water and eating questions

[spangs]

i have the pond care 5 in one pond test kit and now its showing that i have high GH and KH bolth are toped out on the color mach at 240 KH and 180 on GH and PH is a little hight than normal 8.5 it is normaly at 7.5

water temp is at 63ish and should get hotter in the next cupple days suppse to be 80 the next 2 days the koi dont seem interested in there food and havent eaten anythang sence like november dose it take some time for them to get use to the change in season or something

 

[DrDave]

If they will eat, feed them.

 

[spangs]

they arnt interested in the food and what about geting the GH and KH down

 

[DrCase]

That is a little strange that they dont want to eat
mine are jumping for the food
what does the rest of your test read ?

 

[DrDave]

Do you have a bunch of rocks in there that may be causing your chemistry to be off? Rocks have minerals and they can cause problems. Mine are leaping up and hitting the netting, begging for food.

 

[spangs]

no i moved them into a stock tank a week ago and they were not eating befor or now i swiched to a diffrent kind of food would they not like it maybe i used tetra floating sticks or what ever they were and now im trying to feed them Hikari wheat-germ and the hikari staple. there was a lot pf pea rock in the pond from last year and threw the winnter do know if that would do anythang or not

 

[koikeepr]

mine are still slow to eat, too. Where usually they are climbing over eachother to grab at food, they are hesitant still. Each day they get more eager, but its been about 3 weeks since I started feeding and the first week there was zero interest.

Give 'em time. Let their guts adapt to the food. You're in a colder zone, and they could still be thinking it's time for a winter snooze. They're probably just not ready.

 

[j.w]

We had some nice weather here awhile back and the pond water was staying up towards 55 and I started giving the fish a bit of food each day but now........................we are having cold weather again so I guess I should stop the feeding till things warm up again

 

[Airic]

I'm anxious for them to start feeding too. Seen only a few since I introduced them right before winter last year. It's a major downfall of having my mud pond. Even though my pond is very clear they seems to be staying deep and out of site and it drives me crazy not seeing them. My water temp is right at 62 deg and they are still not eating or they wait till I leave. Its very suprizing how well they can see you. Food disapears on my daily feeds and I'm using a new spring food that I don't know if it sinks eventualy or not. About two weeks ago at 55 deg a few did come up and I walked up on them to quick and they have not been back since. Come on warm weather, I want to see my fish.

 

[Airic]

So, who's fish are eating now? I'm in Indiana and still nothing. Water temps were coming up to over 65 and now its back down to 55 after all the rain. I throw food in every day and nothing. Starting to thinking my fish just don't like me anymore. Any irresistible food treats I should use?

If your fish are feeding, what is your water temp.

 

[stroppy]

mine are eating water is about 55 ...but they have been eating for a few weeks now started once temp reached 50

 

[mrsclem]

We went from water temps of mid 50s to almost 80 in one week here. Fish didn't seem too interested in the spring food. once I started the regular food they started eating. We had a cold snap last night so I gave them some Cheerios today. They followed me around the pond! Water temp at 68 now.

 

[DrDave]

Have you checked your water quality or done any water changes yet?

Don't keep throwing food in if they are not eating. It pollutes the water.

Toss in a few pellets, step back out of sight and watch to see if they are eating. Some Koi won't eat if you are hovering over the food watching.

 

[oldmarine]

Like JW, I'm in the Tacoma, WA area of the northwest, and I have been feeding my fish for over a month now. My Shubunkin's act like they starving most of tie time.

Happy ponding,

 

[koikeepr]

my goldfish are eating well, but the koi are still lazing around with the food. They'll eat when they get hungry. don't you worry. In the meantime, as the doc says don't throw too much food in---just a bit to see what they do. If they are not interested, you won't pollute the water.