Moon's Graden

by **Wilmdal** » Sat, 11 Jun 2005 08:23:58

Any one ever feed their koi trout food? I have noticed several people
have stated they feed catfish food to their koi with no adverse
affects. My next door neighbor just bought a 50 lb bag of trout pellets
for about $25.00. He is interested in trying it out because the the
high protein content (apparently it is around 40%)
Thanks for the feedback.
W. Dale

wilmdale_pond.vcf
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by **Koi-minato** » Sat, 11 Jun 2005 09:43:29

Quote:

> Any one ever feed their koi trout food? I have noticed several people
> have stated they feed catfish food to their koi with no adverse
> affects.

$ I learned about the other fish foods from a member of the Nashville pond
Club. My fish have been thriving on them, plus some kitten and puppy chow.
Only the baby fish get the expensive stuff because I am unable to find other
foods small enough for them.

My next door neighbor just bought a 50 lb bag of trout pellets

Quote:

> for about $25.00.

$ Catfish food runs about $11 per 50 lbs bag where I live. Ornamental fish
foods runs $4.00 a lb and up here. They really fleece the koi and GF
owners.

He is interested in trying it out because the the

Quote:

> high protein content (apparently it is around 40%)
> Thanks for the feedback.
> W. Dale

--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
Do not feed the trolls.
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

by **~ janj JJsPond.u** » Sat, 11 Jun 2005 10:59:52

You're going to get several answers that trout and cat food is fine. But if
you were to do a little reseach on this you'd find that not only is koi
food better for koi, it is better for your pond and filter. Keep in mind
you're keeping pets not food fish, and that is what trout and catfish
(usually) are. Keeping them healthly long term is not what those foods are
designed for.

To each their own, but I feed mine Sho Koi and Manda Fu. ~ jan

Quote:

>Any one ever feed their koi trout food? I have noticed several people
>have stated they feed catfish food to their koi with no adverse
>affects. My next door neighbor just bought a 50 lb bag of trout pellets
>for about $25.00. He is interested in trying it out because the the
>high protein content (apparently it is around 40%)
>Thanks for the feedback.
>W. Dale

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

by **Gale Pearc** » Sat, 11 Jun 2005 11:33:02

Quote:

> Any one ever feed their koi trout food? I have noticed several people
> have stated they feed catfish food to their koi with no adverse
> affects. My next door neighbor just bought a 50 lb bag of trout pellets
> for about $25.00. He is interested in trying it out because the the
> high protein content (apparently it is around 40%)
> Thanks for the feedback.
> W. Dale

Yup - did that 12 yrs ago for 2 yrs - My koi grew like crazy - from 2" to
12" in that time - then one went blind and the other died the next year. I
was referred to a koi farm in Canada to ask why and after explaining to
owner there what happened, he asked me what I was feeding them - when I told
him I was using "Trout Chow" (Purina), he said that was the problem - trout
chow is formulated for the trout farms to grow the fish as fast as possible
and get them to market (typically 13 months) and the high fat and protein
content ruins their vital organs (doesn't matter for the fish for market at
13 months old), but if you are raising pets it does - he told me to look at
it this way - "feeding them that is like you eating Big Macs at McDonalds 3
meals a day 7 days a week - how healthy would you be?"
That being said, you will read here how a lot of people use trout food and
whatever else is cheap (dog, cat, catfish food) so this is a decision you
will have to make and especially if you have expensive koi ..............
Just my experience & opinion Gale :~)

by **Kio-N-Stuf** » Sat, 11 Jun 2005 12:42:29

Quote:

> >You're going to get several answers that trout and cat food is fine. But
if
> >you were to do a little reseach on this you'd find that not only is koi
> >food better for koi, it is better for your pond and filter.

> Out of curiosity, and speaking of research, are you aware of anything
proving
> this to be true? You know, single blind study of koi versus cat foot, or
such?

> C//

=========================
I would love to see any such research. So far all I've seen are
"testimonials." All I've seen and read are the self promoting adds for
these overpriced koi and GF foods by the manufacturers - and people's
testimonials, more or less parroting the adds, here on rec.ponds. I don't
see anything they *add* to koi foods that warrant the outrageous prices
asked for them. Again, it reminds me my old friend who thought her jeans
were superior simply because she paid so much more for them at the
Mall.........

If other feeds were causing problems we surely would have heard about them
by now.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
Do not feed the trolls.
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

by **~ janj JJsPond.u** » Sat, 11 Jun 2005 14:59:25

Quote:

>>You're going to get several answers that trout and cat food is fine. But if
>>you were to do a little reseach on this you'd find that not only is koi
>>food better for koi, it is better for your pond and filter.

>Out of curiosity, and speaking of research, are you aware of anything proving
>this to be true? You know, single blind study of koi versus cat foot, or such?
>C//

On the fish or the filter?

Within our club we have a member keeping koi in a large aquarium while the
pond is being built. He was using a medium priced koi food, and had
troubles with water quality. He switched to Manda Fu and it cleared up.
Then he ran out, went back to the old stuff and had the same troubles. The
extra price was worth the savings in time to him, he's since reordered the
Manda Fu.

Otherwise, I've read many articles on this in both water gardening & KOI
USA, written by Vets and other knowledgable people. The latest one was
about how koi lose color after coming from Japan to the states. The single
factor they could point too, cheap or incorrect food.

Then we have Gale's personal experience.

Personally, I can't understand why people would spend bukoo bucks on their
ponds & fish and not shell out a little extra for proper food (and test
kits). My dog's food cost more in 1 month than I ever begin to spend on the
koi in 3 to 6 months. Like I said though, to each their own. I'm hoping my
koi live a long, long time. My water quality is excellent and my fish are
healthy, so I'll stick with what I'm doing. ;o)

If others are having same with the cheap stuff, I have no beef with that,
but over the long haul, Gale's experience could happen. I'm not here to
debate with those happily feeding what they're feeding, I'm just imparting
what I've learned over the last 10 years of serious study on all things koi
for the OP who asked. Let's not make it into an us verses them
debate. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

by **kath** » Sun, 12 Jun 2005 01:38:42

Looking at the bag... Mazuri, I think is the
name. I bought it because it is smaller kibbles,
made for koi and goldfish,
and I have lots of goldfish and a few koi who are
supposed to keep the snails out of the plumbing.

The expense isn't that much over the summer.
I feed the dogs a high end dog food and I'm pretty
picky with the food that I feed the humans around
here too! In mine mind nutrtition is pretty closely
tied to health.

Anyway that is what this board is for, lots of options,
you make the final decision. And hopefully, we respect
each other's opinions.

kathy :-)www.blogfromthebog.com
this week ~ the damselfly

Pond 101 page for new pond keepers ~
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

by **Courageou** » Sun, 12 Jun 2005 12:05:05

Quote:

>You're going to get several answers that trout and cat food is fine. But if
>you were to do a little reseach on this you'd find that not only is koi
>food better for koi, it is better for your pond and filter.

Out of curiosity, and speaking of research, are you aware of anything proving
this to be true? You know, single blind study of koi versus cat foot, or such?

C//

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