who do you like for BULK pond food?

[Jerry]

a 50 pound bag would be good.

[Julles]

I can go to my local feed store (Remember the Wabash, Jerry?  ) and get 50# of catfish chow for about $30, which lasts forEVER.

But I've stopped feeding the koi catfish food, because the pond store guy educated me as to how it has so much filler, it's designed to fatten the fish up fast, not give them nutrition or color.  And there's so much filler that it comes out to (pardon my pun  ) more poop, which means a lot more suspended matter in my pond.

This summer I have a goal to reduce that suspended matter, and switching to real koi food is part of the plan, as is cleaning the filter twice a week instead of once.

[Mikey]

My local feed store has the 50lb in large size koi food and a smaller 25lb bag of a different brand in smaller size koi food. 

[miguynmkoi]

Where is your local feed, Mikey?

[Shoestring Ponder]

Now, the skeptic in me has to ask, is that true about catfish food vs. koi food or goldfish food. With DH unemployed for the past 18 mos. we have switched from GF food to catfish food as the cost is so much less. Am I doing a disservice to my GF (which started out as feeder fish) by feeding them catfish food? I also feed them GF flakes as there are smaller gf that cannot eat the larger pellets. I do notice, the cf food pellets are various sizes so there are some smaller pellets that do well with some of the smaller gf.  With winter coiming upon us, I certainly do not want to feed them something that will jeopardize their survival. Last Sppring '09, we threw in 8 feeder fish and they would not eat anything other than what was currently in the 12" of standing water in our 24' round aboveground pool. They lived this way until late October when someone gave us 17 GF from her pond which she had to close for the winter. These fish were used to eating pellets and quickly taught our original 8, which were possibly 100%+ larger then their original size. They did have numerous tadpoles (much to our surprize)  and dragonfly larvae (another surprize)  to dine on as well as a lot of algae before the additional GF addition. I have fed them regular GF pellets (Wardley Brand) until we found the catfish pellets. This certainly helps to keep them in food considering our financial situation. I have also tried romaine lettuce (no go)  and cooked/shelled peas (love them)  . My question, is the person's statement of the content of cf food correct or is he trying (rightly so) to promote the more expensive, pond store brand?

Shoestring Ponder
CyndiMO 

[Jerry]

It turns out we have a "Lurker" here that is in the business!  I found out when I orered from him.
Now to entice him into buying a banner

[Kittyzee]

Shoestring ponder:  your goldfish don't really need fed at all by you, they can get what they need totally from your pond.  Insects, algae, plants, etc.  They love being fed by you however, and of course we love to feed them because they act so grateful!     So don't feel that you have to buy food for them, they don't 'need' it, as much as they 'want' it!   

[Shoestring Ponder]

Oh, I totally agree. Last Spring and Summer, we did not feed them at all. We tried but they would not eat. They ate anything that was in the pond/pool.  But truthfully, I feed them because I like to see them  and find out how big they are growing and also to check to see if any are not looking good...ailing. I even see them munching on the new roots put out by the water lettuce. They chomp down and shake their heads and then munch on the white root from the plant. They are totally self sufficient. The walls of the pool are beginning to look clear also, as I see them eating the algae. The reason I question feeding them catfish food vs. goldfish food is because I don't want to give them something that may possibly not be good for them. That is why I ? the pond store employee on his statement about catfish food. I know they are just a decorative carp, and all-in-all, I only paid 28c each for our original 8...but they are now our outdoor pets     and since I changed from actual goldfish pellets to catfish pellets (due to the cost) I am questioning the wisdom of said switch...Any thoughts?

Shoestring Ponder,
CyndiMO 

[Kittyzee]

I agree with you on loving to feed my fish and watch them munch....   I don't know much about the differences in the food tho', I buy mine at a local ponding store and only feed during the warmer summer months.  I love to watch them grab ahold of something and rip it lose (roots, leaves, etc) and chase each other around trying to take it out of the other one's mouth!   

[misstammy]

I think I found huge bags of Tetra? food online for cheaper than in the PEt store. It seems little worm things were in there though gross. So I never opened the other bag.
I feed them cereal-rice checks,kix,cherrios. Even the little guys will carry the check around until it gets soft enough to eat. It is NOT often. Maybe once every other day. They like fruit, steak,WORMS in one mouthful
I don't think they like lettuce either.
They prefer to eat every 10 minutes if you would let them

[mascot]

Someone on the east coast once told me "Ultrabalance Koi Food" and so I looked them up.  Turns out it's made about 7 miles from my home.  So I bought 20 lb bags at a local feed store for pretty cheap.

I still have a lot left, and no fish (as you know) so if you want the rest of my koi food let me know and I can send it to you.  It's about 15 pounds left, I could probably send it in flat rate boxes from the post office.

Or if anyone is in the Temecula area and wants it...just let me know.

[Jerry]

Hi Michael, good to see you with or without fish!

[Mikey]

Where is your local feed, Mikey?

Midway City Feed.

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7SUNA_en&wrapid=tlif12851358144842&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=midway+city+feed&fb=1&gl=us&hq=feed&hnear=Midway+City,+CA&cid=16160536734535906835

The smaller pellet they carry is the one mentioned by Michael, Ultrabalance.  I'm presently using the larger pellet but I don't remember its name.  I believe the Ultrabalance is a better food but since I have been feeding them the cheaper food I have not heard a single complaint...

And yes Michael, it's good to see you about.

[frogman3]

Buy mine here in 40lb bags. http://www.naturalenviro.com/productinfo.php?sku=UB-KOIFD&surl=koi-food

[miguynmkoi]

Thank you Mikey.  Midway City is close to a few places I stock up on groceries.  I will check this place out the next time I'm up there. 

Always good to see you here Michael/Blind'Too!     If you happen near my neck of the woods and you still have the left over fish food swing on by!  I'll gladly take it off your hands. 

[Julles]

Shoestring, am I the one you were referring to, about the cat fish pellets?  I am not a pond store sales representative.... just a lil' ol' ponder, like the rest of us.

No catfish chow will not "hurt" your fish.  It's just that it's formulated to do something other than what most koi / goldfish keepers want.  Catfish chow is designed to grow and fatten fish quickly.  Most ponders are more interested in nice shape and pretty colors.

Catfish chow has a lot of fillers and carbohydrates  that help bulk up the fish quickly.  The only reason I stopped feeding it was because it increased the amount of waste matter floating around in my pond (poop). 

When my fish ate it, for several years, they were perfectly healthy and happy.  In fact, now that I think of it, it's after I switched to koi chow a few months back that all of a sudden I had three GF come down with dropsy and die.

[Shoestring Ponder]

" In fact, now that I think of it, it's after I switched to koi chow a few months back that all of a sudden I had three GF come down with dropsy and die. "

Now this bit of reflection is interesting. Does this mean the goldfish did better on the cfchow? Interesting. Well, actually, when I went back to Rural King to get more of what I thought was catfish food, the sign actually said goldfish and koi food...for $1.49/#. Unfortunately, they only have about 5c worth! LOL I bought what I could...did not check the receipt but I bet I only paid 5c. I had initially been with a friend and she had said she feeds her GF and K the  catfish food and I guess that is why I thought it was catfish food......I had not really looked at the sign,,just saw fish food! So, next season, I will certainly go back to see if they again have the GF & K Food. I am not sure, but I don't think I can beat the $1.49/# price  I especially liked the fact that the pellets were various sizes so that even the smaller (not smallest) fish could eat them.

Shoestring Ponder
CyndiMO 

[Mikos]

I have heard the same sort of thing when it comes to buying fish farm food.  I considered buying Trout chow for my Koi but was advised against as I was told it would basically just add a lot of fat to my fish's frame. 

Which makes sense.  If you are a fish farmer, you would want a food that would get your fish to market quickly by adding size as fast as possible.