Colorado Belle now offers visitors the rare opportunity to take part in the property’s special koi feeding program. Brightly colored and patterned fish, distant relatives of carp, the koi are a popular and unusual attraction of the hotel casino. The fish are fed twice each day. “We feed the koi at 10 a.m. and at 6 p.m.,” said Chief Engineer John Capps. “There’s a feeding station at the north and south ends of the boat on the bridges across the moat, and another feeding station on the riverwalk bridge. A Colorado Belle Employee will bring the koi food to the feeding station in a bucket and distribute it to visitors who would like to help feed the koi,” he said. Each person who participates in the koi feeding program receives a special commemorative cup as part of the experience. “It’s a little memento of their visit to Colorado Belle,” Capps said.

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Koi require a properly balanced diet to stay healthy. They will overfeed if they’re allowed to do so, and can get sick as a result. “We buy the food especially formulated to keep the koi healthy. And we monitor the moat all the time. It’s important to keep the water clear of debris, make sure it’s clean and check frequently to ensure filters are working properly,” Capps said.

In 1997, following a general overhaul of the moat, it was stocked with 100 koi. Over time, the fish have flourished, breeding in the shady areas created by the boat’s enormous paddlewheels. Plants have been added to improve the environment for the fish.

Koi, or “Nishikigoi”, have been bred and revered in Japan for several centuries, and breeders have developed several distinct varieties within the species. The fish’s greatest appeal among breeders lies in the fact that there are no two exactly alike. In breeders’ shows, they are judged for color and the unique patterns on their backs, including the color contrast, definition and location of markings.

At Colorado Belle, special signs are located on the bridge railings overlooking the moat that help to identify the moat’s “residents” by type. There are several special koi among Colorado Belle’s fish population, some worth several hundred dollars to collectors and breeders.