Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Wheatgerm pond food when the pond cools

Updated: 22 October 2026

Goldfish still rush up in October for the sticks you have used since May. Wheatgerm pond food is the separate recipe many UK brands sell for that stretch, with a temperature band on the pack, and it is a different product from a staple that only names wheatgerm among the ingredients. Daily amounts stay on the [how to feed pond fish](/hub/garden-ponds/pond-food/sub/pond-food-how-to-feed) guide. None of the eight amazon.co.uk listings on the [Pond food](/hub/garden-ponds/pond-food) comparison is a dedicated wheatgerm pack. Peter F. drew on Tetra UK, Hikari UK, Nishikoi and OATA, plus those listings, captured on 19 October 2026. This is not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

Goldfish still rush up in October for the sticks you have used since May.

Our top picks

Tetra Tetra variety sticks, 150 g

Best overall

Tetra Tetra variety sticks, 150 g
8.6/10about £4.79
View offer
Walters Walters variety sticks, 40 L bag

Best value

Walters Walters variety sticks, 40 L bag
8.3/10about £20.29
View offer
Walters Walters variety sticks, 10 L refill

Rank 3

Walters Walters variety sticks, 10 L refill
8.1/10about £9.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Why the recipe changes
  2. 2.The temperatures brands publish
  3. 3.Wheatgerm on the label is not a winter food
  4. 4.Sturgeon and a mild spell

Why the recipe changes

Cold water slows digestion in goldfish and koi, so a summer stick they cleared in August can sit on the surface once the pond is only just in double figures. Wheatgerm pond food is the usual UK answer because the maker builds the diet around wheatgerm and prints a cooler band on that tub. Tetra UK describes its wheatgerm sticks as a complete food for water below 10°C, at 33% crude protein. Those figures belong to that wheatgerm product.

The temperatures brands publish

UK sources publish different bands, and they should stay different. Tetra's wheatgerm page is for water below 10°C. Nishikoi's wheatgerm is for below 10°C and above 6°C. OATA says that below 8°C it may be better not to feed at all, except sturgeon. Hikari UK says not to feed its wheatgerm below 5°C, and no more than twice a day from 5°C to 18°C. Read a thermometer in the water. An ingredient list is not a temperature band.
Tetra Tetra variety sticks, 150 g

Testsieger

Tetra Tetra variety sticks, 150 g
8.6/10about £4.79
View offer

Wheatgerm on the label is not a winter food

Wheatgerm as one ingredient does not make the bag a winter food. The 18% protein figure in this comparison applies only to B097LNPGBR, B09WJ9YK7J and B097LNTD3D. Those bullets do not give a 5°C or 10°C band. Tetra's 33% protein and 28.4% wheatgerm meal stay on Tetra Pond Wheatgerm Sticks, which is absent from this set. Do not copy 33% onto Tetra Pond Sticks, including B000LY0TBA and B002CW6TNG. Floating food is easier to lift off than a sinking pellet, which pond sticks or pellets sets out. How much to store is on the pond food buying guide.

Sturgeon and a mild spell

OATA's suggestion to pause below 8°C excepts sturgeon. They also need a sinking diet, so the floating sticks in this comparison are the wrong tool for them. In a mixed pond the goldfish can follow the cold pause while the sturgeon still receive food that reaches the bottom. If you are unsure which sinking food matches the temperature, ask a retailer who keeps sturgeon, or a vet. If the reading is below the pack's floor, leave the lid shut.

Common questions

At what temperature do I switch to wheatgerm pond food?
There is no shared UK switch point. Tetra UK presents its wheatgerm sticks for water below 10°C. Nishikoi's wheatgerm is for below 10°C and above 6°C. Hikari UK stops at 5°C, with no more than two feeds a day between 5°C and 18°C. Byrkley Aquatics suggests a change around 10°C as a shop guide, not a regulation. Follow the band printed on the pack you buy.
At what temperature should I stop feeding?
Sources disagree, so one stop figure would be a guess. OATA says that below 8°C it may be better not to feed, except sturgeon. Hikari UK says not to feed its wheatgerm below 5°C. Nishikoi's wheatgerm is meant to stay above 6°C. Byrkley Aquatics mentions stopping around 4–5°C. Ten degrees is not a universal stop. Where Tetra uses below 10°C, that is the range for its wheatgerm sticks, a change of recipe rather than an order to leave every fish unfed.
Is wheatgerm pond food lower in protein?
The analyses do not all agree. Nishikoi lists its wheatgerm at 19.7% protein. Tetra UK's wheatgerm sticks are 33% crude protein and 5.5% fat. A UK shop figure of about 30–32% refers to Hikari's wheatgerm formula, not to Walters. The 18% figure on three Walters listings here is a staple analysis, and those pages do not describe a winter diet.
Do my Walters sticks already count if they list wheatgerm?
They do not. An ingredient mention is not a winter feeding rule. The 18% protein line applies to B097LNPGBR, B09WJ9YK7J and B097LNTD3D only, and those bullets do not tell you to feed below 10°C or to stop at 5°C. The other listings in this comparison are not dedicated wheatgerm packs either. Buy a food whose label states the cold band.
Can sturgeon follow the same stop as goldfish?
OATA's note that it may be better not to feed below 8°C treats sturgeon as the exception. They also need sinking food, and the floating sticks compared here are not that diet. Goldfish in the same pond can be paused while sturgeon are still fed on a food that reaches them. If the right food for the temperature is unclear, ask a retailer who keeps sturgeon or a vet.
Can I feed on a mild day in January?
Feed only when the water, not the air, is inside the band on the food you are using. A mild afternoon after frost often leaves the pond colder than the garden. If a thermometer at the usual depth is below the pack's floor, keep the lid on even if a few fish come up. If you do feed, keep the portion small and floating so you can net what they leave.
Is Tetra's 33% the protein in Tetra Pond Sticks?
No. Crude protein of 33%, fat of 5.5%, fibre of 2%, moisture of 8% and wheatgerm meal of 28.4% is what Tetra UK publishes for its wheatgerm sticks. That pack is not among the eight listings here. Do not read 33% as the protein of Tetra Pond Sticks, including B000LY0TBA and B002CW6TNG. Use the analysis on the product you actually have.

Related pages

Pond net comparison

Pond food

Best pond sticks UK for a mixed goldfish pond pick

Pond fish food buying guide: fish, grams and season

How to feed pond fish: amount, timing and leftovers

Pond sticks or pellets for the fish you can see eat

Sources

Public UK and maker sources from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are from the eight amazon.co.uk listings captured on 19 October 2026. A protein percentage is quoted only where that listing prints it. Temperature cutoffs are brand guides, not one UK legal rule. This is not a laboratory test.

  1. OATA, how to look after pond fish (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK, animal feed legislation (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. legislation.gov.uk, SI 2015/255 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. legislation.gov.uk, Regulation 767/2009 Article 15 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Tetra UK, pond wheatgerm sticks (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Hikari UK, wheat-germ (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Nishikoi, wheatgerm (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. World of Water, pond fish feeding (retrieved 19 October 2026)