am a believer that food has a shelf life similar to human food so once opened deteriorates at the same rate once opened . I am very sceptical about a long shelf life on unopened food. If there is an air leak in the bag during shipping and handling from overseas the shelf life is greatly reduced as is poor storage. So a 2 year shelf life as claimed on some foods is really pushing it.  My last shipment of Mazuri was 3 weeks old from manufacture date. Then comes the cost factor all this shipping of food costs money so you have to pay at least double or triple as the retailer adds on a percentage based on his cost .

ADDITIVES TO PELLETS

ORANGE JUICE

I do not like to feed completely dry pellets and one of my favorite additives is frozen concentrated orange juice. So a little hot water and concentrated orange juice is a great way of adding vitamin C.

HONEY

Stirred in with a little hot water is another good additive if fed occasionally as it has high sugar content.

COD-LIVER OIL

Is a great source of vitamin D especially in the shorter winter days with less sun light? I mix this in with the pellets. It will leave a little stain on the water but the benefits far outweigh the stain.

CLAY

Although my well water has a lot of fine dissolved clay I still add some to the pellets as I have observed koi actually making holes in the wall of my mud pond.

OTHER FOODS 

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

I usually buy day old and crumble up a couple of slices and throw in.

TO FU

Is an excellent food but I feed sparingly until temperature reaches 70f.  It is crumbled up and sometimes mixed with whole wheat bread.
 

BARLEY

I boil until quite soft on the wood stove in the greenhouse and always through in a little in the unheated pond where the temperature is 45f. Barley contains just 10%protein .If you feed during such cold temperatures do so only if you can flush bottom drain. I am doing a 30%waterchange a week throughout the winter.

RICE

Another good food for change usually leftovers from dinners or just do a little extra for fish.

 

CHEERIOS

I usually soak in some orange juice and use in the spring as a low temperature starter food or last food in the fall. It has little nutritious value but is definitely fresher and lower cost than puffed up with air pellets.

PEAS

Great during the winter. I buy the frozen packages and feed the fish a little every couple of days.

SHRIMP

I keep my eyes open for the small salad shrimps and generally get them at half price if they show a little freezer burn.

Although  Mazuri platinum wheat nuggets are a complete koi food and show the complete list of ingredients I still think that my additives help in the health of my fish.

Koi will spit out food if they have not had it before, especially pellets. So mix the new food with old for a serving or two to get them used to it.

Eugene Gmitrowicz