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Feeding Koi in warm water
Koi will literally be "Nosh Pitted" onto each others' backs during a feeding frenzy.

Feeding in warm water

Feeding fish in warm water is an interesting conundrum. To succeed you need a strong equilibrium between the fish, the water's oxygen levels and the demand for it by beneficial bacteria (Equilibrium by luck or by design). The fish NEED a lot of food because they are burning a LOT of calories. The pond's biological reduction system is optimized and working ferociously on fish wastes. Warmer water carries less oxygen. Still, in most ponds a natural balance is forged which can usually handle this. But there's risk. 

Feeding Koi a lot of food in the warm months is desirable, and it ensures good health and growth. But if you go too far, and overfeed them, the water quality will deteriorate and if you overfeed enough, there can be a sudden bloom of bacteria that will:

1. Cloud the water

2. Weaken or stress the fish

3. Consume much, if not all, of the available dissolved oxygen. 

Don't take this lightly, because even with your years of success, you can get into trouble. I did this one summer. I fed heavily and the fish were doing well. What I did not acknowledge was that my oxygen levels were TEETERING in the danger zone because of the ferocious use of oxygen by the fish, the feeding and the biological bacteria, and the warmth of the water. I went to net my favorite fish up, and she simply stroked out for lack of Oxygen in her peak metabolic condition and then compounded by warm water and the chase. 

What Can You Do?

Well, waterfalls do a LOT to contribute oxygen to the scenario. So breathe a sigh of relief if you have a robust set of falls. Additional water pumping with a spray bar can increase oxygen. If the pond is in filtered sunlight or only gets baked for part of the day, it will be cooler, and contain more oxygen. Shade cloth is employed seasonally on some ponds in the hot Southwest. "Feeding hard", but being alert is an ingredient for success. And finally, intermittent water changes can simultaneously contribute to a coler ambient temperature and reduce the fuels used by damaging bacterial blooms. 

Water Change Routine During Feeding Season:

  1. 10% per week
  2. 20% every 2 weeks
  3. 30% every 3 weeks

If you are doing the new Drip Irrigation water change method none of the above recommendations on water quality have any pertinence.



HELP! Sick Fish!
Twenty Steps to fish health. You LITERALLY can solve almost any Koi or Pond health outbreak with these twenty diagnostic steps and nothing's hard. But it's not "here's your pill" either. Downloads are available.
DrJohnson.net
More than koi health, this site spans all things animal, by a real veterinarian who shoots you straight.

Fishdoc.co.uk
By Frank Prince-Iles. A UK authority who put this site together some time ago and which is still relied upon as a major source of good Koi and pond fish information

If you need pet information AND Koi pondfish and pond information you might like DrJohnson.com which has everything from pet info, to vet info, to koi and pond fish. It has it ALL! Pet Information.

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