"Indian summer" feeding dilema

[Abe]

Wondering if there is an established doctrine to deal with feeding common goldfish
when temperature fluctuate wildly . I was checking my floating thermometer every morning,
getting ready to reduce daily feeding of my 14 goldies when it will reach 12 C and stop
feeding when it reach 10 C - when a cold front moved in abruptly and night temperatures
sank down to 7 C grey & windy , The fish disappeared into a cave I built under the skimmer
at the deepest end of the pond and rarely came out for the whole week that this cold spell
lasted. I guess they did start hibernating and I was ready to crawl into a cave and hibernate myself .
Now weather man predict a spike in temperatures next week , sunny days 24-26 and nights hovering
above 10 C. i guess they'll want to go out for dinner and I know it's good to fatten them up
before the real winter - so should I resume feeding? this warm spell might last few weeks,
so is there a guide line? certain night temperature or day? I'm in BC Canada, in 6 weeks it will
drop below zero , so why starve them now? or maybe they are on winter mode already and
will not digest? Thank you guys and Bon Apetit to all. Abe

 

[Tula]

I look to two things, as guidance to stop feeding my koi....water temperature and their interest in feeding

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I look to two things, as guidance to stop feeding my koi....water temperature and their interest in feeding

I would refine that even more.
If your fish appear hungry, feed them. They are genetically attuned to what is good for them much better than Man can fathom.
I refer you to this article:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/to-feed-or-not-to-feed.12/

 

[Tula]

I would refine that even more.
If your fish appear hungry, feed them. They are genetically attuned to what is good for them much better than Man can fathom.
I refer you to this article:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/to-feed-or-not-to-feed.12/

I agree, it's amazing how they lose interest at the right time.

 

[Abe]

Thanks for this very informative article - really clarify this subject for me.
Do they really like to eat grass?!
got plenty of this all around the pond, and was always very careful not to get any grass blades
flying into the pond when I was mowing ...

 

[Abe]

I agree, it's amazing how they lose interest at the right time.

I look to two things, as guidance to stop feeding my koi....water temperature and their interest in feeding

I agree, it's amazing how they lose interest at the right time.

Thanks - I try to tune in to their feeding habits - although it is personal : there is the one that's always
first at the table and the one that seems bored with same pellets every day...

 

[teeemkay]

I agree too. The fish know when they're done eating for the season. Usually right around Columbus Day, my koi completely lose interest in the food pellets really quickly. If they get hungry after that, they nibble on what's left of the algae along the edges of the water.

 

[Lisak1]

Agree completely! Watch your fish - they'll let you know!

 

[barryian]

I would refine that even more.
If your fish appear hungry, feed them. They are genetically attuned to what is good for them much better than Man can fathom.
I refer you to this article:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/articles/to-feed-or-not-to-feed.12/

Hope all is well ... Great weather so I'm more outside than in. Good article Meyer, Thx! . So as the article says " 60 hours at 12ºC/54F " to digest would seem that at 54F if you are still feeding, you might want feed once every 3 - 4 days. Common sense. At that temperature, overfeeding is just looking for trouble ....

 

[Meyer Jordan]

At that temperature, overfeeding is just looking for trouble ....

This is true at any temperature. Humans are the only animal specie that will continue to eat even after they are full. Fish, and all other animals, will eat to satiation and stop. So if anything is overfed, it is the pond, not the fish.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

This is true at any temperature. Humans are the only animal specie that will continue to eat even after they are full. Fish, and all other animals, will eat to satiation and stop. So if anything is overfed, it is the pond, not the fish.

Don't mean to be picky, but that's just not true. There are plenty of animals that will continue to eat beyond satiation if provided an abundance of food. Combined that with a lack of regular exercise and obesity is quite common in all kinds of animals, especially pets.
Of course that's not the problem with over feeding fish in cold or cooler weather, if there is a problem it is having the uneaten food foul the water as you indicated.

 

[Abe]

Now it's 7 C water temperature in the morning , and they don't come out till the afternoon,
and still don't miss their sunset pellets hunt ritual. Not a lot , but they do eat.
You almost hear them saying to each other - we got him trained already, let him have his
sunset happy hour.
I think Meyer that with humans eating evolved into social ritual (thanksgiving?) were
abundance of food goes beyond just filling your tummy - you fill your ego and status as well.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Don't mean to be picky, but that's just not true. There are plenty of animals that will continue to eat beyond satiation if provided an abundance of food. Combined that with a lack of regular exercise and obesity is quite common in all kinds of animals, especially pets.
Of course that's not the problem with over feeding fish in cold or cooler weather, if there is a problem it is having the uneaten food foul the water as you indicated.

Yes, I should have been more specific.