peas anyone

[davepratt]

i decided my fishies were getting bored of the same old pond food everyday so i bought a can of peas at the local grocer Well low and behold my little guys really seem to love um. not real sure if there suppose to be in a koi or goldfishes diet but i didnt think giving um to them on occasion as a little snack would do much harm
by the way im wondering what is the average growth rate on kois these are the first ones ive ever had and they have went from 2 to 3 inches to 11 to 12 inches in prolly a little over a yr is this about a normal growth rate??

 

[JohnHuff]

That seems very fast. I have an 800g pond and my koi grow about an inch per year. I reckon each koi eats about 15 medium sized pellets per day during the growing season. The biggest I have right now is about 8 inches long and he was 6 when I got him a few years ago.

 

[davepratt]

i have other fish in there like one shuboikin or however you spell it and just a few fancy golds and reg goldfish these have grown maybe an inch or so but the 3 kois have at least tripled in size thats why i was askin if it was a normal growth rate

 

[davepratt]

ok sorry im must be getting old and losing my memory this is actually the second fall for my pond theyve grown that much in two yrs

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Peas are fine for goldfish. You ever try oranges? My goldies love them (only issue is they can be messy)

What kind of fancy goldfish are you keeping with koi?

 

[davepratt]

um not really sure one is pure white and the other is orange and white not even sure if theyre fancy goldfish i just know that they have long wavy fins and tails so i call them fancy lol

 

[JohnHuff]

Regarding food, my fish love all kind of food. In the past I've fed them aphids, ants and worms. These are all natural and can be found around the pond. Then I've fed them krill. They'll eat almost anything.

 

[Waterbug]

Growth rate for Koi varies by genes of course. But in general, in good conditions, I'd say 8-10" the first year, 15-20" the second year, 24-30" the fifth year. So they slow down pretty good after year 2 or 3.

I've seen a few growing contests between friends and they can get growth of about 2.5" per month in the second year during warm weather. That's in very good conditions, very good food and lots of it.

For many backyard ponds, where no water testing is ever done, Koi can be very stunted due to poor water conditions, too little food, poor quality food, and cold water in some climates.

11-12" isn't bad for a 2 year old fish in Cleveland, depending on the type.

An inch of growth per year for a Koi less than 5 years old is a fish that either has genetic issues or has seen a very rough life.

 

[davepratt]

Hey thanks for the info i guess mine r doin ok then Not sure about my water quality ive never checked it ever

 

[davepratt]

wb your are a wealth of knowledge you must do a lot of reading I appreciate you doin all that research so you can help out us that dont have the experience and knowhow that youve accumulated thru your yrs of ponding

 

[Waterbug]

It's been a hobby for many years and I do enjoy the details. Always my pleasure to think about ponds.

 

[Mmathis]

Just a comment on the peas. You said they were canned peas. Be sure to check the labeling, as canned stuff tends to be high in sodium, and I'm sure other ingredients that might not be good for fish.

 

[JohnHuff]

Just a comment on the peas. You said they were canned peas. Be sure to check the labeling, as canned stuff tends to be high in sodium, and I'm sure other ingredients that might not be good for fish.

You're right, you don't want your fish to get hypertension! :cheerful: