Feeding Your Koi
by a Petstore Staff Member

Koi are, like all members of the Carp family, omnivorous, and will eat a wide variety of foods. Unlike their wild cousins, our man made versions of Koi are highly inbred in order to produce the colors and patterns we find so desirable. This in turn creates a fish that is genetically weaker than the wild Carp and also a fish whose immune system is also much weaker. This makes their diet even more important and the correct balance of vitamins and minerals and other trace elements absolutely necessary to long term health.

Also keep in mind that Koi are ectothermic, which means that their body temperature is governed by their surrounding water temperature. So basically when water temperatures are high their metabolism is functioning at a higher rate and in turn so is their ability to process larger amounts of food and protein content. When temperatures are low obviously their metabolism is functioning at a much slower rate which has opposite effect and slows their ability to process food and its protein contents. On top of this, Koi really don’t have a stomach like we think of a stomach, basically all they have is a short straight tube similar to an intestine in which all nutrients must be extracted quickly before excreted. This means that only a limited amount of food can be properly digested at any one time. It is therefore very important to feed appropriate amounts of food with the correct amount of protein content at all times to in order to derive maximum benefits from their food and avoid unwanted excess waste.

Koi are also very accepting of things like vegetables and fruits in addition to their normal diets. Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons will be quickly devoured and watermelon seems to be a favorite among all Koi. Things like romaine lettuce, squash, and cabbage are also great additions and can also be used when temperatures are low but you still want to provide the fish with something to eat.