Saki hikari r range, growth and color ( mix) 

my fish are light eaters so I can afford (for now) to feed them the “best” 

@daoudk for how long does one feed the growth range?  Is that not the same as feeding puppy food to young and then switching to something else as they mature?

Hikari , grow 50% , wheargerm 20% colour 30%. And 10days a month i substitute one feed a day with balance R. 
winter : wheatgerm and Balance 70:30 

temps below 10 : wheatgerm only every other day .

@k-is-for-koi,

Good question. I suppose you can continue to feed them Growth but realy once they have reached their growth potential, IE stopped growing for a long period, then one can maybe rather change to balance or color i would think.

One thing those that feed Hikari is that you dont need to feed the same amount of Hikari as what you would feeding other koi food.

One thing we dont want to see is FAT fish. They become a health risk to themselves. 

The great myths of koi food is to change the feed from season to season and that as koi mature they need less protein.

The information in the koi industry is usually from feeding carp and the nutritional values given are always based on the minimum amount needed.

Koi are different from carp in that their body shape, colour (red white and black), skin quality and lustre are very important. Whereas in carp growth with a bot belly and no consideration for the skin and colour as quickly as possible for sale into the food market.

Every day a koi is alive from birth till it dies it is shedding cells. A natural part of life for all animals. And within a few years virtually ever cell in the body is replaced. What do you need for that - protein - and energy and carotene. But number 1 is protein.

A koi's metabolism does not change from summer to winter. The bodies needs become less and less as temperature reduce it still needs the same nutrition but only less and less as water temperatures fall. A koi's diet does not change in a mud pond.

When water temperatures are below about 8 - 10 C their bodies need very little food. But - they still need some as they need energy for breathing and energy for their heart to beat and protein to replace the cells they shed.

Therefore, using the same feed throughout the year is a good idea. Reducing frequency and quantity in cooler months is a good idea.

Chris

Just a follow up on the above article. Areas such as the cells in the intestines die off and are replaced every week or so. red and white blood cells die off and are replaced every few months. the cells in the skeleton are replaced at a rate of about 10% a year. Skin cells are replaced every 20 - 30 days. And remember how important skin lustre and colour are in koi. All this is over and above the growth of the koi.

Chris

@daoudk New food on the market Aquagem Made locally and developed by graduates. This koi food is extremely well balanced.