Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

What are you feeding your koi & goldfish?

I checked out the shops and the food for koi and/or goldfish are more costly than trout food.
I suppose the shops market them at high prices because they are predominantly selling to "pet" owners.

So any ideas of economical feed? Or where to get cheap koi food in small or bulk quantities in Perth?
I get my trout food for about $75 / 20kg.

Thanks.

Aussie koi farm in narellan NSW recommended koi food, but said any vegetarian food will do.
He seemed against meat in their food.
I have always fed mine Silver Perch food, but they take the new trout pellets I got. My Koi are growing well.

Warning Ivan, I have had a couple of calls from people over the last couple of weeks saying that were experiencing unsatisfactory plant growth and showing deficiencies. Anyone that grows trout knows that it is not because they are not feeding. It appears the quality of "cheaper" fish food that they were giving their fish did not have as all the trace elements and nutirients as the better quality food that is available. Sure, you can save money but at what price?

I feeed my goldfish my lauke mills trout food. no problems

Trout food in winter, SP food in summer.

I feed my Goldies SP feed... and they gorged it ... bloated and died...

Well I think I am buying quality food. The food I just got are Skretting Nova FF 3mm. Supplier did not have the 4mm Spectra in stock and I thought that the 5mm may be too big for the trouts I have as they did not get to grow much during winter cycling.

Plus the remainder of the Nova FF will hopefully do well feeding the barramundi for the summer season.

Skretting is a good brand right??

Can you explain why trout food in winter and SP food in summer??

Where do you get your SP food??

I'm guessing that trout food is cheaper, and he only has it in winter when he has trout?
But if that's not the reason I'm similarly perplexed

Yeah Ivan - Skretting seem to have a good reputation across this forum and it is what the guys at the Challenger TAFE Marine Fish Hatchery in Freo are using as well.

I some times feed the goldfish duckweed and there is no no problems

I've read that goldies are impatient eaters and often eat dry pellets hastily. One suggestion I've found is to pre-soak the food so that it does not expand in their stomachs causing bloating. I'm doing a little research about how to feed my goldfish and koi (in the near future) more economically because I don't think I can afford to feed them overpriced flake food anymore.

Others have advised to grind the larger pellets down to smaller size chunks.

My comets have been eating barra food for months now, and are huge... they dont complain, and take on the barra when the food goes in....

Yeah Seems they will eat basically anything....

Reversing the subject has anybody had success feeding Koi pellets to Trout. Especially trout fingerlings?