Paprika powder as addition to feed to enhance color?

[Andrew Go]

I have seen a few articles lately that exhort paprika powder as addition to fish feed to enhance the red color in koi and other fishes. Has anyone used paprika powder as addition to feed to enhance red color? What is your experience in using it? How many % is the ratio of the feed that you add the paprika powder?

Thank you so much.

[Orlando]

Back in 2018 I did dabble with paprika and did noticed that the red's did improve after a 6 week period but to me it was just an experiment back then I was still showing koi. I do have to say this working with color enhancing food's it's not just dump color food in and go the color food has to be adjusted every week, 3 weeks up and 3 weeks down. No color food to Shiro Utsuri and Yamabuki.

[Andrew Go]

Thank you so much. That is what I thought from the article that I read. However, from your experience, can you give me a rough point to start with? You see, I usually never add ANYTHING more than 5 gram per kg of feed. At the same time, the technical research papers I read on the use of paprika powder on koi and other fish or marine animals used as high as 60 gram/kg of feed! That is an order of magnitude higher! The point is, I also read from other koi experts that too much color enhancers can ruin the white color as well as ruining the pattern by adding new ungainly and unwanted spots. I do not know where to start my own "experiment" without ruining my beloved kois. So, if you have any suggestion of a ratio as a rough starting point, I would really appreciate it.

[Orlando]

Thank you so much. That is what I thought from the article that I read. However, from your experience, can you give me a rough point to start with? You see, I usually never add ANYTHING more than 5 gram per kg of feed. At the same time, the technical research papers I read on the use of paprika powder on koi and other fish or marine animals used as high as 60 gram/kg of feed! That is an order of magnitude higher! The point is, I also read from other koi experts that too much color enhancers can ruin the white color as well as ruining the pattern by adding new ungainly and unwanted spots. I do not know where to start my own "experiment" without ruining my beloved kois. So, if you have any suggestion of a ratio as a rough starting point, I would really appreciate it.

I look at the amount of food am going too feed and in a cup of pond water I dissolve a pinch of paprika mix it till it dissolves then add the food stir it well and add the food let it sit for about 5min so the food can absorb the mixture and feed. Never bothered to weigh the paprika where the measurements come into play is how much of food that's color has been added will be fed, first week 30% food with color 70% food without color, second week 60% food with color 40% food without color, 3rd week 100% food with color and then reverse same percentage but in reverse, hope this helps.

[BWG]

Paprika added to the surface most likely has less effect than food processed with it. Watch to see if a substantial amount leaves when the pellets enter the water and if your method needs adjusted.

[Andrew Go]

I look at the amount of food am going too feed and in a cup of pond water I dissolve a pinch of paprika mix it till it dissolves then add the food stir it well and add the food let it sit for about 5min so the food can absorb the mixture and feed. Never bothered to weigh the paprika where the measurements come into play is how much of food that's color has been added will be fed, first week 30% food with color 70% food without color, second week 60% food with color 40% food without color, 3rd week 100% food with color and then reverse same percentage but in reverse, hope this helps.

I am sorry, there are a bit of "emergencies" that I can only open this now. Thank you so much. Much appreciated.

[aquaholic]

Are you gents/ladies using oil soluble or water soluble paprika powder? O haven't tried paprika but I do use small sun dried shrimp - sold in Asian grocery stores - to bring out red colouration. As it's sin dried, storage is very convenient and I just toss in a handful occasionally as it floats but if you presoak, it would sink.