Pond Fish Food
For our fish to be healthy and happy, pond fish food must be appropriate.
We must also consider that the amount of food they will need varies depending on the time of year.
During the summer they will be more active and need more food, while in the winter their activity will drop quite a bit (due to the temperature) and we should provide them with less food.
The best food choice for pond fish
How to feed your fish correctly
Pond fish should be cold water, to withstand the temperature changes outside: koi carp (hard to find for sale), goldfish kites or shubunkin. All have in common a varied diet, they are omnivorous.
Being outdoors, they may be able to capture some insects (mosquitoes and some larvae) and eat some of the plants or algae in the pond, but obviously we cannot be confident, we must offer them a varied diet.
The commercial foods are complete, they contain the amount of proteins and fats they need, as well as vegetable fibers.
The right amount of food
Manufacturers of commercial pond fish feed often make dosage recommendations, depending on the size of the fish and their quantity.
These dosages are recommended, but do not have to be the ones we use, although they will serve as a guide.
The important thing is that we give them enough to eat in a few minutes, without them sinking to the bottom of the pond.
Just as in aquariums, ponds can also be attacked by algae, and the remains of decomposing food encourage their appearance.
How often should we feed them?
Once a day will be enough, but it is important that we respect the hours in which we feed them.
Fish are like any other pet, they have their routines, and feeding time is one more.
In order for all fish to have a chance to access food, we must spread the food around the pond.
If we concentrate it in one spot, they will all have to fight to get to it and some may not eat it, so that the remains end up at the bottom (where they will not eat it).
Types of food for pond fish: flakes, granules, tablets…
The most common pond fish are comets or carp, but other bottom varieties can also be used, provided they are able to withstand the temperature changes typical of outdoor ponds.
Depending on the fish we have, we must provide them with the right food, in the right format.
The fish that usually eat on the surface (goldfish, carp…) must be fed with floating flakes or granules, while those on the bottom need pills or tablets that sink quickly.