ProBites™

Introduction

ProBites™ is a new generation of koi feed made from only the best ingredients and manufactured using the very latest technology. This has allowed us to distance ourselves from inferior, low quality ingredients that are so often used in the production of animal feeds. Such inferior ingredients often contain harmful contaminants or are of such low quality that they are capable of affecting the health of Nishikigoi when used over long periods of time.  

With the development of ProBites™, we have gone back to the drawing board and developed from scratch a product that is 100% designed with the long term health of koi in mind.  Our product avoids the use of specific ingredients and detrimental methods of production that are often used in the fabrication of feed for the food fish industry. The vast majority of the koi pellets now manufactured are nothing more than variations of the cheap bulk pellets used for industrial breeding and forced growth of carp intended for consumption. In most cases these koi feeds are nothing more than industrial pellets to which some extra vitamins or the latest trendy ingredient has been added. In our eyes such feeds are unsuitable for use as proper koi feed.

Carbohydrates

A good example is the use of Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates form the vast majority of the ingredients in most koi food and must therefore be as cheap as possible. In general these consist of cheap ingredients used in the livestock industry like wheat flour, maize meal, soy meal, tapioca meal etc. There is in fact nothing wrong with the presents of carbohydrates in koi feed provided it is of good quality and contains as little sugars as possible. Nearly all koi feed contains carbohydrates with very high levels of sugars. That we become fat from sugars is well known. Carbohydrates are converted by the body into sugars to be burned as energy. The unused portion is converted to fat which accumulates in the liver and muscle tissue. This condition is called Carbohydrate Overload. The symptoms of this are high blood sugars, an excess strain to the liver and lack of hunger. This manifests itself by an enlarged liver caused by the excessive storage of glucose with reduces levels of liver function as a result.

Such deposits are not only unhealthy but can greatly reduce the lifespan of our koi... It is difficult to say just how much damage is done by the feeding of excessive fast carbohydrates to our koi, but we find it essential that a well balanced koi food must never contribute to the early demise of our fish. Koi living in closed systems with little need for high performance exploits have little need for rapid introduction of sugars into the bloodstream. This is totally unnecessary and makes the rapid rise in blood sugar levels unwanted. Therefore ProBites™ contain only carbohydrates with very low sugar levels. This way, the carbohydrates used in ProBites™ not only contribute to the health and lifespan of your fish, but also to a slow, natural and thus efficient digestion.

Quality and Control
Almost all the raw materials used in the production of ProBites™ are food grade. This means that almost all of our ingredients are fit for human consumption. These raw materials are constantly supervised and inspected to be sure they meet standards of quality such as those stipulated in the GMP and HACCP. Only a small portion of our ingredients are specifically intended for use in the aquatic industry and even then these are of the highest quality available. ProBites™ is living proof that a koi food can be both high quality and affordable at the same time.

Production techniques
Because it is important that ProBites™ retains as many of its nutrient values as possible, ProBites™ is manufactured using the same low temperature extrusion techniques employed in the production of food for human consumption. This preserves many fragile nutrients and vitamins as well as retaining the full taste and smell. Smell and taste are eventually the most important factors which koi use to judge the quality of any food given to them. We are proud to state that even though ProBites™ have no synthetic taste, smell or other synthetic additives, koi still exhibit an irresistible attraction to ProBites™. Because of this, koi remain continually attracted to ProBites™ as it is a tasty, nutritional product.

Test results
A series of long and extensive tests have been done to ensure that ProBites™ meets the following strict criteria:

• ProBites™ pellets must not cloud the water of the pond.

• The pellets must not put undue strain on the pond and its filtration.

• The pellets must not cause protein foam formation.

• The pellets should retain their form when moistened.

• ProBites™ must have and open structure that increases their attraction to koi.

• ProBites™ must be tuned to the different water temperatures in the pond and the nutritional needs of koi by these temperatures.

The growth factor
Needless to say we have taken time to examine the specific wishes and needs that koi lovers demand of their feed as well as their expectations of what a good quality koi food should achieve. 
The most evident of these demands is that a koi food should allow a fish to grow well. 
Research has shown that growth in a koi can be best achieved through the use of protein derived from fresh and salt water habitats with a high biological protein value. These kinds of proteins most closely resemble those of which a koi is made and are therefore most quickly and efficiently converted to muscle tissue. Insects are also suitable for this purpose and have the added attraction of having an attractive smell and taste koi find irresistible.

Oils and lipids
In order to properly digest its food a koi also needs fat. The correct fats are not only rich in healthy fatty acids, but are also the source of the energy a koi needs to digest its food. The healthiest fatty acids and oils are those derived from plants. Once again, the lower the temperatures are in the extraction process, the better the quality of the fatty acids in the oils produced.

Concentrated Color Formula™
Another important property koi lovers expect from koi food is its colour-enhancing ability. There are different types of substances that may affect the colours of a koi, but many of these have the undesirable effect to also discolour the pond water or worse, the white skin of koi. In the development of ProBites™ we have given extra attention to this. This has resulted in the use of a unique combination of raw materials that inhibit, stimulates and nourishes the production of natural pigments within koi. We have called this combination Concentrated Color Formula™ (CCF).

All together the ProBites™ range is truly a new generation Koi food that guaranties results. Growth, improvement of skin quality, crisp clear slime coat, intensive colours an excellent immune system and a good health.

ProBites™ gives you everything you ever looked for in a Koi food!