Will Koi Fish Eat Betta Fish? (A Must Read)

Koi fish are a very popular addition to many gardens across the country, but only having Koi fish in your pond can be a bit bland. You might be looking to add some diversity to your Koi pond using other fish you already have, like a Betta fish. But would Koi fish eat Betta fish?

Koi fish are omnivores and require a good amount of protein in their diets. Koi fish will eat fish that are smaller than them. Betta fish only grow to about 3 inches, while Koi fish can grow to be 36 inches, making Betta fish fair game for a Koi fish’s snack.

Can you place Betta fish in a Koi pond? What do Koi fish eat daily? What considerations do you need to consider when introducing any new fish into your Koi pond? Let’s find out!

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Will Koi Fish Eat Betta Fish?

Koi fish and Betta fish are gorgeous fish species that are brightly colored and will catch the eye of people who visit your home. With both fish being so colorful, you might want to place them together to accentuate their colors better, but this can raise one specific question.

This question is, will your Koi fish eat the Betta fish you place with them? Unfortunately, it is not a great idea to put your Betta fish with your Koi fish as your Koi fish will eat your Betta fish. Koi fish are omnivores and will eat any fish they come across in their pond that is smaller than them when they are hungry.

Betta fish will only grow to about 3 inches, while Koi fish can grow between 34 and 36 inches. So, Betta fish are a lot smaller than Koi, and their little attitudes won’t be enough to save them from becoming a snack for your Koi fish.

It is only safe to place Betta fish into a pond or tank with Koi fish if they are young. However, you will need to closely monitor the Koi fish’s growth, and when they start to out-grow the Betta, you will need to separate them.

If you have many koi fish in your pond that are different sizes, you may wonder if the large koi fish will eat the smaller koi fish; if so, you can read my blog posts: Will large koi eat smaller koi? and Will koi fish eat their babies

Will Koi Eat Their Babies? (What You Need To Know)

Will Large Koi Eat Smaller Koi?

Can I Put Betta In A Koi Pond?

Betta fish live in the same water conditions that Koi live in. this means that, technically, Betta fish can be placed into a Koi pond without any harm coming to the Betta fish due to the water conditions.

However, as mentioned above, adult Koi fish will eat the Betta fish they come across in their pond as the Betta are much smaller than the Koi fish. You can place juvenile Koi fish and Betta fish into the same pond, but you will need to separate them later.

If you have a vacant Koi pond that you currently have no Koi fish residing in, and the pond is in good condition with clean water, you can place your Betta fish in this Koi pond, and they will thrive.

What A Koi Fish Diet Includes

All Koi fish need a well-balanced diet to stay healthy, but what does this well-balanced diet look like? Koi fish have diverse appetites and are adventurous eaters, meaning they will almost certainly try to eat anything you give them, even if it’s not good for them.

They may also eat other lifeforms in your Koi pond, including other fish. Koi fish are omnivores, meaning they eat plant matter and meat. So, you need to include both of these in their diets to keep them healthy.

However, the fact that Koi fish will eat anything you give them or anything present in their pond can cause some digestive issues for your Koi fish. So, it would help if you watched what your Koi fish eat and how much they eat to help you prevent any possible digestive difficulties that could affect your fish’s health.

Koi fish have particular dietary needs you must ensure are met to keep your Koi fish healthy. With Koi fish, the main part of their diet needs to be proteins. Proteins must make up 35 to 40% of their regular diet.

You can supplement this protein with vegetables and fruits to ensure your Koi fish receive their required daily mineral and vitamin intake. Fats should make up 5 to 10% of their diet, but their fat intake should be increased to 15% in winter and fall to help them survive the colder conditions.

Carbohydrates should make up a small percentage of a Koi fish’s diet. About 10% of the Koi fish’s diet should be carbohydrates, as Koi fish can have difficulty digesting carbs. The carbohydrates you feed your Koi should only be of the whole grain varieties and nothing else.

If you feed your Koi too many carbs, this can lead to liver degeneration in your Koi fish, leading to the fish’s death.

A good way to guarantee your Koi consume a well-balanced diet is to feed them good quality, high-protein Koi fish pellets. Supplement these pellets with fruit and vegetables about four to five times a week, with grains only included in their diets about once or twice a week.

Algae can be part of a well-balanced diet for your Koi fish, as it contains some necessary nutrients. So, if you see your Koi snacking on some algae, this is nothing to be concerned about.

If you follow these guidelines for a week-balanced diet for your Koi fish, your Koi should be healthy and not suffer any possible health complications due to a lack of nutrition.

Considerations When Adding Fish To Koi Ponds

When you are thinking about adding new fish to your Koi ponds that are currently housing Koi fish, there are a few things that you need to consider to ensure the health and safety of all the fish involved.

Firstly, you need to ensure that the fish you buy to place in your Koi pond are compatible with the living conditions inside the Koi pond.

It would be best if you also bought your fish from a reputable fish breeder to ensure the fish you are purchasing are healthy and aren’t carrying any parasites that could potentially spread to your Koi fish.

Fish bought from mall aquarium stores tend to not be in the best conditions and can carry parasites. Some parasites can kill Koi fish, so this is very important.

You should ensure that the fish you want to introduce to your Koi pond is large. It would be best if you did not introduce fish to your Koi pond that is less than 20 inches in size, or your Koi fish may try to eat these new fish. This will waste your money as some fish can be quite pricy.

Koi Fish Pond Mates That Are Better Than Betta Fish

Should you wish to introduce different fish into your Koi pond to add variety to the pond, then there are several species you can choose from that will make better pond companions to your Koi than Betta fish.

If you have adult Koi fish that have reached their full size, you must add them into your pond when they are full-grown. When you add these fish into your pond when they are still juveniles, there will be the risk that your Koi will eat them while they are still small. So, let’s go through which fish will suit your Koi pond better than Betta fish.

Goldfish

This may seem counterproductive as Goldfish are smaller than Koi fish, but Koi fish don’t seem to snack on Goldfish as much as they do other fish, and Goldfish also belong to the carp family, making them the Koi fish’s cousin.

Goldfish can thrive in the same water conditions that Koi live in. Goldfish can be stunning and offer a great color pallet to your Koi pond, as their golden color complements the colors of the Koi fish.

Goldfish are relatively easy to care for as well, and you don’t need to worry about your Koi eating the Goldfish food as the food is generally made from the same ingredients as the Koi food.

Suckermouth Catfish

Suckermouth Catfish are a prized possession in many ponds around the country for their ability to help keep your pond clean. These fish have a specialized mouth that allows them to attach to the walls of your pond, where they will suck the algae from the walls.

These fish share the same habitat as Koi fish, but they generally stay closer to the water’s surface so that they won’t have many interactions with your Koi fish. Suckermouth Catfish also grow large, meaning your Koi fish will not eat them if you introduce them to your pond as adults.

These fish are known for their hardiness, so they will easily thrive in your Koi pond with other fish species swimming around.

Grass Carp

Grass Carp are another fish species that can live quite comfortably with your Koi fish. These fish can grow pretty large, so there is no need to worry about your Koi fish eating them if you place them in your Koi pond as adults.

Grass Carp can also offer some benefits to your Koi pond that will ease the care requirements of the pond. Grass Carp will feed on the algae and weeds that grow in your Koi pond and some other plant life, and this can help control the growth of unwanted plants in your Koi pond and make the cleaning requirements less of a hassle for you.

These fish are easy to care for and highly adaptable to different environments and food sources. So, these fish can also eat the foods you feed your Koi, making feeding easy.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass is another great fish species to place with your Koi fish. These fish are more challenging to care for, so you will need to be an experienced fish owner to have them thrive in your care.

These fish can live in the same water conditions as Koi fish, and they are a great option for you if you want your Koi fish to grow up with other fish as they seem to get along well together. These fish are also large enough that your Koi will not eat them.

Largemouth Bass can be a centerpiece to your Koi pond alongside your Koi fish as they are just as eye-catching and remarkable.

Orfe Fish

Orfe fish can be an attractive addition to your Koi pond that you should not think twice about adding to your pond if you can find them in your area. These fish prefer to stay at the surface of the water, and they can be hyperactive at times, making for an interesting dynamic in your pond with the calm Koi fish.

Orfe fish are large, so you won’t have any issues with your Koi trying to eat them. These fish are also omnivores, so they will also eat meat. If you have Orfe and Koi fish in the same pond, you must be careful introducing more fish into the pond as they might both try and get the new fish.

How To Feed Koi Fish So They Don’t Eat Other Fish

If you take the chance and introduce smaller fish, like Betta fish, into a pond with adult Koi fish, then there are some things you can do to try and stop your Koi from eating these smaller fish.

First, you must ensure that your Koi fish have a well-balanced diet with enough protein to satisfy them. You will also need to feed your Koi fish more regularly than you usually do. This will help keep your Koi fish full, making them less likely to roam the pond looking for a snack.

It would be best if you tried to feed your Koi in a location of your pond where your Bettas are unlikely to go. This will help keep your Betta fish out of the way while you are feeding your Koi, avoiding accidental eating of your Betta.

Conclusion

Koi fish are omnivores and eat Betta fish if they are hungry and get the chance, as Betta fish are much smaller than Koi fish. Several fish species will be better suited to living with your Koi fish that you can choose from if you really want other fish in your Koi pond.

However, you must ensure these other fish are healthy and free of parasites that could cause harm to your Koi fish before you introduce them to your pond. Good luck adding new fish to your Koi pond!