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Koi carp are staples in ponds and hotel lobbies around the world. Literally translated as “brocade carp”, modern Japanese koi originated in Niigata, Japan, in the 1800s. Modern koi were originally bred from the Amur carp, a species native to East Asia that has been cultivated for centuries, primarily as a food source, and dates back to the 5th century BC.
Fortunately, these beautifully colored fish are no longer used as food, but are kept as decorative pets. There are dozens of types of koi, each with its own characteristics and characteristics. As a regular pet, you may be wondering what koi fish eat, especially if you’re considering what to use for your pond. Let’s take a look at what koi eat and learn how koi thrive in different seasons when food is scarce.
What do koi fish eat?
Koi fish eat worms, larvae, seeds, algae, insects and small crustaceans. Technically, they are omnivores, they will eat pretty much anything they can fit in their mouths. Koi have no teeth in their round mouths, which makes it difficult for them to bite or tear. Instead, they have fleshy mouths designed more for sucking food.
Koi are known as “benthic feeders”. Benthic feeders live near the bottom of a body of water and live on what they can find there. Koi, more commonly known as bottom feeders, sweep the sediment bed of the water they live in, looking for food they can find. Although they usually eat from the bottom of sediment beds, modern domestication has allowed them to eat floating debris and food. This makes feeding fish a regular part of koi ownership.
Because they have no teeth, many people feed koi food with their bare hands. As the koi feeds, it often sucks on the person’s fingers and is quite ticklish. You don’t have to worry about swimming or putting your hands in the water where koi are present as they are not harmful to humans.
When introduced to wild habitats, koi are known to be quite destructive. Their destructive nature comes from the way they eat. As they slide across the bottom of a waterway, they cause debris and sediment to loosen and become unsettled. The unstable sediment, known as “turbidity”, reduces light penetration and prevents plants from taking root, often killing them. In addition, the extra sediment can be so severe that humans and animals cannot drink the water.
Koi are often deliberately released into man-made lakes and gulf ponds to reduce larval populations and curb plant life.
A full list of the foods koi fish eat:
Here is a list of the most common foods a koi will eat in a pond or natural environment:
- algae
- silkworm pupae
- bloodworms
- earthworms
- mosquito larvae
- tadpoles
- duckweed
- hyacinths
Although these are the most common foods a koi fish will eat, they are not very picky about their diet.
Who competes with koi fish for food?
Because koi live in pond ecosystems, they are constantly competing with other fish. However, in a domesticated and man-made environment, koi do not have many competitors, as the food source (humans) provides food in the form of pellets or feed.
In a wild environment, koi often live with other carp, killifish and minnows, although they can eat them if they are small enough. They are also found with large fish commonly seen in lakes and streams, such as catfish, bass, angelfish, or bass. Since catfish are closest to the koi in terms of environmental niches (other than other carp), they could be the fish most common compete with koi in the wild.
How much do koi fish eat?
Koi fish eat based on the ambient temperature of the water. The colder the water, the less active they are. The warmer the water, the more active they are. In domestic situations, koi usually eat 1-4% of their body weight. In the wild, koi are always looking for food, sweeping the bottom and sucking up everything they come across.
For domesticated koi, it is usually better to underfeed than overfeed as this is more likely to cause health problems.
The ideal diet for koi is 32-36% protein and 3-9% fat. In addition, you want to be sure that any food given to koi is low in phosphorus. Too much in a pond ecosystem will promote uncontrolled algae growth and cause further health problems for koi and others fish species.
What do koi fish eat in different seasons?
Koi are poikilotherm, meaning they don’t have a natural ability to regulate their body temperature (like a human can). As a result, their activity level correlates directly with the ambient water temperature, which in turn influences their eating habits from season to season.
During warm seasons where the water is between 71°F and 85°F, a high protein diet is recommended as they are likely to move, grow and be more active in general. In addition, koi eat several times a day, up to a maximum of four times.
During the cooler winter seasons, when the water is between 41˚F and 60˚F, a carbohydrate-based diet of wheat germ is recommended because energy and long-term preservation are more needed.
When the temperature is below 40 . drops˚F, koi do not eat and come into a state of hibernation known as anesthesia. Torpor drastically reduces their energy needs, lowers their metabolism and slows down their bodily functions. This fantastic adaptation allows koi to live in places where it gets below freezing in winter.
What do koi eat as pets?
If you have koi as a pet, there are a few ways to feed them. Depending on their size, Pet Koi can eat store-bought flakes, pellets, and bards. Small koi will find it easier to eat flakes because they are the smallest. Pellets are ideal for medium to large koi. Bars are for the largest koi that can eat it whole, but smaller koi will certainly try to nibble on it.
In addition, owners can occasionally give a treat. Things like soft fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are ideal. Never feed your koi fish corn, uncooked rice (it expands in their stomachs), white bread, or insects and fish that you have caught yourself.
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