Introducing Food for Spring: How and When to Start Feeding Your Pond Fish Again
After a long winter, watching your koi and goldfish slowly surface and show interest in food again is one of the best parts of the season!
But water temperature — not fish behavior — is your real signal to start.
Wait for 50°F
- Use a pond thermometer to confirm a consistent 50°F before offering any food
- Below that, undigested food sits in the gut and causes illness or decays in the pond and spikes ammonia
- Check temps throughout the day, not just on warm afternoons
Start With Wheat Germ
Wheat germ diets are easy to digest and formulated for cold water — not the time for high-protein growth food. We carry several options:
- MICROBE-LIFT Legacy Wheat Germ — ideal when nights still dip below 55°F
- Hikari Wheat Germ Pellets — includes Vitamin C for immunity
- Blue Ridge Cool Water Wheat — use when water is consistently below 60°F
- Aquascape Premium Cold Water Pellets — solid everyday option at a great price
Feed Small
- Start with a small pinch once a day
- Remove anything uneaten after five minutes
- Increase portions gradually as temps climb into the 60s, then transition to a staple food
Do Your Filter Check First
Before the first feeding: replace your UV bulb if it's been a year, add a dose of beneficial bacteria, and rinse your filter media. A waking pond with hungry fish and an unserviced filter is a tough way to start the season.
Questions? Stop by our Highland Park location or visit koiandmorepondshop.com.