at what water temp should i start changing from high protein to a wheat feed and should i change all at once or mix them and what would be the mix ratio
at what water temp should i start changing from high protein to a wheat feed and should i change all at once or mix them and what would be the mix ratio
Welcome Dolfdog and thanks for joining Koiphen
I don't think there is a need to change the food type, just the amount you are feeding.
From what I've heard here and seen from my fish as the temps get cooler they'll show less interest in eating. I
just feed the same food as I do in the summer but let the fish tell me how much they want to eat. If you
already have the wheat germ food I'd mix it 50/50 as they show less interest and the temps drop below 60*,
but I don't buy anything special for fall and early spring when the temps are lower.
You do need to change the food type. Use this chart:
About the only change I make in my feeding routine is switching to a multi-season, 32% - 38% protein mix from spring - summer to discourage egg production in my females (in case I overfeed ) , and then switch over to a mix of 42% - 45% growth food as temps fall in late summer and early fall to maximize growth potential. I then either use a low protein wheat germ food or simply switch back to the same multi-season mix for the winter.
The reason I do this is based on water temperatures, oxygen levels and filtration efficiency. I've read that water quality is impacted more in higher temps when feeding heavy or high protein, less oxygen is present in hot water and nitrifying bacteria are less efficient in water temps in the mid to upper 80's than at low to high 70's. I essentially feed what my filtration & maintenance routine can handle during each season.