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Koi Health, Disease and Medication ForumPost here about any Koi health problems and water quality problems you may have.
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Top Poster: markf1fan (3,500)
What I mean is, it's the temperature of your pool which determines the amount of food they will eat, not a particular date. Even if it stays very warm for a few days now the change in temperature of your pool will be slower than that of the ambient, so you'll get plenty of warning when to reduce and finally stop feeding.
I've noticed no change in the amount of food they are eating as yet.
I'd for now suggest that if you're concerned about how much to feed them and you feed them twice a day, start feeding them little and often, well... more than twice a day, if you know what I mean.
A rough guide is that if they don't eat all the food within five minutes, it's too much food.
I've read that we may be in for another hard winter, (we always go by the fact that there's a lot of berries on trees and bushes. This is supposed to be "an old wives' tale" but it's actually "an old farmer's tale" and I think they know more than the Met Office). So we need to build 'em up if this is what will happen.
__________________ "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."
Last edited by Doghouse Riley : 28-09-2011 at 06:45 PM.
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Hi Doghouse,
That makes a lot of sense, I think I need to get a thermometer as well, my little finger probably isn't very accurate!
That's very encouraging to know that the fishes behaviour will give us some hints. I'm not able to feed during the day but the previous owners always fed in the morning so we've continued with that, although maybe a little earlier than they're used to!
I'll take your advice tomorrow morning and see how long it takes them to clear the pellets, I would like to feed them for as long as is safe, as you know the poor things have been knocked about a bit with the pond change, they were two weeks without food and it took a few days for them all to start eating properly again so I think the fatter they are for Christmas the better.
You are right about the berries - we've got loads of them as well.
Thanks for your help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley
Fish can't read a calender.. (sorry!)
What I mean is, it's the temperature of your pool which determines the amount of food they will eat, not a particular date. Even if it stays very warm for a few days now the change in temperature of your pool will be slower than that of the ambient, so you'll get plenty of warning when to reduce and finally stop feeding.
I've noticed no change in the amount of food they are eating as yet.
I'd for now suggest that if you're concerned about how much to feed them and you feed them twice a day, start feeding them little and often, well... more than twice a day, if you know what I mean.
A rough guide is that if they don't eat all the food within five minutes, it's too much food.
I've read that we may be in for another hard winter, (we always go by the fact that there's a lot of berries on trees and bushes. This is supposed to be "an old wives' tale" but it's actually "an old farmer's tale" and I think they know more than the Met Office). So we need to build 'em up if this is what will happen.
At this time of the year we're getting some wide fluctuations in temperatures.
I keep a max/min thermometer in our summerhouse. (it's just to monitor the temperatures in the winter as I don't like my jukeboxes getting too cold, the oil in the motors can thicken up, you can see where my priorities lie) On days like today I always open the doors before going to golf as I don't want it too hot in there either. I checked this evening and I was surprised to see the range of temperatures in there in the last few days have been from 50c to 84c. However of course, the average koi pool won't change more than a few degrees either way.
__________________ "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."
Our fish are not as silly as some people think and they have a very good idea on what season we are in as they do not just use the temperature they will also use the daylight.
It is always best to feed fish little and often as they do not have the same digestive system like us and it works totally different and its also a good way to not overload the filters.
Just feed them as you are and as it gets colder you can slow it down and even stop if you wish.I feed my fish the same right up to end of Christmas/New Years Day and then i stop and they get no more food till it warms up. I am heated but will drop down to 12c through the winter.
It makes sense about the daylight as well as temp, it always makes me smile when the koi settle down to 'bed' as soon as it gets dark!
I can't feed them during the day unless I get a chance to pop home but I gave them about 3/4 their usual amount this morning and they ate fine and were pleased to see me (or the food tub!) but they did seem to lose interest after a while, there was food left after 15 mins and the water isn't as clear as it was so I'll start slowly backing off a bit.
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