Top Fish Food Qualities for Pond Fish

Spring is here! After your goldfish, koi, and other beloved pond creatures are greeted and anxiously counted to confirm that all the favorites survived the winter, does your next thought sound something like..."now, where did I put the fish food?" Does that send you into a water garden hobbyist spiral of panic about whether you are giving your precious darlings the best possible care you can provide? It's ok. We all do.

So, you want your fish to be colorful, active, eat healthily, and poop less, right? You want your water to be sparkling and clear and not toxic to your fish and plants, yes? These are not lofty goals at all and many of the answers are in the fish food. We all live busy lives and none of us want a hobby that seems more like a chore, so I thought I would put together a few fish food realted tips to help you do more enjoying and less working around the pond.

1. Look for nutrients like Krill meal, spirulina, and asaxanthin all of which help to enhance and brighten colors
2. Avoid fillers like corn which can increase waste and cloud the water, pellets should not break apart or get soggy
3. Look for a high protein content, again easing digestion and minimizing waste
4. Feed your fish in a localized area so you can monitor intake. Try throwing a plastic ring in the water and putting the feed inside the ring. If they eat it all, give them some more, if there is some left, you know you can use less next time. That way it doesn’t all get washed down the falls or sucked into the filter.
5. Try to buy food that is packaged in a reseal able, foil bag or other sun blocking packaging, exposure to the elements reduces the nutritional value and integrity of the food

Look for these qualities in your fish food and you will be on your way to enjoying your water garden whether its a whiskey barrel, a simulated mountain stream, or an acre pond.

Visit the Hunting Creek Fisheries website see our selection of quality ornamental goldfish, koi, golden orfe, and the food they eat.