If you’ve seen Ricky Stoddart’s videos on YouTube then you’ll already know he is a big advocate for Saki Hikari Koi fish food. In issue 22 of Koi Talk magazine we featured a special Buyer’s Guide feature looking at the different varieties. In this short blog we share part of that article and some of Ricky’s thoughts about why he only uses Saki Hikari.
To read Ricky’s full article including a breakdown of the different varieties, check out issue 22 of Koi Talk Magazine. It’s for sale in the back issues section of our online shop.
Koi food is always a topic for discussion and it is a part of the industry that is dominated by opinion more than fact. There is one product, however, where I don’t think opinion comes into it, a product so good that it is rightly termed the best Koi fish food in the world. Whether people use the product or not there are few that disagree with this statement.
If you have seen any of my content on YouTube then there is no doubt you will have heard me mention this product before. I had used it many years ago but felt it was hard to justify the cost at that point. Back in 2021, after investing heavily in my Dainichi collection, I decided to buy some for that pond. It didn’t take me long to remember why I loved this product so much and within a month I had made the huge commitment to exclusively feed it at Koi Wholesale. I have said it a few times now, but I believe this is one of the best specialist Koi products ever made, and it is worth every penny.
There are several things that make it great, not least the quality of the ingredients, but the thing that makes it unique is the Hikari Germ. This is a unique and patented probiotic bacterium that while feeding lives in the gut. I believe this is what plays its part in the digestive efficiency and low waste levels. You should be aware that the benefits from this will stop if feeding is halted and mixing the diet with other foods will reduce its effectiveness so that isn’t something that I would recommend. I heavily link gut health to the mucus quality (skin lustre) and can say from experience that whilst feeding this diet I achieve the best lustre and all-round health. Others have added probiotic to foods but I don’t believe anyone else has done it to the extent that Hikari has.
Although It has featured in a lot of my content I know there is still some uncertainty about which of the different variations of the diet are best to feed throughout the different seasons. In the issue 22 magazine article I look at each one individually and provide my guidance to help you make the right decision.
Saki Hikari Koi fish food varieties
There are a number of different varieties of Saki Hikari, here’s a quick snapshot:
- Saki Hikari Balance
- Saki Hikari Growth
- Saki Hikari Colour
- Saki Hikari Multi Season
- Saki Hikari Pure White
- Saki Hikari Deep Red
- Saki Hikari ‘R’ Range
For specific details of the benefits of each, take a look at the issue 22 magazine article.
Conclusion
When it comes to your Koi, nutrition cannot be overlooked. The Koi food market is massively oversaturated with choice and it can be very confusing. You also must balance the needs of your fish with your budget. If you take Saki Hikari at face value then it may seem expensive but I highly recommend you break it down to the price per kilo before comparing it against other diets. Even when breaking it down to the price per kilo there’s an array of other factors, mainly the conversion ratio, to consider before you can make a true comparison.
Take it from me, however, as the biggest user of this food in the UK and possibly Europe, this is the best and if you can justify it then it should be the only choice.
To read Ricky’s full article, check out issue 22 of Koi Talk Magazine.