Fish Feeding Q & A
Q. How can pond fish be encouraged to feed during excessively hot weather? A. Feed them during the coolest time of the day - early morning and late evening. Evening is better, because the fish have the entire night to digest their food at more manageable temperatures. Aeration and water turbulence by means of cascades, waterfalls, streams, etc., will also help by increasing the concentrations of dissolved oxygen to meet the fishes' high metabolic demands on hot weather.
Q. If many fish feed on an almost continuous basis in the wild, why should pond fish be fed only at intervals? A. Naturally-occurring foods - even nutritious ones - contain large amounts of water ( up to 90% by weight). In contrast, commercial foods likes pellets contain very little water ( sometimes as little as 5%). This makes their nutrient-to-weight ratio much higher than that of naturally-occurring foods. As a result, a small amount of good-quality commercial food has the same nutritional value as a much higher weight of natural food, particularly if the latter is of plant origin.
Q. Can I feed my fish by hand? A. With large fish such as koi, you can attempt hand feeding. Teach them to associate you with food by feeding them several times a day, remaining by the pond. Do not make any sudden movements, which can frighten them. Gradually come closer and then dip an empty hand in the water nearby while they feed. Finally, begin to offer small amounts of pre-soaked pellets in an open hand, a few inches below the surface ( dry pellets will float off). Once the first fish has taken food, others will follow.
Q. How do I calculate the correct amount of food per feeding? A. Few of us are expert or patient enough to work out the requirements involving the weight and age of the fish, the type of food, the water temperature and other factors. Fortunately, fish don't eat if they are not hungry. Three- five minutes of continuous feeding on a good-quality commercial diet gives a fish enough nutrients to keep going for at least a few hours. If any food is left over, it is safe to assume that the fish has had enough.
Q. How should I feed my fish during family vacations? If it is a matter of only 2-3 weeks, and the fish have been well fed previously, no special arrangements are needed. Well-fed fish build up fat reserves which added to the natural animal and plant foods (including algae) in ponds, will see them through several weeks without any hardship. For longer breaks ( or even shorter ones, if desired) leave clearly marked, individually packaged, small portions of food, accompanied by strict instructions, with a friend or neighbor. If the "pond minders" are not experienced in fish feeding, it is worth reducing the amount of each packaged portion of food by half and doubling the interval between feeds, just to be on the safe side. Overfeeding must be avoided at all costs, therefore always err on the side of caution.
