Koi not eating

[Virginia Sharitz]

I have a 1500 gallon pond with 3 large koi and 5 small koi (really small). I live in Atlanta and the water temp has been above 50 degrees for at least a month now- that's usually my cue to begin feeding them. Of course, I started with the Fall/Spring wheat germ food and they simply won't eat! They just sit down on the bottom. I know they are not eating because I have a screen in front of the skimmer and the food just piles up there. I remove it right away. My water quality is good, good PH and no ammonia. For the life of me I don't understand why they won't eat! I recently bought a very high quality and expensive high protein koi food, thinking maybe they just didn't like the fall/spring food. Now, the high quality food just floats to the side. It's very frustrating. That's the fun part of having a fish pond....watching the fish swim around merrily and eat! Any suggestions? Note: this photo was taken last summer, since then I have given those 3 gigantic fish to a new bigger pond. Sometimes I wonder if removing the 3 largest fish traumatized the remaining 3 larger fish. The babies have been in since last summer. I understand being shy, but this is ridiculous.

 

[Tula]

Welcome Virginia Wow, those are some big koi, so good for you on finding them a bigger pond home.

I'm north of you in Cincinnati and mine are not too interested in eating right now either. They did eat one day, but haven't shown interest this week. I'm not worried, as it's been a long winter and they're waking up slowly.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome.

 

[Virginia Sharitz]

Thanks Tula for your reply. And thanks Turtle Mommy for the greeting. They are STILL not eating. I need a fish psychologist! They really seem depressed and I don't know why.

 

[Mmathis]

Other than not eating, do they seem to be doing OK otherwise? They might just be getting a late start if the overall water temp is still low. There should be plenty of food inside the pond (algae), so if they don’t act sick, just try to be patient a little longer.

I have box turtles that live outside 24/7/365. Forever, I have kept up with the dates that each one has come out of brumation (reptile version of hibernation). This year, one was late and I worried about him — until I looked at my calendar and realized that, hey, they were all coming out earlier than usual this year. So when Morgan did finally show up, he was actually right on time. And they don’t always eat a lot at first — something I tend to forget. But it’s normal behavior and they all look and act healthy! Be patient with your fishies!

 

[Lisak1]

They may just be spooked, like you said. Fish can stay crazy for much longer than you would imagine.

 

[Koi4JT]

I have a 1500 gallon pond with 3 large koi and 5 small koi (really small). I live in Atlanta and the water temp has been above 50 degrees for at least a month now- that's usually my cue to begin feeding them. Of course, I started with the Fall/Spring wheat germ food and they simply won't eat! They just sit down on the bottom. I know they are not eating because I have a screen in front of the skimmer and the food just piles up there. I remove it right away. My water quality is good, good PH and no ammonia. For the life of me I don't understand why they won't eat! I recently bought a very high quality and expensive high protein koi food, thinking maybe they just didn't like the fall/spring food. Now, the high quality food just floats to the side. It's very frustrating. That's the fun part of having a fish pond....watching the fish swim around merrily and eat! Any suggestions? Note: this photo was taken last summer, since then I have given those 3 gigantic fish to a new bigger pond. Sometimes I wonder if removing the 3 largest fish traumatized the remaining 3 larger fish. The babies have been in since last summer. I understand being shy, but this is ridiculous.

I feed my Koi and goldfish Cherrios when the water temperature is at least 55 degrees F. Once the water temp, maintains above 60 degrees F., I go back to the floating Koi sticks I order from Tetra. They seem to do very well with this regiment. Just FYI. JT