Cheerios

[Koidaddy]

Do I have to wait until water temps are above 50 F. to feed Cheerios??? They're supposed to be easier to digest??

Chris
!dude

[flywheel]

That's what I've done in the past. The Cheerios are low in protein, the higher protein food kind of goes bad in their digestive tract since it's not up to full power yet. I feed nothing below 50, one feeding per day of Cheerios until water hits 60 and then switch to regular food. It wouldn't hurt to mix the 2 to make the switch easier and reverse the process in the fall. I know there are low protein foods available but I've had good luck with the O's. What does everyone else feed? I suppose if you have show fish you'd go with Wheaties? !rofl
Ron

[Terri]

We prefer to feed co-co puffs .... NOT!! :-?


Keep the cheerios for the kids breakfast... you don't feed a hungry man styrofoam do ya? !bonk

Oranges, melons, shirmp, etc and any koi food with a low protien count would be 100% better than CHEERIOS! Small feedings, baby steps....

[Jackie Ramo]

I agree with Terri. I feed worms, slugs, shrimp, brocoli, kale, melon, oranges, watermelon etc.

Do not feed worms or slugs if you use any type of pesticide or herbicide in the garden, fish are very sensitive to this and no spraying anything near the pond!

[Ahhuhz]

Mine are on Cheerios too. Water is in the mid 50's. By the way,
Impact Sho Koi food recommends using Cheerios for the first few days of feeding. Works for me.

[Louis]

i use whole-wheat cheerios

[Jackie Ramo]

!rofl Mine prefer shrimp

[Graham]

There's nothing wrong with feeding a lower protien regular pellet, say in the 302% protein range, once the water stays above 50* or so. The fish is quite capable of digesting any of the regular pellets.

As everyone else has stated keep the sugar/carbs for the kids

G

[flywheel]

I'm sure there are better things to feed them than the O's and I will switch to those also, besides I could never figure out when to pour the milk on them before or after putting them in the pond.;)
Ron

[Jackie Ramo]

!rofl Of course I went grocery shopping today and bought all kinds of tastey treats for the babies only to find the temps have dropped and they are all on the bottom not hungry in the least... Still when we warm up again there will be watermelon, cantalope, shrimp and fake crab for those not so little darlings. Hubby wants to know if I bought anything for him...

[Mudsow]

Don't try to tell Cheerio (my avatar fish) that cheerios are off the menu, she WON'T be happy.
That's the only way I can get photos. !rofl

Mudsow

[flywheel]

Jackie, how small of pieces should you feed? My koi are relatively small yet. The largest ones are 18 inches, the smallest are fingerlings.
Ron

[flywheel]

Sorry, tha largest are 12 inches not 18. I wish they grew that fast.

[Jackie Ramo]

Oranges and melons are normally sliced and tossed into the pond. Shrimp are hand fed and I usually break them into bite size bits or buy the small salad shrimp. Many will tie an entire romain to side of the pond and the fish just come and bite it. Each fish is different and not all fish like the same things, even pellets.

[Koidaddy]

!rofl Of course I went grocery shopping today and bought all kinds of tastey treats for the babies only to find the temps have dropped and they are all on the bottom not hungry in the least... Still when we warm up again there will be watermelon, cantalope, shrimp and fake crab for those not so little darlings. Hubby wants to know if I bought anything for him...

Jackie,
What size of shrimp? ... frozen or fresh? and that crab, do you mean those little tins beside the cans of tuna??? and speaking of tuna, will they eat that??

Chris
:frisbee:
questions...qustions...questions

[Jackie Ramo]

I got a shrimp ring on sale for under 3.00 and its the packaged fake crab meat that is really pollock or some other sort of fish. I'm sure the little darlings with eat just about anything, including pizza and donuts, but I'm not sure that is good for them.

[Mudsow]

Shrimp can either be fresh or frozen. I prefer cocktail shrimp, it's a bit cheaper and I don't have to cut it up, they can eat it whole.

The fake crab is usually (in my store anyway) over by the packaged steaks/meats. It's tecnically "imitation crab meat" it comes in flake style, chunk style or leg style. I prefer flakes or chunks, but will buy whatever is buy one get one free :wink:

Mudsow

[Jackie Ramo]

If you have a local Asian market you can buy small dried shrimp they use for soups. Very cheap, easy to store and the fish love them.

Mine entertained my guest tonight by nibbling my fingers but were well behaved and didn't splash when they found out no shrimp.

[Louis]

look for frozen krill, at pet stores..
they can smell it 18' away..
this is great to get the fish to eat out of your hand..

[luke frisbee]

or you can get shrimp heads...you eat the tail they get what they think is the best part. (and they are right since YOU are eating the large intestine and anus) :lol: