The original feed from Sakai Koi Farm, “N-20,” is now available for sale through Kyorin.

This autumn, the new product “N-20” has been added to the Kyorin koi feed lineup. Developed as a dedicated feed for Sakai Fish Farm, it has been used year-round at the farm for over 30 years. This is because it “offers high palatability, consistent appetite, and excellent digestibility,” which aligns with recent trends in koi feeding.

Previously, the feed was also exported overseas from the farm, but this was halted due to changes in export regulations. However, enthusiastic fans continued to send strong requests, leading to the decision to officially sell the feed. Now, even general hobbyists can use the coveted “Sakai feed.”

In late August, just before the product launch, I had the opportunity to attend the promotional video shoot and speak with Kentaro Sakai, the president of Sakai Fish Farm, and the Kyorin team members in charge.

A versatile feed that doesn’t cause eating fatigue

Returning from “Super Body Gain”

― First, could Mr. Sakai please introduce the development background and history of the “N-20” feed?
Sakai: To be honest, I’m not entirely sure (laughs). I went to study in the United States when I was 20 and took over the family business at 22. But by the time I returned from the U.S., the N-20 was already in use at home, so it has a history of over 30 years. It has been used since my father’s generation and is the longest-used feed in our company. However, its fundamental performance and concept have remained unchanged.

― What are the characteristics of N-20?
Sakai: The most notable feature is its excellent palatability and ease of digestion. It has a very mild taste, so koi won’t get tired of it. It can be used from the growth period in summer to the final adjustment stage for the winter competition, making it a very versatile feed.

Kyorin： N-20 is based on our company’s “Hikari Germ ” formulation. Due to the high content of wheat germ, it can be fed at temperatures above 15°C.

Sakai: It smells great, completely different from other feeds. It doesn’t have the pungent smell typical of fish meal.

Kyorin：Fish meal comes in different grades, and our company uses a high-grade fish meal that is practically fit for human consumption. This might be where the difference lies. Additionally, while the protein sources in regular feeds are usually fish meal and soybean meal, N-20 reduces the proportion of soybean meal and increases the proportion of fish meal. This has a significant impact on palatability.

― In recent years, there has been a trend towards using relatively “light” feed and increasing the amount of feeding. However, Mr. Sakai adopted this approach more than 30 years ago.
Sakai：Actually, there was a period when we focused primarily on weight gain and did not use N-20. At that time, we believed that the higher the protein content, the fatter the koi would become, so we experimented with various weight-gain feeds, such as “Super Growth” and “Germ Growth,” essentially pursuing weight gain at all costs. We even mixed color-enhancing feed with growth feed, but the results were not very good. The high levels of protein and fat caused oil to pollute the water. Super Growth is like the tenderloin or fatty pork in meat—eating it for a long time would tire the fish, and they would refuse to eat it in the summer. So, we eventually returned to N-20. You could say it was a return to the basics. Considering everything, N-20 is the most balanced choice.

― I see. Just like humans, eating too much greasy food in the hot summer can be hard to handle.
Sakai：During my research on feed, I referred to a group called the “Freshwater Big Fish Research Association,” which focuses on the ecology and feed of koi. They published a very informative article titled “Considerations on Koi Ecology and Feed.” It mentioned, “Small koi prefer protein-rich feed, while large koi prefer lighter feed with higher carbohydrate content.” This further convinced me that heavy feed is not ideal.

― So, N-20 is the best choice.
Sakai：However, we don’t completely avoid using growth feed either. The feed ratio is adjusted according to water temperature. Depending on the size of the fish, if the water temperature is around 24°C, we sometimes mix in about 30% growth feed.