What food for my goldfish in an outdoor pond?

What food for my goldfish in an outdoor pond

Goldfish is a fish that actually belongs to the carp family. However, goldfish lack the barb threads that are characteristic of carp, which sets it apart a bit.

This fish originates from Asia, where it has been bred for many centuries. The first specimens of goldfish arrived in Europe in the 18th century, after which the fish quickly became very popular and spread.

The goldfish thrives in garden ponds, and is particularly suitable for owners who do not want to spend hours maintaining, caring for and feeding it. This fish is good for both novice and experienced garden pond owners.

It is the fish best adapted to European climatic conditions. In addition, the goldfish is not very demanding in terms of care and living conditions in the garden pond. As long as the pond water quality is good, the goldfish would feel thriving.

goldfish appearance

Goldfish are probably the most popular garden pond fish in Europe. One of the reasons for their popularity is their brightly colored bodies, which light up the pond. They also thrive in planted ponds and are easy to care for. 

They usually reach a length of 25 to 35 cm and an age of 10 to 20 years in garden ponds. Under the right conditions, goldfish can easily grow larger, but this rarely happens due to our colder climate.

goldfish species

When we think of goldfish, we often have a vision of a golden and orange fish in front of us. There are temporarily many other varieties of goldfish that are incredibly interesting and beautiful. They include yellow and black varieties, but also varieties with long fins and other body shapes. In addition, goldfish also exist in several colors:

• Sarassa: two-tone body with a white base and red markings.
• Shubunkin: multicolored body with white, blue, red and black markings.

Goldfish Care

Goldfish thrive best in a garden pond with lots of plants and good water quality, but beyond that they will adapt quickly. You can install a goldfish tube in your garden pond, where the water will be warmer than in the rest of the pond.

The warm water will attract goldfish to the tube, where they can keep their eyes peeled and where you will have the opportunity to see them from different angles than usual. It also gives you the ability to spot if the fish are unlucky enough to be exposed to disease.

goldfish food

Goldfish are warm-blooded animals, which means that when the water is warmer, they have a bigger appetite and a better immune system. Their appetite and immune system are reduced accordingly when the temperature drops again.

As a rule, goldfish have no appetite when the water is below 8 - 10⁰C. They also have a harder time metabolizing food at lower temperatures, so they don't need to be fed year-round. The fish will only start eating again when the temperature rises.

Although goldfish are hardy and thrifty fish, it is always useful to feed them a high quality diet. This is because quality food is less likely to cause irritation because it is more absorbent, and it also gives fish a better immune system, making them more resilient.

It also promotes healthy growth and more beautiful colors. If there are insects and algae in the garden pond, the goldfish will also eat them, as they are almost omnivorous.

How do I feed my goldfish and carp?

Koi's jaws do not contain teeth, but they do have small pharyngeal teeth and well-developed throat muscles that help them sort, grind, and pulverize their natural target food. Ground food is better processed and digested.

Protein, which koi, goldfish and other carp crave, is made up of tiny building blocks called amino acids. Pond fish need the same ten amino acids as mammals. Fish receive them in small groups: peptide, dipeptide, tripeptide, polypeptide, breaking them down (catabolism) and rearranging them (anabolism) into useful proteins.

Among the amino acids obtained exogenously, that is, from external sources, are tryptophan, lysine and threonine. They are mainly obtained in sufficiently high concentrations from proteins of animal origin. On the other hand, beef and pork should not be used in the diet of carp. These meats contain too much unusable fat and have other undesirable properties. Many algae and other plants are high in protein (as a percentage of dry weight), including the same amino acids. Other useful protein sources are: white fishmeal, crustaceans, worms, molluscs and insects.

However, you should know that vegetable proteins alone cannot provide enough amino acids. It is not a certain amount of raw materials with a given amount of protein available, but the components that make up the proteins and their digestibility.

In addition, in situations where the temperature drops, ie at temperatures below 10°-13°C, the protein concentration of the feed must be 20-25%. At warmer temperatures, it is better to increase the protein content to 35-40%. The difference in the composition of the diet is provided by carbohydrates of plant origin. Don't let such high protein levels seem odd to you for bottom-feeding fish because the natural diet of these scavenger fish is rich in protein sources.