Page 42 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 50
P. 42
INSECT MEAL
Is it the future for Koi foods.
Dr. David Pool.
The range of foods for Koi and other pond fish has
never been larger. Fish food technology is moving
forward at a pace, with novel ingredients and formats
being used to provide new and innovative foods for our
Koi. The choice used to be between pellets and sticks,
floating or sinking! Now soft pellets, temperature
specific diets, probiotics, prebiotics and vegetarian
foods to name but a few are all regulars on aquatic
shop shelves.
Developments are still occurring and one of the major
changes that I believe will happen over the next few
years is the increasing use of insects as a key
ingredient for Koi and all fish foods. It makes sense in
FISH FOOD so many ways – after all it is what Koi and their
Dr. David Pool is the author “I have been involved in the world of fish for over
of 3 books on aquarium 45 years, initially as a fish keeper, but then making ancestors have been eating for millions of years.
and pond keeping as well TECHNOLOGY
as over 250 articles on my hobby into a career. But what insects and why?
fishkeeping. IS MOVING
I studied Zoology at the University of Liverpool, Reducing the use of fish meal
specialising in Freshwater Fisheries Biology. This was FORWARD AT
followed by 3 years studying the diseases of carp and Koi are not fish eaters (or at least they are not designed
other freshwater fish. My next 25 years were spent A PACE to be fish eaters) – and yet most of the foods that are
working for Tetra, the global market leading aquatics available to feed them are based on fish meal.
company. Initially this involved running the Tetra
Fish meal has been used as a key ingredient and
Information Centre, which provided advice and
source of protein in fish foods because it was (and still
guidance to fishkeepers on any concerns they may
is) readily available, is relatively inexpensive, and has a
have about their fish. I then had positions in marketing
good nutritional profile. It is a good ingredient.
and selling Tetra products, before becoming the
Originally the fish meal was produced from low value
Managing Director of a UK business for 10 years.”
wild caught fish or from fish that were not suitable for
human consumption (often called trash fish). In the past
they were caught and processed in vast numbers, even
David is the author of 3 books on aquarium and being scattered on the ground as a fertiliser.
pond keeping as well as over 250 articles on
fishkeeping. He has appeared on national radio and However, the reduction in fish populations and our
television across the world to promote fishkeeping increasing awareness of the need for sustainability and
and given talks on the subject throughout the world. to be environmentally friendly has resulted in a dramatic
fall in fish meal production. It more than halved in the
twenty-year period from 1994-2014 (from 34 million
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