Feeding and Nutrition
| Understanding feeding and the nutritional value of various foods, along with what this means to the metabolism of a fish are important aspects of successful pond management for all water gardeners to understand. It is only in the past few decades that there has been an appreciation that as with other domestic pets, ornamental pond fish require a proper feeding regime, especially when they are confined. Much knowledge has been borrowed from the aquaculture industry in the development of new fish foods and the understanding of their effect upon the health and well-being of pond fish.
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 Ornamental pond fish require a proper feeding regime.
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| Until recent times, pond fish foods were a fairly nondescript array of what appeared to be crushed biscuit meal. Not that this should be decried completely, for in a well-balanced pond it has served, and in some cases still performs a useful function, but only when in conjunction with good water quality, and where plant growth is lusty and there is a reasonable complement of live food available. As a sole food in a spartan fish pond it is of questionable merit, especially when no nutritional information is provided. Bread crumbs also used to be advocated as a pond fish food by many, but likewise these are of dubious value.
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 Bread crumbs are of questionable food value.
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They should certainly be soaked in water before being fed to fish, if indeed they should be fed at all. Again their nutritional value is very questionable. Modern manufactured fish foods are available as pellets, or sticks of various kinds, as well as flakes. These are all well-formulated and often contain additives such as colour supplements and antibiotics to ward off diseases. The variety that is available is enormous and it takes a little time and research to settle upon which are the most appropriate foods or combinations of food for particular circumstances.
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| However, there are a number of well-balanced general pond fish foods that suit an average fish collection. For the general water gardener with a well-balanced pond a modern mixed pond fish food is likely to be adequate. With most water gardens the primary objective is to have healthy well-nourished fish. A good general pond fish food will ensure this. However, when serious breeding is envisaged other foods start to become important.
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 The variety of modern fish foods that are available is legion.
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 High protein fish foods are essential before the breeding season.
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The feeding of breeding stock, especially of goldfish and koi, in the weeks leading up to spawning with a high protein pellet food, along with live foods can make a great difference to their performance and the quality of the spawn and thus the emerging fry. The number of eggs a female will carry in the spring is also determined to some extent by the nourishment received the previous autumn, and so a carefully organised feeding programme is very important.
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In addition to conventional foods, there are also others that should be considered. Variety foods like freeze dried and dried daphnia, dried flies and ants “eggs”, although the nutritional value of the latter is questionable. There are also specialist baby fish foods and a whole range of live foods like brine shrimp, which can be cultured.
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 Dried daphnia is a widely used variety fish food.
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