You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
General Koi Carp ChatKoi News and discussion
» Stats
Members: 25,314
Threads: 3,308
Posts: 31,152
Top Poster: markf1fan (3,497)
I have a mixed bag of fish in my pond; goldfish various, 4 koi, a mirror carp and a couple of golden orfes. THe fish have always been very flighty. This could be to do with all the cats around here or the herons. I do keep the pond netted though. Alternatively it could be the orfes. Ideally I would like my fish to come to me but they tend to run away instead. Maybe its me?
Thoughts anyone?
Sponsored Links - Support the forum by using these links!
Unless you spend a lot of time with your fish, they will never come to you.
You can train them by always feeding them from the same place.
Stand there for half a minute then throw in a very small amount of food. Keep perfectly still until they arrive and stay there for a bit. You need to have a lot of patience, something of which I have very little. Like many undomesticated animals, they don't like sudden movements or prolonged eye contact.
It's just a question of frequent repetition. They say fish have a short memory span, but it isn't true.
Mine will come to where they expect to be fed when they hear me open the side door in the fence between our drive and the garden. They''ll already be up that end of the pool by the time I get there. But I also bang on the side rail a couple of times. This is because if I'm already in the garden and I walk down to the pool to feed them I'll bang on the rail to attract their attention and they'll immediately take notice.
To get your fish to feed out of your hand, you're going to have to spend hours with them, "or they've got to be really hungry."
I don't spend much time with mine, they are just "an element of the whole garden."
Digressing a bit, ever been in the garden near your pool doing something or other, i.e., a bit of DIY and suddenly looked up to see the b***ers lined up watching you? They can be very inquisitive, but sadly it's the same questions "Can we eat it?, or "When are we going to be fed?"
__________________ "I don't mind if you don't like my manners!
I don't like them myself, they're pretty bad,
I grieve over them on long winter evenings."
Last edited by Doghouse Riley : 19-01-2012 at 04:27 PM.
i found that when i first got my koi there were scared of everything, all i did was every time i passed the pond (or make a point of going to your pond) i would just throw a few pellets in the water and stand there for a min, with in a week or two they were taking food from my hands
hope this help with yours
Digressing a bit, ever been in the garden near your pool doing something or other, i.e., a bit of DIY and suddenly looked up to see the b***ers lined up watching you? They can be very inquisitive, but sadly it's the same questions "Can we eat it?, or "When are we going to be fed?"
thats it in a nutshell doghouse, i found all my koi to be skitty at first but i got 2 chagoi from a local dealer, if you dont have one i suggest you get one as they seem to be much more inquisitive and less shy thaan the others, they will be the first to come to you and that in turn will encourage all the rest to follow. but as doghouse said all this comes with time and patience, i try to spend as much time as i can with my fish and all except my tench come to my hand, even the sturgeon! if you have folk round get a few round the pond while you wang the odd pellet in, the more people they see the more familiar they become with people. and before long they will realise people = food time. just persevere mi old, all will come good
Thanks everyone for your advice. When I start feeding them again in March/April I will do so with more warmth and feeling.
Glad it was not the Orfes as I have had them about 8-9 years now from 1" to about 10" or so now. Would have hated to have to find them a new home.
Thanks again.
Thanks everyone for your advice. When I start feeding them again in March/April I will do so with more warmth and feeling.
Glad it was not the Orfes as I have had them about 8-9 years now from 1" to about 10" or so now. Would have hated to have to find them a new home.
Thanks again.
You've got the idea, as they say, "Once more, with feeling!"
__________________ "I don't mind if you don't like my manners!
I don't like them myself, they're pretty bad,
I grieve over them on long winter evenings."
Thanks everyone for your advice. When I start feeding them again in March/April I will do so with more warmth and feeling.
Glad it was not the Orfes as I have had them about 8-9 years now from 1" to about 10" or so now. Would have hated to have to find them a new home.
Thanks again.
Hiya
Not sure if anyone directly answered the question aboutthe Orfe - They will certainly not help, they are skittish fish at the best of times easily spooked and it will make it difficult for the Koi to gain confidence.
Patience is the key, summer evenings spent by the pond with time on your hands and a handful of food.
As Dave said orfe are really skittish and although it is worth trying but with my limited experiance of mixing koi and orfe your koi will not really settle down with the orfe there. No ogon are not the same, mine were really nervous until i was told to get a chagoi and within a few weeks of sitting by the pond for a 15mins or so during feeding most would come up and feed from my hand, only the tench left and its getting closer
Flighty fish 
Linear Mode
