freddy

Hi folks.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed that my fish aren't feeding as I would expect. Normally they are keen to eat at regular intervals, but now they may take a pellet or two, and turn their nose up at the rest. They seem to prefer eating from the side of the pond.I've noticed that my Chagoi even spits it out. Could there be something wrong with the food? I've had the food since the beginning of June, and it's kept in the shed. Could it have gone off? Apart from this, the fish seem fine.

Cheers...Freddy.

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Miserable old git

chagoi2

if the water tests out fine it could just be the recent drop in temps ?

Mine are not eating like they was , but i,ve just started throwing in a slice of wholemeal bread aswell as the pellets and they seem to enjoy the bread more , i,m sure mine get fed up with the same old pellets every day .

My temps 15 degs this week down from 18 degs

Gazfish

Hi Guys,

As long as the food is in date and its not a different one they should be fine so i would test the water to make sure all that checks out OK first.

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Best Regards

Gazza

Doghouse Riley

I'd agree, if the water is OK, it could be just the drop in temperature.
In the last week or so it's come down quite a lot.

Because temperatures are falling, I've stopped running my waterfall during the night.
During the day if it's warm I turn it on as the affect of the sun on the rocks helps to increase the temperature of the water flowing over them. But at night the reverse will happen and there would be the loss of temperature due to the latent heat effect.

The temperatures are supposed to be picking up again in a few days.

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"I don't mind if you don't like my manners!
I don't like them myself, they're pretty bad,
I grieve over them on long winter evenings."

miles41

Yes, it's a strange one, as mine are practically coming out of the water for their food, even given the onset of autumn.
Have you perhaps overfed them? and they're not actually that hungry? - just a thought, otherwise a check on your water paramiters good advice.

Doghouse Riley

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"I don't mind if you don't like my manners!
I don't like them myself, they're pretty bad,
I grieve over them on long winter evenings."

freddy

Hi folks, thanks for the replies.

I'm definately not overfeeding them. The parameters seem fine. As for the food, it's the same as I've always fed them, bearing in mind that it wasn't long ago I set up this pond and introduced the fish (in June) which was when I bought the food. I'm aware that the temps have fallen, but as I recall, with my last pond it didn't make too much difference. Indeed, as Miles said, they went for it like mad. I'm inclined to think that the food hasn't been stored correctly and may have just gone off. Any further thoughts welcomed

Cheers...Freddy.

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Miserable old git

Ned

Hi Freddy I doubt your food is no longer any good. In my experience koi will still take food past it's sell by date. The only time I have noticed koi refusing food is when it has become damp in it's container. If the food has been kept in a sealed container since June it should be OK.

Davej

Hi Freddy - Sorry to sound boring but its more critical then ever to get to the bottom of ANY signs of abnormal behaviour at this time of year.

You dont want the fish to go into winter with any doubts in your mind that they are clean, and the window for effective treatment is starting to close with the falling temps.

I would scrape, for peace of mind if nothing else.

Dave

go54nke

Agree with Dave, do a scrape to be sure, spitting food could be caused by skin flukes.

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All the best, Al