Koi pellets
Koi pellets are a formulated pond fish food designed to give koi a balanced diet across the seasons, with different formulations for growth, colour enhancement, and easier digestion in cooler water. Choosing the right type and feeding the right amount matters more for koi than it might seem, since overfeeding is one of the most common causes of poor pond water quality.
Floating versus sinking pellets
Floating pellets let you see exactly how much your koi are eating and how enthusiastically, and any uneaten food is easy to remove before it fouls the water. This makes floating pellets a popular choice for most ponds, particularly where keeping an eye on feeding behaviour matters.
Sinking pellets suit ponds with fish that prefer to feed lower down, or setups where floating food tends to get blown to one side by wind or filtration flow. Which type suits your pond often comes down to observing how your koi actually behave at feeding time.
Why formulation changes through the year
A koi's metabolism slows considerably as water temperature drops, and pellets formulated for cooler water are typically lower in protein and easier to digest, since a sluggish digestive system struggles with a rich summer-formula feed. Feeding a warm-water formula in cold conditions can lead to undigested food sitting in the gut, which is a genuine health risk for koi.
Growth and colour-enhancing formulas are usually fed during the warmer months when koi are most active and their digestion is working at full pace, giving the ingredients a proper chance to be used rather than passing through unprocessed.
How much and how often to feed
A general guide is to feed only what your koi can finish within a few minutes, several times a day in warm weather, reducing frequency and amount as temperatures drop and stopping largely once the water is cold enough that koi become inactive. Overfeeding, not underfeeding, is the more common mistake and the one that causes water quality problems.
Watch your pond's water clarity and your koi's behaviour as the best everyday guide — food left uneaten after a few minutes is a sign you are offering too much, and it is worth reducing the amount next time rather than persisting with the same portion.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Tetra Koi Pond Fish Food Sticks
Complete fast-soaking Tetra Pond Koi Sticks, available in four pack sizes
From£6.41
Pettex Premium Koi Sticks
A 30% protein koi stick with spirulina for natural colour enhancement, suits pond fish generally
£41.99
Tetra Pond Fish Food Pellets
Complete floating Tetra pond pellets for pond fish, offered in two pellet formats
£9.22
Supa Pond Pellets
Complete pond pellets with added stabilised vitamin C, in a resealable jar
From£7.25
Pettex Premium Pond Pellets 4mm
4mm premium pond pellets for goldfish through to koi, 10kg, with vitamin C and spirulina
£50.99
Pets Choice Pond Pellets
A floating pond pellet, 24.5% protein, with a clear 10-15 minute feeding guide
£29.75
Pets Choice Carp Pellets
A 10kg sack of floating carp pellets at 30% protein, for koi and pond fish
£35.15
Pets Choice Wheatgerm Pellets
A 10kg floating pellet food for pond fish, made with wheatgerm and vitamin C
£35.15
King British Catfish Pellets
A complete pellet for catfish and other bottom feeders, at 47% protein
From£3.57
King British Goldfish Sinking Pellets
A complete sinking pellet for goldfish and coldwater fish, in a 150g tub
£6.82
King British Goldfish Floating Pellets
Floating goldfish pellets at 35% protein that bring the whole tank up where you can see them
£4.19
Common questions
- Should I feed floating or sinking koi pellets?
- Floating pellets let you see how much your koi are eating and make it easy to remove leftovers, which suits most ponds well. Sinking pellets can work better for fish that feed lower down or in ponds where wind moves floating food around.
- Do koi need different food in winter?
- Yes, as water temperature drops a koi's metabolism slows considerably, and a lower-protein, easier-to-digest formula suits them better than a rich summer feed, which can sit undigested in a sluggish system. Feeding largely stops once the water is cold enough that koi become inactive.
- How much should I feed my koi?
- A reasonable guide is only as much as your koi can finish within a few minutes, offered a few times a day in warm weather and reduced as temperatures drop. Overfeeding is the more common problem, and uneaten food left in the water is a sign to cut back.
- Can I use goldfish food for koi?
- It is better to use a food formulated for koi where possible, since koi generally have different growth rates and nutritional needs than goldfish. A dedicated koi pellet is a better match, particularly for larger, actively growing fish.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.