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Feeding MISTAKES 76% of the Pond Owners Make! (Solution)
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Why Are My Koi Not Eating? (With 5 Easy Solutions)
Koi fish usually stop eating due to stress, disease, or changes in the water quality and temperature. When this happens, feeding them won’t do you any good.
Source: petfishonline.com
Date Published: 5/3/2021
View: 6832
Why Are My Koi Carp Not Eating? (And How to Fix It)
During summer koi should be eating very regularly, so if they stop … Even though there isn’t much you can do to make your koi eat during …
Source: pondinformer.com
Date Published: 9/14/2021
View: 639
Why Is My Koi Not Eating And Rests At The Bottom Of The Tank
My koi is about 3-4″ long and recently stopped eating. It’ll rest at the bottom, not eat, and seems to rock … These don’t belong in an aquarium at all.
Source: www.myaquariumclub.com
Date Published: 7/8/2022
View: 7232
Thread: Koi fish not eating for weeks – Koiphen.com
He won’t starve to death. Do you have a picture of the fish you could share? What size tank and what is the water temp? Here’s a tutorial if …
Source: www.koiphen.com
Date Published: 6/21/2022
View: 7229
What Koi Fish Can And Can’t Eat And How To Feed Them
You can feed koi vegetables, fish food, fruit, and pretty much anything that … they’re full so they won’t stop eating as long as there’s food to be had.
Source: premierpond.com
Date Published: 11/22/2021
View: 2013
Koi and goldfish won’t eat | Garden Pond Forums
Remove any food that is not eaten in Five (5) minutes. If the fish are indeed nibbling on the periphyton (algae) growth on the ses of the pond …
Source: www.gardenpondforum.com
Date Published: 10/24/2021
View: 8012
How Long Can Koi Fish Go without Eating? –
I wouldn’t recommend just feeding them every two weeks as you might run into some issues – dying, attacking smaller fish, etc. It’s best to feed koi fish in …
Source: aquariumsathome.com
Date Published: 2/9/2022
View: 2711
How Long Can Koi Fish Go Without Food
If you do find yourself without food for your koi fish, remember you can improvise. Koi fish aren’t choosy about what they eat. As long as it’s soft and …
Source: koipondhq.com
Date Published: 10/11/2022
View: 9315
Koi not eating – Koi Forum UK
One of my koi is refusing to eat, all of the others rise to the … This isn’t definitive, but is a good starting point when reading how …
Source: www.koiforum.uk
Date Published: 9/25/2021
View: 912
Why Are My Koi Not Eating? (With 5 Easy Solutions)
Disclosure: If you purchase something through my affiliate links, I will receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I remember the first time I noticed something was wrong in the koi pond. Two of my favorites were swimming around although I hadn’t seen them eat. Over time I learned what can cause appetite changes in koi fish and how to resolve it.
Koi fish usually stop eating when the ambient temperature drops. As a result, the metabolic rate of the fish decreases and the fish eats less. However, koi fish also stop eating when they are not getting enough oxygen, when they have an illness, or when the water parameters are wrong.
As we continue, I would like to list five common reasons why koi fish stop eating. I will also show you some easy solutions. In short, this involves testing the water parameters with special kits and enriching the water with a quality air stone.
Why aren’t my koi eating?
Koi fish are similar to other species. You need to feed them once or twice a day, and in large quantities they can be ready in two or three minutes. But if your koi fish are refusing to eat, you need to take action because some of the factors that cause koi fish to lose their appetite are serious, including:
1. The temperature drops
If your koi fish live in a pond, which they often do, the temperature will change their eating habits. Koi fish eat a lot in the summer and spring as temperatures in these seasons range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. You can feed the koi fish twice a day. In fact, smaller koi can eat up to four times a day.
But when the temperature drops above 68 degrees, the koi’s digestive system slows down. It won’t eat as much. If the temperature drops to 50 degrees, the koi eat even less. You can still feed it twice a day but you will need to reduce the amounts as at this stage the koi need very little food to survive.
As soon as the temperature drops below 50 degrees, the koi eats two, maybe three times a week. That’s two or three times a week, not daily. At 41 degrees the koi go into hibernation. At that point, it will stop eating entirely.[1]
2. Your koi live in an ecosystem pond
Ecosystem ponds require very little maintenance. They consist of water, mechanical filters, biological filters, aquatic plants, algae, rocks, gravel, and pond animals such as frogs, turtles, birds, and fish.[2]
Ecosystem ponds are not necessarily self-sustaining. But if you configure yours properly, it can do without regular water changes and pH or temperature tests. More importantly, you can feed a koi fish in an ecosystem pond once or twice a week.[3]
That they can survive for so many days without external food sources is a good thing. Don’t take it as a sign of trouble. The koi fish are still eating regularly. In an ecosystem pond, they can survive on plants, worms, insects, and algae.
3. The koi fish are not getting enough oxygen
Lack of oxygen can affect a koi’s appetite. This applies to other animals, including humans. If you can’t breathe, you won’t eat.
In a pond, a storm can reduce the oxygen levels in the water.[4] Many aquarists respond by giving the koi fish less food because they know they don’t have enough oxygen to digest food.
4. Your koi are carrying a disease
Loss of appetite is one of the most common signs of illness in fish. Koi fish are susceptible to various diseases including anchorworm, dropsy, costia, fluke and fin rot.
Sick or stressed koi fish will gasp at the surface. They can also rub against objects. In some situations, their colors become dull. Over time, as their appetite decreases, they become inactive.
Severe injuries produce similar results. Sick or injured koi fish can hide for weeks, either popping up occasionally to feed or ignoring the food altogether.[5] Some koi fish will recover on their own. But others will get sicker until you intervene or they die.
5. The water conditions are bad for koi
If two or three koi fish have lost their appetite, you can check for signs of illness, stress, injury, or even poor nutrition. But if most or all of the koi fish have stopped eating, you should examine the water conditions.
A poorly maintained environment with the wrong parameters can adversely affect all koi fish in the water, reducing their appetite and making the creatures less active. Test the water for toxins like ammonia. Better yet, make sure the tank is cyclic. Poor water conditions can kill your entire population of koi fish.
How do you treat koi fish that have stopped eating?
If the koi fish stopped eating because it went into hibernation due to a drop in temperature, you don’t need to do anything. However, if the fish is not hibernating, you can prevent the animals from starving by taking the following measures:
1. Adjust the water parameters
These are the best water parameters for koi fish:[6]
Temperature: 74-86 degrees F (23-30 degrees Celsius)
pH of the water: 6-9.
Water hardness: 9-18 degrees dH.
Ammonia and nitrites: 0 ppm.
Nitrates: <20ppm. If your koi aren't eating, start by improving the conditions around the fish. To measure pH, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites I personally use the API Water Test Kit (link to Amazon). Within minutes, this bundle will tell you if something is wrong with your water. If the pH is too low or the ammonia is too high, I recommend more frequent water changes. You should also remove rotten residues. These make the water acidic and endanger the health of the koi. Remember that koi fish need at least 250 gallons of water. They are more likely to thrive in ponds because ponds give the fish plenty of room to explore. Two hundred and fifty gallons sounds like a lot of water, but some koi fish are so big you'll need to keep them in 1000 gallons. No one will stop you from keeping koi fish in an aquarium if you can find one of a decent size. A pond makes more sense, preferably one that is at least 6 feet deep. I also suggest adding plants like cattails, duckweed, water hyacinth, and pike to relieve stress. 2. Identify and treat sick koi fish If you suspect your koi is sick, I suggest quarantining them. This protects the healthy neighbors of the fish from infection. Once you've quarantined the sick fish, you can apply broad spectrum treatments.[7] Here is an excellent Youtube video showing some common koi fish diseases and ways to treat them: In extreme circumstances, you will need to treat the entire pond, especially when the water is infested with worms and parasites large enough to see. Thoroughly clean the pond to prevent the diseases and infections from recurring. Some people treat their pond twice a year with a wide range of antibacterial and antiparasitic treatments. If you don't have time for routine treatments, check your skimmers and filters. Are they still functional? What about the pumps? Is the water stagnant? Ask a professional to analyze your setup. Let them take a look at your hardware. You can determine if the filters and pumps are powerful enough to meet the needs of your pond. To protect old koi fish from bacteria and parasites, make sure you quarantine new fish.[8] Watch them for two to three weeks. If they haven't developed any worrisome symptoms by the end of this period, you can acclimatize them before moving the creatures to the main tank/pond. 3. Establish a routine feeding schedule I highly recommend creating a feeding routine for your koi fish. If you feed your koi fish twice a day, add food to their pond at the same time each day. This will train them to expect food in those moments. It will also teach them to eat at the same time every day, even when illness and stress are overwhelming them. Try to create a situation where your koi fish will rise to the surface when they see you. If you can get them to eat food out of your hand, like some aquarists do, you can force them to eat even if they don't have an appetite. But don't overfeed the fish. Give the koi what they can do in three minutes. Overfeeding makes them sick, although underfeeding is just as problematic. Install an automatic feeder when you are too busy to feed the fish regularly. There is nothing you can do for koi fish that go into hibernation mode. They do not need food until spring. However, before the koi fish go into hibernation, you need to reduce the amount of food you add to their water. When the koi fish hibernate with food in their stomachs, that food rots, leading to a potentially deadly bacterial infection. Once the temperatures hit 41 degrees, you can stop feeding them. Don't put any more food in the water until spring, even if the koi fish ask for it. 4. Oxygenate the water As previously mentioned, cloudy weather and strong winds can cause oxygen starvation in ponds. This can also be the case if some of your plants have died or if your pond has lost large amounts of algae. By creating aeration and bubbles, you can improve the oxygen levels in your tank in minutes. This is where I usually recommend the Pawfly Aquarium 8 Inch Air Stone (link to Amazon). It also works great in aquariums if you use one for your koi. 5. Improve food quality Some koi fish stop eating because they are bored with their meals. Others don't appreciate the quality of the feed you add to the pond. You can solve this problem by either changing brands or improving food quality. Look for brands with a high concentration of vitamins and proteins. Try to vary your food. Instead of giving them flakes and pellets every day, experiment with silkworms, mealworms, shrimp, etc. I personally recommend the Blue Ridge Floating Pellets (link to Amazon). This feed contains an excellent combination of protein, vitamins and carbohydrates. It will likely encourage your koi to eat and give them some intense, beautiful colouring. A happy koi fish in a clean, well-oxygenated environment that has plenty of good quality food will eat regularly and in healthy amounts.[9] Even if the koi fish stops eating due to injury, a clean tank with regular nutritious meals will improve the creature's recovery rate and eventually restore the koi fish's appetite. How long can koi fish go without food? In the summer, when conditions are optimal, the koi fish can survive for two weeks without food. This also applies to other pond fish. They can persist longer if their environment has alternative food sources such as algae and plants. In general, the amount of time that koi fish can go without food depends on the weather and conditions in the tank. A koi fish's digestive system fluctuates with temperature. When the temperature rises, a koi fish's metabolism increases. The fish eats two, three, four or even five times a day. But when the temperature exceeds 95 degrees, the creature stops eating because it is not used to temperatures in that range. An attempt is made to save energy. When the temperature drops, the koi fish's digestive processes slow down, reducing the amount of food they need to survive. At 40 degrees, the koi fish stop eating because they go into hibernation.[10] During this time, he can go for weeks without food. In winter, the koi fish does not eat. They cannot digest food at such low temperatures. If you found this article helpful, you might also be interested in these: Conclusions Koi fish usually stop feeding due to stress, illness, or changes in water quality and temperature. If this happens, feeding them will do you no good. Even if they eat for a few days, this food can rot in their stomach. If you set up your pond properly, you should be able to prevent your koi fish from getting sick in the first place. However, it is essential to regularly check the condition of your water quality. If cold temperatures are causing the problem, there is nothing you need to do. This is a natural process that the fish goes through towards hibernation. All you can do is see if the rest of the parameters are right and the fish is getting enough oxygen. It is also important to see if the fish is showing any signs of illness. references
Why Are My Koi Carp Not Eating? (And How to Fix It)
Why isn’t my koi eating his food? Eating Problems Fix Guide 2022
A koi that stops eating can be a worrying sign, but it’s not always something to worry about. Koi carp, like many other freshwater fish, do not have a static feeding behavior year-round and will change their feeding behavior depending on the environment. The amount of food a koi eats is actually dependent on the water temperature and you will likely find your koi eating a lot less in the spring and winter when it is colder, but in the summer when it is warmer , eats a lot of food. This is koi’s ever-changing metabolism, speeding up in warmer weather and slowing down in colder weather – eventually leading to a complete state of torpor commonly referred to as “hibernation”.
Also, koi may just get bored of their food and have nicer snacks around the pond, especially if you have lots of plants. You may also be feeling a little groggy that day and may not be interested in eating, which is normal, but if the behavior persists for more than a few days it should be investigated further. Below are some of the most common reasons why your koi may stop eating their food, with some problems being more serious than others.
Common reasons why koi stop eating:
Koi that are sick, injured, or living in poor water conditions are less likely to feed and will likely need some care and attention to correct the underlying issues. In this article, we cover numerous reasons your koi may not be eating and provide solutions to improve their happiness and appetite.
Do koi get bored of their fish food over time?
One of the most important aspects of koi husbandry is making sure you are feeding your fish the best possible nutrition to keep them healthy, strong and interested in their food. Low quality fish food generally contains a lot of ingredients that koi don’t need and not a lot of ingredients that they actually need – and it shows!
This causes problems with excessive waste accumulation, weakened fish and koi who generally eventually become bored with the food. Just like us, koi have a complex spectrum of taste buds and like to eat certain things that occur naturally in their diet; Ingredients found in high-quality animal feed. These include high protein content from aquatic sources (e.g. fishmeal), low ash content (waste/fillers) and a good vitamin and mineral profile. Make sure the food you give your koi is both tasty and nutritious to improve their eating habits and overall health!
Will a sick or injured koi stop eating?
When a koi is sick, either from bacteria, parasites or injury, they will naturally separate from the group and seek a quiet spot in the pond. During this “down time” they will try to recover and are unlikely to be interested in food or treats. Depending on the severity of the illness or injury, this can take just a few days or weeks. If you suspect a fish is sick or injured and has not fed for a few days, you should consider treating the fish for both parasites and infections and giving it a physical examination.
Losing interest in their food is one of the first signs of a bad koi. If this is happening to your fish, it could be a sign that they are feeling under the weather. Most of the time they will recover on their own, but it is often better to help them for maximum safety.
None of my koi eat anything – what should I do?
The most common reason for a group of koi to suddenly stop eating is a sudden drop in water temperature, usually in late fall or early winter. The metabolism of a koi is directly related to the water temperature, i. H. as the pond cools down, a koi’s appetite also cools down. While this process is usually gradual and koi eat less and less as winter approaches, a sudden change can also result in koi not eating for a few days as they adjust to the shock. This is normal and shouldn’t be a problem as long as they start eating again after a few days. However, as soon as the water temperature reaches around 10°C, the koi stop eating completely as their bodies are all but switched off from torpor – back to normal!
Another reason a group of koi can stop eating, and something more serious, is a sudden change in water quality. Koi are very sensitive to changes in their environment and a sudden increase or decrease can cause all sorts of stress. It’s important to keep a koi’s environment as stable as possible, and sudden (or gradual) changes can cause them to eventually stop eating altogether.
How to Improve Feeding and Solve Common Koi Eating Problems
As with so many other problems, poor water quality can cause koi to lose interest in their food over time. Koi are very sensitive animals, with sudden spikes or falls being very dangerous and stressful. Because it’s difficult to visually determine if water quality is the problem, the best way to investigate is to use a pond water test kit, which will provide results for a series of measurements. When testing water, you should pay close attention to readings for ammonia, nitrites, pH and KH, as these are the most common causes of appetite problems.
Both ammonia and nitrites are very toxic to koi and are a by-product of waste decomposition in the pond. Most of the time, the population of beneficial bacteria in your pond is sufficient to keep ammonia and nitrites in check – a process known as the nitrogen cycle. However, sometimes there can be a sudden increase in these substances, or even a gradual increase over time where beneficial bacteria are unable to keep up with the breakdown. In such cases, and if your tests come back with moderately high ammonia levels, you should work to lower them before your fish get sicker.
Along with ammonia and nitrites, both pH and KH are important readings that need to be kept within certain parameters. Rapid changes in pH are lethal for koi, and changes in KH can affect pH as it acts as a natural buffer in the water. Water with a high or low pH or changing KH can cause koi to become stressed and ill, causing them to lose interest in food. For more information on testing water and improving its quality, see our dedicated articles below:
If you suspect your koi are getting a little bored with the food, you can try switching to a different brand or better quality food. Koi can be picky, just like us, so they might just need a taste change to start eating again!
In terms of nutrition, we recommend a protein-rich feed (35-40%), with the protein coming mainly from aquatic sources. Cheaper quality foods contain protein from plant sources like wheat and corn, but this is not ideal for koi carp. A more ideal source would be fish meal, krill meal, or anchovy meal — all water-based protein sources that koi prefer in their diet.
In addition to the protein source and percentage, a must for healthy fish and a healthy pond is to ensure the feed is low in waste (ash) and high in vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, B, C and D are all important for a koi’s immune system and health, with vitamin C being particularly beneficial. The fat content should be kept at around 3-10%, with a higher level being better for younger koi or for packing some weight for the winter.
In addition to a new food, you can also feed your koi a variety of natural and healthy treats, such as silkworms, mealworms, and other insects. These are very high in fat so don’t overfeed, but your fish will almost certainly love them in small doses!
As food we recommend Hikari Gold Koi Food as it is high in fishmeal protein and has an excellent nutritional profile. As a treat, we recommend Hikari’s Silkworms, which offer a high fat content and added shine, helping to stimulate the koi’s interest in their food.
A sick or injured koi is much less likely to eat than a healthy koi, and it can sometimes be difficult to know what exactly is wrong (if anything). Fish can get sick from common parasites or infections and also get injured around the pond or from predators. Unless you treat your koi regularly and know what you are looking for, you are unlikely to know for sure if parasites or injury are the main cause.
That being said, most parasites and infections are easy to treat, so it’s often best to apply treatments when you notice signs, just to be safe. Some common signs of parasites or injuries to look out for are: 1) sluggish movement, 2) not eating, 3) loss of color, 4) visible wounds or injuries, 5) hiding from the group.
Even if you’re not sure of the exact cause, often the best course of action is to simply treat the pond with a wide range of parasite and injury treatments to ensure you have everything covered. Most koi keepers choose to do this at least twice a year anyway; usually in early spring and late autumn. This gives koi a strong start to the year and a much safer hibernation/topping period so they are not at risk of parasites or infection. For parasites we recommend Aqua Meds’ Prazi treatment and for injury/infection healing we recommend API Pond’s MelaFix treatment.
Along with treating these issues, you should also try to reduce the risk of them occurring in the future. Injuries are often caused by predators, and parasites are sometimes brought by pests such as ducks. For more information, see our dedicated articles below:
One final reason koi stop eating, and one that often worries new koi keepers, is to prepare for winter. If you don’t understand how torpor works, it can come as quite a shock when your fish stop eating when the weather gets colder; but fortunately this is completely normal! Most pond fish slow down their feeding in the fall and stop feeding completely when the water temperature reaches 10°C. During this time, koi will slow down and be able to survive on their fat reserves gained from summer feeding. While there’s not much you can do to get your koi to eat in the winter (they really don’t have to!), there are still things you can do to make winter more comfortable for them and increase their hibernation. These include:
All of the above points will help winterize a koi pond and make it safer and more comfortable, even during the harshest of winters. If your pond freezes over, adding a de-icer to remove harmful gases is almost essential, and providing supplemental oxygen via a dedicated air pump is also highly recommended. Feeding koi a good quality food in the summer will ensure they have plenty of fat stores to be happy in the winter and removing as much waste as possible will keep ammonia and nitrites low all season.
Even if these don’t get your koi to eat in the winter, it will improve their condition in the spring and speed up their ‘waking up’ period so they start eating faster in the new year! For detailed instructions on caring for your pond in the winter, check out our guide to it here.
Why is my Koi not eating and rests at the bottom of the tank
The secret of an unhealthy koi is the size of the tank. These don’t belong in an aquarium at all. Where you could get away with a Comet in a 75 gallon, no tank will fit in a Koi. It’s just a pond fish. 1000 girls. 😲
So your problem is probably related to the water quality. Test the water. What are the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? What size is the tank?
Not knowing anything at the moment I would say do an immediate 50% water change, use a good conditioner and see if it picks up a bit.
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