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Koi Pond Water Garden

Food of Koi Fish

The food of Koi fish is rather interesting given the fact that these fish tend to eat a variety of things. From live foods to those that you may not think they would eat, these fish like nearly anything that they can get.

There is a good reason why many people refer to Koi as “water pigs.” Not only do they love to borrow deep into the mud, they also eat up to eight times per day. When it comes to the food of Koi fish, there are a few things to take into consideration. These fish love live foods, so many owners tend to feed them lots of live treats. While live foods can be a good idea, it is best to supplement the live foods with some type of fish food.


Koi love to eat cockles, worms, and prawns. Additionally, tadpoles and pupae are a lot of fun for these fish, though they should not be given too many tadpoles or pupae. Small Koi like to eat mosquito larva, though larger fish do not have much use for them. One live food to be avoided is maggots, since they can be harmful to your fish due to bacteria that they can cause. In addition to these live foods, Koi tend to eat a lot of table scraps.

Many owners are delighted when they discover that their Koi will eat bread, lettuce, and other table scraps. While brown bread is good for your fish, white should be avoided. Also, lettuce, duckweed, and any other type of green can be a good idea when it is combined with other foods. You will also find a lot of fish food specific for this species in many pet stores, so stock up on this if you wish to provide your fish with an all around balanced diet. As you can see, the food of Koi fish is really quite different from that of other fish.



Remember to keep your fish healthy by giving them a balanced diet that contains live food, table scraps, and fish food. This way, your fish will have all the nutrients that they need without any complications.

Make a habit out of feeding your fish at least six times per day, but do not overfeed them as this will cause ammonia levels within the water to elevate. The food of Koi fish can be tricky, but once you get the hang of feeding them they’re a lot of fun to be around.

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