COOL WATER FEEDING GUIDE

When and How to Feed Your Fish in Cooler Weather

Now that temperatures are cooling off in most parts of the country, it might be a good time to start feeding a wheat germ based diet to your fish, and feeding less often.

Most 'Spring/Autumn' fish foods are primarily wheat germ based, and easier for your fish to digest. As water temperatures cool, there are less naturally occurring digestive enzymes inside your fish, so it's harder for them to digest their food.

Goldfish and KOI do not have stomachs, just an intestinal tract that they use to absorb nutrients from their food. However, if they eat too much, or are fed a high protein diet in cooler months - they can get backed up - and even become sick.

As a general rule, fish should not be fed at all in temperatures below 50º F, and only fed a wheat germ or low protein diet when the water temperature falls below 60 º F.

The metabolism of KOI functions best at temperatures above 70º F, when they should be fed a high protein diet, as much as 3-4 times per day. However, these high protein foods are difficult for them to digest when the water falls below 65º F.

Hikari makes a great high quality Wheat Germ diet, which you can read more about here: 

Hikari Foods
 

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