To feed or NOT to feed hungry koi

[Johnnie]

 
The acquired knowledge  enables ponders to do the right things for their koi, i.e.,  NOT to feed koi under 50 degrees.  First of all,  I confess that I had broken the feeding rule before I read this quote:
 
"...In the winter, their digestive system slows nearly to a halt, and they eat very little, perhaps no more than nibbles of algae from the bottom. Their appetite will not come back until the water becomes warm in the spring. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 °C), feeding, particularly with protein, is halted or the food can go rancid in their stomach, causing sickness..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi
 
Welcome Spring!  Fishies came out of "hibernation" and looked for food.  My "tough love" prevents me from feeding them for their own good,  i.e.,   their digestive systems are not ready for food when the water is under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

 
 
Good riddance to the old man Winter...

[miguynmkoi]

You definitely had enough snow!    I don't know what state you pond is located so can't offer real specific advice.  It's in the 80's here for the past week and probably close to that temp for the next week so feeding lightly here should be fine.  I personally feed 'winter' food all winter long (we never get colder than 45* at night) and my fishies, koi and the goldies, are happy with the interaction.

But then again it also depends on the water parameter that may go crazy with all the stuff from the koi so early in the season

[LynneNY]

Very nice fish!


I fed my comets some cheerios yesterday and today.  The water was right around 50 degrees and they were swimming around the surface for days, looking bored, so I threw a few in.  They ate some and played with some.  I hope I didn't do any harm.

[Sunbeam56]

I feed them if they are hungry.
The worst thing that happens is they pass the food without digesting it. And that makes for a massive algae bloom in the spring - when the water warms up.
Otherwise, its just reinforcing the piscine love.