will koi eat guppies and platties?

[blacksmith37]

I have apparently taught my Koi conservative principles; violence only for self preservation. It is interesing to see that aparently environmental factors affect Koi. As my pond has cooled to 62F I have started netting swordtails and zebras out for the winter. There are at least 200 fish in the 1" to 3.5" range with the 7 large (to 24") Koi in 1000 gal. The Koi have eaten all the plants so all the small fish are in open water and easy to net.
I am not a fisherperson , but when friends went fishing for carp and catfish in the Chicago area they used "doughballs", not fish , for bait.

 

[missyme06]

it's an if they get hungury factor. if the koi have a lot to eat they wont, but forget to feed and you can say bye to those guppys.

 

[necrocanis]

lol, I have 2 large gold fish in my q-tank and when I put feeders in there to q them for a few weeks to gut load and make sure they are not sick the goldfish end up eating about half of them. Granted the goldfish is about 10". He'll eat other goldfish too.

 

[DeLgAdO]

carnivorous/omnivorous is something else than predatory...

agreed

id use opportunistic

 

[blacksmith37]

As global warming has ended here( pond down to 62F); I began netting out swords and zebras to try to sell . I have gotten about 300 swords (but only 10 zebras) into an unused 125; I guess there are 200 more in the pond. So my 7 Koi ( to >24") sure don't eat them. I had the same story with 5 other Koi ( now in Koi heaven ; forgot and let city water overfill the pond). I was incorrect on one thing ; I said the Koi have eaten everything green in the pond- not true ,about 10% of the swords are green and the koi don't eat them.

 

[fishboykaps]

I have been keeping koi for many years and i have never had a koi eat guppies or any small fish, now i do have friends who have koi that will eat there babies.

 

[scales and tails]

the koi will eat there own eggs but wont even eat there own babys so i would say your safe. We raised guppies last year in an outside pond with koi and they were fine. pond was 8x18x2 koi were in the 16" range.

 

[BIGgourami]

BIG FISH EAT SMALLER FISH.

even one's that are considered "herbivorous" will occasionally eat smaller fish

 

[ewurm]

I have seen a large goldfish try to eat a pleco. Both died. At an lfs.

 

[scales and tails]

If the koi do eat small fish it was by accident.