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Thread: Feeding in winter
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05-02-2019, 11:12 AM #1
Feeding in winter
Hi, I have an unheated 2000 gal pond and I was told years ago to stop feeding completely when the water temperature drops below 10 C.
I have wheatgerm pellets but have not been feeding since early Dec. Looking on here I can see so of you still feeding at temperatures down to say 5 C, what is the truth ?
I have then covered with polycarb and the water is 6 C can someone please advise.
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05-02-2019, 12:41 PM #2
My thoughts on winter feeding are here:
Winter feeding
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05-02-2019, 05:31 PM #3
my feeling is that wild carp will still feed at low temperatures, albeit with much less gusto, so why wouldn't ours want to eat.
I also feel happier knowing their consuming something and their digestive systems are working, for me no food automatically means weaker, and koi in cold water are weak enough.
Im of the opinion that if they will take it, then give it to them, just be aware of water temps, their reduced appetites and stick to wheatgerm.
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Ajm Thanked / Liked this Post
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05-02-2019, 08:52 PM #4
Even when water temps were a tad under 4C my smaller Koi were looking for food but I resisted. Bigger Koi were huddled on the bottom.
Done a partial water change on Sunday which brought temp up to 6C and it was still holding 6C this morning so seeing as they've not eaten for over a fortnight I put some Hikari All Season pellets in and they were gone a few minutes later.
I'll probably give one small feeding every day now when water temp is 6C or above, but if air temps are forecast to go back towards freezing I'll stop feeding a day or 2 in advance.
Worth keeping an eye on water parameters if you're thinking of feeding daily due to the extra ammonia production.
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Ajm Thanked / Liked this Post
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07-02-2019, 11:43 AM #5
Thanks for your impute, I will start giving then some wheatgerm pellets
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21-02-2019, 03:31 PM #6
Want to add something to this.
Since the weather started warming around a Week ago I've been feeding more heavily, once to twice a day even though the pond hasn't heated at the same rate as air temps, 6C last Week gradually warming to 8C today.
Yesterday I noticed a few pieces of white stringy poo floating around but ignored it and fed again.
Today there was some more stringy white poo, and my (normally very greedy) Shiro didn't eat any food, but otherwise looks ok.
At the moment I think it looks like I've fed too much too soon and there might be digestion issues. (The alternative is bacterial infection but I hope it isn't that).
Just something to consider as I guess others are ramping up feeding on these warmer days.
I'm feeding Saki Hikari All Season, the packaging for which isn't clear on feeding temps with one section saying "Designed for feeding above 12C" and the next section saying to "Regulate feeding between 5C and 12C" based on pond conditions.
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Ajm Thanked / Liked this Post
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23-02-2019, 08:38 PM #74600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
2 x 18,000 lh pumps
Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
Idealseal MS290
My Pond Build
The Daily pond temp thread
Still at around 17C, know what you mean about getting the covers off though :D it will be really...