Fish Food Isn't all Fish Food the Same?

For many new pond owners that have added fish to their pond they are not aware of the different types of fish food that may be available. The concept may be that all fish food is the same. This is certainly not the case and fish food comes in many different blends and may be applicable to certain breeds or strains of fish. In any event one that should not be under the misconception that if their fish are being fed a food that is making them fat, that it is also making them healthy. Just like most other types of nutrition on the market there is good food and bad foods, and this is certainly applicable when it comes to the different types of fish food.

Fish that are kept in captivity do not have the same immune system that their ancestors did that lived in the wild. Therefore much of their nutrients must come from their food and it must be enhanced compared to what they would get in the wild because of their weakened immune systems.

It also has to be remembered that in the wild the fish automatically know what foods are best for them and are abundant, and it will live off of these to remain healthy. In a pond enclosure they do not have this benefit. Therefore it is important for the pond owner to have a good understanding of what nutrition is contained in the fish food, and what benefit is it going to offer to his fish stock.

Not only knowing what type of fish food is a required the amount that the fish need to be fed is important as well. A good quality fish food should give at least a basic instructions for starting off with feeding the fish this new food. Also a good-quality fish food will not cause the pond to go cloudy immediately. Fish food that is full of unnecessary and unhealthy fillers is not good for the fish or the water they live in as well.

Once you have found a good-quality fish food it is important to stay consistent with feeding the fish the same food, as they become used to this just as they become used to being fed at specific times. You may find that you require a high-protein fish meal that is most beneficial for the ornamental fish such as Koi and the fancy goldfish.



How Many Times a Day Can I Feed My Fish?
It is quite easy to kill your pond fish with kindness quite literally when it comes to feeding them. One of the biggest mistakes made is to feed the fish too often thinking that the fatter they are then the healthier they are.

This is certainly not the case and in fact overfeeding them is not only dangerous for their internal health but it is dangerous for the atmosphere they live in which is their water. Too much food left in the pond will contaminate it and opens it up to be a breeding ground for bacteria which then can cause to the fish to become sick.

How much you feed your fish in the day is going to depend on several factors. One of them will be the temperature of the water, and although there are some mixed feelings on this it is believed. that if the temperature of the water is between 65 to 70° then the fish should be fed twice a day. If it rises above 70 then you can feed them more, but you have to watch that there is no ammonia building up within the pond.

To get an idea of quantity to feed the fish, watch how much they eat within a five minute span. Anything that is left over is too much. After doing this for a couple of days you will soon find that you know exactly how much your fish are going to consume. Of course it will depend on the quality of fish as to how much you will need to feed them at any given time.

If you are finding that fish food is being consumed within two or three minutes you might want to offer a bit more as it may be that you are not giving them enough. You will also find that if you change brands of fish food you will have to go through this entire testing procedure again. The fish recognize the changes in food. In fact they can develop their own taste for food and may not take to one as readily as they take to another.

Also if you are storing your fish outside in the pond for the winter and ice has formed over the pond you are not going to be required to feed your fish. Again watch for water temperatures and act accordingly in conjunction with the directions of the food you have purchased.


For new pond owners it is difficult to determine what pond supplies, Pond Pumps are a necessity, and what would be considered as optional. To start with, Pond Supplies you need to concentrate on pond products that are required to give you a healthy and optimized water garden.