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Spring Feeding

11th Mar 2022

So spring is just around the corner and temperatures are already starting to reflect that. That means it's time to start thinking about spring feeding. During the coldest of the winter you probably haven’t needed to feed your fish much, if at all (especially when really cold). This of course is perfectly normal. When temperatures drop, your fish’s metabolism will slow right down. The general rule is that at temperatures lower than 5°C your fish will probably be very inactive, languishing in the depths. They will actually have entered a hibernation type state in which they have fasted and lived off the fat stores in their body through the colder months.

Between 5°C and 10°C your fish will wake up and start to be more active again. At this stage they might even start to come to the surface searching about for food. This means that they are probably ready to start feeding and accepting food from you again. They might even have a quick nibble at your pond plants. This is a sure sign that they are ready to feed.

Of course this doesn’t mean that you should just start throwing them loads of high protein food, thinking they must be starving after their long state of dormancy. At this stage, and at those water temperatures of 5 - 10°C it’s best to feed a wheatgerm based food such as  Bradshaws Wheatgerm Fish Food Pellets. This is a cereal food that’s easy to digest. That makes it perfect for when your fish are just starting to be more active again.

By the time temps are reaching up to around 10 - 15°C your fish will probably be much more active and ready to feed more normally and regularly. A good feed to use at this stage is a quality staple food product, such as  Bradshaws Pond Sticks. By this time you may be feeding up to 3 times per week with amounts equalling what can be consumed in about a 5 minute period.

When we're getting in to late spring and Summer and temps are above 15°C (hopefully), your fish’s metabolism will be at its highest. This is when, depending on your requirements and type of fish, you can either continue feeding staple food, or if you’re wanting to grow some big Koi or Goldfish, you can make use of that higher metabolic rate and switch to a higher protein food.

Foods like our very own Bradshaws Koi Pellets will help your fish bulk up and will also enhance those lush and vivid colours. Our Koi Pellets contain the perfect mix of fats, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals to promote superb fish growth, vitality, health and looks.

If you’re not bothered about huge growth then it’s fine to just continue with staple food. This type of food will still maintain your fish’s size and will ensure the right balance of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

It’s a good tip to remember that although the above is a good general guide, protein levels and other ingredients vary from one manufacturer to the next, so always check the label for ingredients, instructions and proper usage.