Koi Food - Whats the deal?

1. Whats exactly in a food?
2. Whats the difference?
3. What should I feed my Koi?

These and many other questions go through the minds of koi hobbyist and professionals alike. There are many different brands of koi food out there. What claims to be the best koi food to feed is not always the best. Here is some "food for thought" when feeding your koi and picking out the ideal koi food for your budget and the koi health.

Koi eat alot of worms bugs and water born insects in the wild. Koi are not cannibals and therefore will only eat food the appeals to them if they are in the wild. Our koi that are kept in captivity in our ponds are destined to eat whatever they are fed. They are hungry and will eat it.
Feed koi food that you would consider to eat yourself or feed another one of your animals. I have tried many brands of food over the years and have found that I read the ingredient label very close and examine the food. I feed only the food that have minimum ingredients and all or most that I can reconize and not some unpronounced name unbeknown to man!

Koi food must have Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate in it. This is stabilized Vitamin C. This type of vitamin c will be in the food for 3-6 months before breakdown. If your food claims vitamin c, then find out what kind of vitamin c it is. This is very important to koi health and immunity.
Protein level should be between 33-38 percent in the cooler (50-65 Degrees) months and 35-50 percent in the summer (65-80 degrees).

Spirulina will bring out the Beni (red) of the koi.

Wheat Germ will bring out the Shiroji (white) of the koi. This will also make for better digestion and therefore better growth and health.

Some koi food will not be digested as much from the koi and that make for unclear water and more filter cleaning, more often. This also constitutes more water change due to poor water quality.

1. Avoid Corn in any food
2. Feed the correct food at the right time
3. Food must have ascorbyl-2-phosphate
4. Feed the highest quality food your budget will allow

The koi food that fits this criteria the best is Dainichi Koi Food. We are not paid to endorse this brand. We simply have the best results with it. Cotskoi currently feeds over 600 koi this food.
Alternative koi foods of high quality include: (all of the koi foods below we stock, use, and sell at cotskoi)

1. Hikari Koi Food
2. Saki Hikari Koi Food
3. Shinju Koi Food - Kodama Koi Food
4. Tomigai Koi Food

Another koi food of good quality  Hai Feng Koi Food and Nozomi Koi Food.

If you feed your koi a highest quality food your budget can afford and present the right conditions you will see high growth, great skin and color quality, healthy koi with limited filter cleaning, and better water quality.


If you need more information you can contact info@cotskoi.com