Wheat Germ in Koi Pellets?

[JustAFishServant]

Hello again friends! I have no koi nor a pond [yet] but randomly researching koi food has led me to wonder about proper food ingredients. I, too, had believed once that koi & goldfish needed carbs. I only learned last year that carbs serve no use for fish. However, most fish foods are filled with soy, wheat, corn etc which are used not only as fillers but also for the "carb myth". So I researched this. Turns out, wheat germ is a source of vitamin B, E, and healthy fats/oils. Researching many years ago concluded that it's high in carbs, which fish don't need. So is wheat germ for vitamins or a filler? Is it a required ingredient like so many companies say? Wheat germ is very high in fibre which koi do need. So far it sounds like a fine ingredient to me, though the high carb content isn't required. Your opinions?

Thanks y'all

 

[BigManAquatics]

I think usually more as fillers, but could be wrong. I try to avoid it for carnivorous fish like bettas. Don't really give it a second thought though for omnivores.

 

[JustAFishServant]

I try to avoid it for carnivorous fish like bettas.

Same here. I'm sick of fillers in betta food. I just make my own

 

[SparkyJones]

It's a cold weather food to give them when they aren't as active, but still need to maintain body mass to reach their full growth potential over the years. Same reason eastern grey squirrels in florida are small and skinny compared to the ones up north, they don't slow down or put on fat to overwinter, so they stay smaller. Same goes for florida black bears. no need to hibernate or fatten up for winter each year = smaller sizes.

Wheat Germ and Wheat Germ oil is highly digestible, it is naturally high in polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals, as well as having a respectably high crude protein value. It is also high in complex carbohydrates, meaning the energy it supplies is more gradually released in comparison to simple carbohydrates like sugars, like a corn or grain feed.

A good winter feed should still contain aquatic protein sources in in it, as well as the wheat germ, a good summer feed, might be less wheatgerm and more aquatic protein sources. Still though you'd need to adjust your feeding, koi aren't dumb, they will change their eating behaviors and amounts with the temperature. if you give them the same amount of food in the winter as you do in the summer, a lot of it is going uneaten polluting the pond, it's higher calorie and fat than summer feed and slower energy release to compensate for the lesser amount they will eat as they slow down with the temperature drop.

All in all there's a benefit to Koi growth, healthwise and appearance, from Wheat germ being in their diet in a greater or lesser extent dependent on the time of year.. Lots of folks swear by it, even if they are making their own Koi food recipes.