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    Thread: Sinking Koi Pellets

    1. #1
      Wolfhound's Avatar
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      Sinking Koi Pellets

      Does anyone know of a decent quality sinking pellet that isn't too expensive? I need sinking pellets to feed my catfish and other bottom feeders but the sinking catfish pellets they sell at the feed store are such low quality I don't want to use them.

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      I sell Kenzen 7mm sinking for $75 for the 10 lb bag. This is what I feed my fish.

    3. #3
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      Koi are bottom feeders just like the catfish. Both train nicely to be top feeders. I had catfish in my koi (pond????) when I started out, getting them to eat the crap from the bottom, but nothing eats crap. The catfish were eating from my hand, before some of the koi would hand feed.
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      Quote Originally Posted by birdman View Post
      I sell Kenzen 7mm sinking for $75 for the 10 lb bag. This is what I feed my fish.
      Thanks. Looks like a good quality food. I was hoping to find something decent in the $3-4/lb range. It's cheaper than the tropical pellets I've been buying so I will keep it in mind.

    5. #5
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      I know there have got to be/are other sinking pellets on market… regardless of wether or not catfish can be trained to top feed, which they can… does anybody have any experience with a more affordable/High quality sinking pellet?

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      Quote Originally Posted by RichToyBox View Post
      Koi are bottom feeders just like the catfish. Both train nicely to be top feeders. I had catfish in my koi (pond????) when I started out, getting them to eat the crap from the bottom, but nothing eats crap. The catfish were eating from my hand, before some of the koi would hand feed.
      Most of my cats have learned to feed off the surface but I have some that I'm growing out (ripsaw and giraffe catfish) that are strictly bottom feeders. I've tried training them to floating pellets but even in an aquarium they just swim around in circles without ever thinking to look up.

    7. #7
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      Here's a pic (not mine) of a giraffe and ripsaw cat. You can see their mouths aren't designed to do anything except feed off the bottom.


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      I buy a lot of my tropical fish food from kensfish.com

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      Quote Originally Posted by Wolfhound View Post
      Does anyone know of a decent quality sinking pellet that isn't too expensive? I need sinking pellets to feed my catfish and other bottom feeders but the sinking catfish pellets they sell at the feed store are such low quality I don't want to use them.
      Hikari sells a sinking (32% protein) wheat-germ based food
      Saki-hikari sells a sinking (40% protein) version of their Hi-growth food
      Dainichi sells a sinking (42% protein) version of their 'premium' food
      Mizuho sells a sinking (48% protein) food
      Kenzen sells a sinking (49% protein) food
      Microbe-lift sells a sinking (36% protein) food
      Tomigai sells a sinking (50% protein) spirulina (color) food
      Tomigai sells a sinking (50% protein) wheat-germ based food

      I'm sure there are more options, yet. That ought to get you started. Prices are what they are - sometimes you find good deals, sometimes you pay retail.

      -t

    10. #10
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      Any experience with any of the previous listed or is it the exact same thing as the floating just a sinking version?

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    11. #11
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      Quote Originally Posted by webted View Post
      Hikari sells a sinking (32% protein) wheat-germ based food
      Saki-hikari sells a sinking (40% protein) version of their Hi-growth food
      Dainichi sells a sinking (42% protein) version of their 'premium' food
      Mizuho sells a sinking (48% protein) food
      Kenzen sells a sinking (49% protein) food
      Microbe-lift sells a sinking (36% protein) food
      Tomigai sells a sinking (50% protein) spirulina (color) food
      Tomigai sells a sinking (50% protein) wheat-germ based food

      I'm sure there are more options, yet. That ought to get you started. Prices are what they are - sometimes you find good deals, sometimes you pay retail.

      -t
      Thanks. I tried the microb-lift...it doesn't sink.

      I found Jehmco has HBH Super Cichlid sinking pellet for a little over $5/lb. I'll probably give those a try. Seems decent...

      HBH SUPER CICHLID SINKERS:
      A large 1/4” + extruded sinking pellet for larger omnivorous fish.
      Main Ingredients: Fish Meal, Soy Flour, Krill Meal, Shrimp Meal, Potato Flour, Fish Oil, Wheat Germ, Wheat Gluten, Bentonite, Squid Meal, Beet Powder, Brewers Dried Yeast, Glycerin, Spirulina Algae, Carrot Powder, Red Pepper Powder, Glucono-delta-lactone, Citric Acid (preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Rosemary Extract, Canthaxanthin with Vitamins and Minerals added.
      Guaranteed Analysis: Protein >45%; Fat >12%; Fiber < 3.5%; Moisture <10%

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      Quote Originally Posted by Redman8102 View Post
      Any experience with any of the previous listed or is it the exact same thing as the floating just a sinking version?
      Hi:

      To be completely up front: I think most of the claims about koi food nutrition are BS. Despite billions of test subjects, years of research, and a clearly vested interest, we only have the most modest consensus on human dietary needs.

      That said, I find that my own koi, when presented a mix of floating and sinking foods, always eat the sinking food first. After it's gone, they eat the floating food. I have used four of the foods on that list (plus one not listed) and seen this same response.

      -t

    13. #13
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      Quote Originally Posted by webted View Post
      That said, I find that my own koi, when presented a mix of floating and sinking foods, always eat the sinking food first. After it's gone, they eat the floating food. I have used four of the foods on that list (plus one not listed) and seen this same response.

      -t
      Mine do the same. I tried putting in floating pellets first to distract the koi so the bottom feeders could get the more expensive sinking food but the koi forget about the floating food and head straight to the bottom as soon as I toss in the sinking food.

    14. #14
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      Hi Wolfhound,

      How many catfish are you feeding?
      How big are they?

      Matt

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      Quote Originally Posted by Wolfhound View Post
      Thanks. I tried the microb-lift...it doesn't sink.

      I found Jehmco has HBH Super Cichlid sinking pellet for a little over $5/lb. I'll probably give those a try. Seems decent...

      HBH SUPER CICHLID SINKERS:
      A large 1/4” + extruded sinking pellet for larger omnivorous fish.
      Main Ingredients: Fish Meal, Soy Flour, Krill Meal, Shrimp Meal, Potato Flour, Fish Oil, Wheat Germ, Wheat Gluten, Bentonite, Squid Meal, Beet Powder, Brewers Dried Yeast, Glycerin, Spirulina Algae, Carrot Powder, Red Pepper Powder, Glucono-delta-lactone, Citric Acid (preservative), Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Rosemary Extract, Canthaxanthin with Vitamins and Minerals added.
      Guaranteed Analysis: Protein >45%; Fat >12%; Fiber < 3.5%; Moisture <10%
      I stopped using HBH brand of fish food after their recall of a bunch of their products a few years ago.

    16. #16
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      I have been looking for a good quality sinking wheat germ also. I have used Hikari in the past, but it is very expensive. The cheapest I've found
      it is WebbsOnline.com. $79.45 for 11 lbs. (free shipping) I usually only use it in the Spring. Sure wish someone made one that wasn't so costly


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    17. #17
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      I was just informed yesterday that the price of FD sinking pellet food has dropped considerably. Last year's price was $320 for 44 lbs. This year the price will be $260. That's only $5.09/lb for what I've found to be a very high quality product. I used a 8lb sample this last year during late Spring and fed it over a 2 week period. I was really surprised that, in that short amount of time, I noticed a difference in the muscle tone/body shape of several of my fish. I don't usually tout any particular food product, but this one I plan to buy and use this year feeding it once/day along with multiple feedings from an auto feeder using OSI168 growth. I had been using the Saki Hikari and paying around $250 for 33lbs, so this will be a great savings for the amount of food I use.
      Mike

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    18. #18
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      Quote Originally Posted by mtsklar View Post
      Hi Wolfhound,

      How many catfish are you feeding?
      How big are they?

      Matt
      In the pond I have an albino channel, 2 redtail cats, and a tiger shovelnose hybrid. Pics here...
      https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...ats&highlight=

      I'm growing out 2 ripsaws, a giraffe cat, and 2 tiger shovelnose. I plan on getting a couple more redtail cats also.

    19. #19
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      Quote Originally Posted by koiman1950 View Post
      I was just informed yesterday that the price of FD sinking pellet food has dropped considerably. Last year's price was $320 for 44 lbs. This year the price will be $260. That's only $5.09/lb for what I've found to be a very high quality product. I used a 8lb sample this last year during late Spring and fed it over a 2 week period. I was really surprised that, in that short amount of time, I noticed a difference in the muscle tone/body shape of several of my fish. I don't usually tout any particular food product, but this one I plan to buy and use this year feeding it once/day along with multiple feedings from an auto feeder using OSI168 growth. I had been using the Saki Hikari and paying around $250 for 33lbs, so this will be a great savings for the amount of food I use.
      Mike, I found that feeding sinking food last summer my herd did not have large bellies and the best thing was they finished 16 ounces of food in less than 5 minutes vs 20 to 25 or sometimes 40 minutes for foating food.

    20. #20
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      What does the FD stand for? I looked it up and got stuff about Dainichi, is it a special formula?

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