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Koi
Food Diet
Without
a doubt the main component of a koi's diet when kept in a man-made pond is the specially formulated koi dry food pellets that
its owner feeds and a relatively small amount of algae and pond
plants that grow naturally in the pond. In a natural environment
such as the mud ponds in Japan, this diet is supplemented with insects
that live in the mud. These insects provide an enormous source
of protein which gives the koi a phenomenal growth rate in the
summer months.
Various
ingredients are used in these koi foods to formulate a balanced
diet for a healthy koi. These ingredients may be used; such as
fish meal, cuttle fish meal, shrimp meal, range of vitamins (A,
K3, D3, B12, C) essential minerals and metals, such as calcium
and magnesium, wheat flour, wheat germ, brewer's dried yeast,
colour enhancers, such as spirulina, and the list goes on.
Some
of these foods are specially formulated for growth in which case
a high amount of protein is usually required. Foods that enhance
colours contain natural ingredients such as spirulina, shrimp
meal and astaxanthin. In the winter months when temperatures lower
the koi's metabolism wheat germ is often given to reduce the amount
of fat and protein content. Whatever formulations are used, they
should all aid to promote the immune system with the use of vitamins
and aid digestion and absorption. If the food is not absorbed
properly, it will pass through the digestive system of the koi and
lead to waste and reduction in the quality of your water.
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