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  • Results 1 to 11 of 11

    Thread: Temperatures Rising-do I go back to feeding?

    1. #1
      bearbird is offline Junior Member
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      Temperatures Rising-do I go back to feeding?

      Would like to know opinions on starting to feed koi again. I am in Georgia and had stopped feeding the koi when the water temperatures dropped below 50. That lasted a few weeks. Last week our temperatures have risen daily into the 60's and water temp has also risen. The forecast for the next 10 days is almost 70 with night temps only as low as the 60's. The koi are active and looking for food. I know they say once you stop feeding, don't feed again to spring but at the same time I am concerned that once the temps do actually go down and stay down (could be as long as another 2 weeks) they will not have the bulk they need for the 'actual' winter. To feed or not to feed?

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      trapper is offline Senior Member
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      I'll usually throw em a few tid bits during a warm spell if they act like they'll eat. I run my system all winter because it usually doesn't get much below 20-25 degrees and because of the fact that I will feed a little if they act hungry..

    3. #3
      icu2's Avatar
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      Rare warm spells here might make them a little more interested but I normally keep tossing
      in at most a teaspoon of small pellets every few days just to keep them up and looking all year long,
      so I don't change from that even when it warms a bit during winter.
      --Steve



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    4. #4
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      Under 50* I feed wheat germ every few days all winter long. We will be in the 70's & high 60's for the next week. My water temp. is 57.6*. I will feed them regular food every few days as long as it is staying warm outside. I will watch the weather and about three days before it gets cold, I will go back to wheat germ food.
      Nancy



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    5. #5
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      I've been feeding 1x a day most of our short winter as long as water temp is above 50. Coldest water temp we got was 38 degrees I stop feeding only for a few days. Cant wait until jan 19th foward air temp will start rising above 60 degrees and warning up back to feeding again 74-77 degrees?

      When do you guys bust out your autofeeder?
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    6. #6
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      Use sinking...whatever. Not much. Koi are the buzzard of fishdom. Their ancestors will "browse" in serious cold water SLOWLY
      The gut system still needs to move. SLOWLY
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    7. #7
      icu2's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Blammo View Post
      Use sinking...whatever. Not much. Koi are the buzzard of fishdom. Their ancestors will "browse" in serious cold water SLOWLY
      The gut system still needs to move. SLOWLY
      Great to see you posting Blammo!
      --Steve



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      gray cat's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Blammo View Post
      Use sinking...whatever. Not much. Koi are the buzzard of fishdom. Their ancestors will "browse" in serious cold water SLOWLY
      The gut system still needs to move. SLOWLY
      Hope you are doing well Doug.
      Nancy



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    9. #9
      ricshaw is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by bearbird View Post
      Temperatures Rising-do I go back to feeding?
      Yes, a little, for your biological filter sake.

    10. #10
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      It is not just a matter of water temp. For my koi pond on the north side of ATL I put the cover over the pond on New Years Day and stop feeding for a week. Depending on water temp and weather forecast, I feed once a week until the first week of March. Usually I step of the feeding in early March and remove the cover by mid March (last day statistically we will have freezing temps). As the water temps rise, so does the quantity and frequency of feeding. That has worked for our pond for the past 15+ years.

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    11. #11
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      Quote Originally Posted by MCAsan View Post
      It is not just a matter of water temp. For my koi pond on the north side of ATL I put the cover over the pond on New Years Day and stop feeding for a week. Depending on water temp and weather forecast, I feed once a week until the first week of March. Usually I step of the feeding in early March and remove the cover by mid March (last day statistically we will have freezing temps). As the water temps rise, so does the quantity and frequency of feeding. That has worked for our pond for the past 15+ years.
      These temps have been so weird here lately, I didn't bother covering my Intex pool this year like I had done about two years ago or so. For instance, we're supposed to have a high of 70 - 72 degrees today I've been feeding about a tablespoon or so of sinking food maybe 3x - 4x per week and my gals have been fairly active. The few little ones I have in my QT are the ones I have to watch the most for - they stay huddled up on the bottom (partly because I still spook them) but do forage once the pellets hit the floor and I'm back inside.

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