There are a lot of goldfish owners out here that feed their fish breadcrumbs. This has been a popular thing to do for many years. If you own koi fish, you may be wondering whether they are able to enjoy a tasty snack of breadcrumbs too.
So, can Koi eat bread? It is best not to feed your koi bread. Carbohydrates like bread are hard for them to digest and they are not a healthy option of food. It is best to stick to fruit, vegetables, and meats as treats for koi. They’ll enjoy them and are good for their health too.
So, let’s take a closer look at why bread isn’t’ good for koi and what a good diet consists of.
Foods not to Feed to Your Koi
One of the favourite moments for koi owners is feeding time. They swim to the surface for their daily feeding and you can admire their beautiful colors in their pond. The thing is, most koi fish will eat anything.
This means that you can feed them anything and they will at least try it. So, anything that is dropped into their pond they will be curious about and come and investigate. But this is not always a good thing.
The Problem with Bread and Other Snacks
There are some foods that you should avoid feeding your koi altogether because they are not good for their health. This can be down to the size, hardness or general healthiness of the food. For example, snacks that are high in carbohydrates should not be feed to koi.
This includes bread, as well as peas and corn. In particular, white bread is very hard for koi to digest and over time, this can lead to health problems. This is the last thing you want for your koi.
Starchy foods can even lead to blockages in the digestive system. It is best to avoid these types of human foods.
You should also avoid giving your koi any wild fish that you have caught yourself. While you would think that this would be a healthy option for koi fish, there is the chance that the wild fish and insects could have parasites.
This can infect your pond and even make your koi sick. There are lots of pet stores that allow you to buy wild fish and insects that will be safe for your koi.
A lot of people wonder whether you can feed koi cat or dog food. After all, they are all pets. But it is best not to do this. There are often a lot of animal fats and dairy products in pet food.
These are substances that koi fish cannot digest. While a one-off snack will not harm them, it is best to avoid cat and dog food altogether to ensure the health of your koi. Over time, this type of food can mean they lack the nutrients they need for good health.
In addition, problems can develop concerning their liver, underdevelopment and even the growth of fatty tumors.
Foods Your Koi Will Enjoy
A lot of koi fish are adventurous when it comes to food. This is a good thing because it means you can introduce new and exciting snacks for them to try. But always remember everything in moderation.
You do not want to overfeed your koi fish. Here are some healthy foods your koi can enjoy.
Fruit
A healthy treat that you can give koi is fruit. This can be a nutritious food that they can enjoy since it can help to relieve stress, as well as boost their immune system to keep them healthy. Some fruits that they will enjoy include:
- Grapes
- Orange slices
- Watermelon
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- grapefruits
Remember that it may take your koi a while to work out that it is food. They may be apprehensive to try it at first. But when they get the courage to try fruit, most koi love it. Fruits are full of good vitamins that will keep them healthy.
Remember to chop up any fruit that you have into small edible pieces. For example, apples can be difficult to eat because of the skin. Consider chopping it up into small pieces and removing the skin. In addition, remove any seeds too.
Vegetables
Believe it or not, koi will also enjoy eating greens. There are many vegetables you can try out with your koi as a tasty treat. This includes broccoli and lettuce. You can even feed your koi garlic!
Vegetables can be a healthy snack for your koi so you can feel good about feeding them it during the day.
Some vegetables may be tough for koi to eat. For example, broccoli is best when it is cooked beforehand. This helps to soften it to make it easy to eat.
Live Meats
It is best for koi fish to have a diet that is high in protein. You can provide them with the protein they need to stay healthy by purchasing live meats. This can include:
- shrimp
- worms
- crayfish
- bloodworms
- silkworms
- crickets
Generally, it is anything that they would find in their natural environment. This is going to be nutritious for them and the koi will love it as a snack. You can feed them meat when it is alive for some excitement, as they will chase the meat.
But you can also feed meats to your koi that are frozen sometimes too. Again, just make sure that you do not catch the meat yourself or take them from the while. You do not know what bacteria or viruses they may be carrying. The last thing you want is to harm your koi fish.
How to Feed Koi Fish
You can feed your koi several times per day. We would say up to four times depending on many there are and feed them small amounts for around five minutes. It is best not to feed your koi fish before a storm comes.
When the rain falls on the pond, this means that oxygen levels are lower and they need oxygen when they are digesting their food.
For mealtimes, it is best to feed your koi fish special koi food. That can be flakes or pellets. This is available from your local pet store. This is going to offer them everything they need. Then you can supplement their diet with the healthy snacks we have discussed.
Remember, koi fish will also eat what they find in the pond, such as algae and any bugs that all in.
We also recommend reading our huge Koi Feeding Guide here!
Feeding Your Koi by Hand
A lot of koi fish owners want to feed their koi by hand. This is something that can be possible if you are patient and gentle. They will need to learn that you are not going to harm them and you are not a threat.
You can sit by your pond and feed them so that they know you are a source of food. They will learn that you are going to feed them when you walk over to the pond. Slowly, you can try to feed them by hand.
Make sure that you are gentle at all times with the koi and avoid sudden movements that may startle them. It can take time. So, make sure you are patient.