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  1. #1
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Small bit of advice for noob to koi

    I've always had fish since I was a kid. One of my ponds has 2 mirrors, 2 golden orfe, 1 shubunkin, 1 kikokuryu koi/ghost carp(same scale pattern and of the koi but colour of a ghostie) plus some gold fish. Now my other pond is where I need help. I've got two butterfly koi, 1 shusui koi(I think) and two goldfish, all the fish are so skittish in this pond, just go and hide by the lily pad. Now I've tried showing that when they see me to associate me with food etc but nothing just swim and hide. Anyone got any suggestions? I was thinking about adding a chagoi or soragoi around the same size to the pond as I've heard these will be the first to feed and ain't as skittish.


    Last edited by Benjie; 10-09-2019 at 08:16 PM.

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  3. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Benjie View Post
    I've always had fish since I was a kid. One of my ponds has 2 mirrors, 2 golden orfe, 1 shubunkin, 1 kikokuryu koi/ghost carp(same scale pattern and of the koi but colour of a ghostie) plus some gold fish. Now my other pond is where I need help. I've got two butterfly koi, 1 shusui koi(I think) and two goldfish, all the fish are so skittish in this pond, just go and hide by the lily pad. Now I've tried showing that when they see me to associate me with food etc but nothing just swim and hide. Anyone got any suggestions? I was thinking about adding a chagoi or soragoi around the same size to the pond as I've heard these will be the first to feed and ain't as skittish.
    I reckon a chag will work mate.also try muscles

    Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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  5. #3
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Muscles, what sort of muscles? Used to have a swam muscle but it got ate in the bigger pond.

  6. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Adult Champion anne's Avatar
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    They like mussels then .
    Fred means the frozen Mussels you get from the supermarket or prawns, that's another favourite .

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  8. #5
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Ahhh now that makes better sense lol. This was in the bigger pond still not 100% what are it. The butterfly, koi and goldfish are only about 2-4" so not big at all and I've only had them about a month now but I'd thought they shouldve got used to me by now.

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  10. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Gosai RudeDogg1's Avatar
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    Need more fish for them to come out their shell safety in numbers and all that

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  12. #7
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    I was thinking that has theres only like 4 or 5 in there, just need to find a chag that's the same size and a ochiba.

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  14. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Gosai Goonerharwood's Avatar
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    Try a floating feeding ring, put there food inside the ring and leave them to it , it helps them build confidence.

    Colin

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  16. #9
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Adult Champion anne's Avatar
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    You've only had them a month, that's not very long really for them to feel settled .
    Is it a raised or in ground pond, maybe cats or a Heron has had a little look and
    put the fear of god into them . If you can, try and feed them around the same time
    each day, mine seem to know when ''grubs up '' and gather around feeding time .

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  18. #10
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Pre built in the ground 30odd years ago I think if not longer. Same time every day I go down there to feed them. I do have a heron fountain about 3foot away from the pond so that could be scaring them. There are a few herons around my area due to the river and lakes.

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  20. #11
    Senior Member Rank = Gosai KevT's Avatar
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    Hi

    My fish took ages to get to associate me with food now they come straight away, try this, only feed a small amount into a feeding ring, take the uneaten food away and come back a couple of times each evening, I put a small bonsai tree between me and the feeding ring and stood well back to start with and get closer as they get more confident, I was also told to tap the pond gently near the ring each time I fed them this again seems to work, I can now hand feed them and the pond is only twelve months and they are growing well. I keep it covered with a net to stop cats and herons getting close as I feel the fish will come up to the predator as they are so interested in things around the pond. If I'm working in the garden or cleaning the filters they all come to the corner where I'm standing to see if there's anything on offer to eat

    Good luck and be patient, the wife thought I was mad stood there talking to the fish, she now feeds the fish by hand too with bread

    KevT
    Last edited by KevT; 11-09-2019 at 09:37 PM.

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  22. #12
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KevT View Post
    Hi

    My fish took ages to get to associate me with food now they come straight away, try this, only feed a small amount into a feeding ring, take the uneaten food away and come back a couple of times each evening, I put a small bonsai tree between me and the feeding ring and stood well back to start with and get closer as they get more confident, I was also told to tap the pond gently near the ring each time I fed them this again seems to work, I can now hand feed them and the pond is only twelve months and they are growing well. I keep it covered with a net to stop cats and herons getting close as I feel the fish will come up to the predator as they are so interested in things around the pond. If I'm working in the garden or cleaning the filters they all come to the corner where I'm standing to see if there's anything on offer to eat

    Good luck and be patient, the wife thought I was mad stood there talking to the fish, she now feeds the fish by hand too with bread

    KevT
    I sit there with a bottle of bud talking to the new ones and my old girl kikokuryu/ghostie shes gotta be 23 years old now maybe more, was my grandads before he moved house and didn't wanna leave the fish behind. I have noticed that the gold fish bolts first then the koi then the butterflies bolt last like a chain reaction.

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  24. #13
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KevT View Post
    Hi

    My fish took ages to get to associate me with food now they come straight away, try this, only feed a small amount into a feeding ring, take the uneaten food away and come back a couple of times each evening, I put a small bonsai tree between me and the feeding ring and stood well back to start with and get closer as they get more confident, I was also told to tap the pond gently near the ring each time I fed them this again seems to work, I can now hand feed them and the pond is only twelve months and they are growing well. I keep it covered with a net to stop cats and herons getting close as I feel the fish will come up to the predator as they are so interested in things around the pond. If I'm working in the garden or cleaning the filters they all come to the corner where I'm standing to see if there's anything on offer to eat

    Good luck and be patient, the wife thought I was mad stood there talking to the fish, she now feeds the fish by hand too with bread

    KevT
    Nice one Kev
    I also tap the edge of the pond with the food container and they come over then.
    John

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  26. #14
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Quick update so stuck my hand in the pond with a small handful of their food so they can see me realising the food. They didn't come out but I walked about 5ft away so they could clearly see me and well that actually came out and started eating while I was there. Slowly but surely i think they are recognising that i mean them no harm etc.

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  28. #15
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Quick update so stuck my hand in the pond with a small handful of their food so they can see me realising the food. They didn't come out but I walked about 5ft away so they could clearly see me and well that actually came out and started eating while I was there. Slowly but surely i think they are recognising that i mean them no harm etc.

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  30. #16
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Brilliant mate all steps in the right direction mate as said mussles prawns and a chag . But it's all just time with them feeding sitting at pond or even just working around the pond .

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    Freddyboy the legend

    "we are water keepers first"

    Johnathan

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  32. #17
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajm View Post
    Brilliant mate all steps in the right direction mate as said mussles prawns and a chag . But it's all just time with them feeding sitting at pond or even just working around the pond .

    Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
    The pond is part of a rockery, which I am weeding and keeping tidy as spent a bit of money on plants as years ago when my grandad lived here was always looking nice but then once he died it got left same as the pond both have been left for about 10 years now but I thought its about time to get it back up and looking nice again.20190903_155720.jpg

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  34. #18
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Nice looking pond mate . Might rethink the chag tho and they grow big and fast pond dosent look very big ?? And watch out for water tests as the pressure filter on the top waterfall they anit great for koi pond. But lovely pond and am sure you have it looking it's best again for your grandar

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    Freddyboy the legend

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    Johnathan

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  36. #19
    Junior Member Rank = Tosai Benjie's Avatar
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    I do have another pond that's about 4x times bigger thats not got many fish in but that's for the bigger fish or when the little ones out grow it. I'm still playing about with the whole waterfall part and the filter. Been looking for a chag that's about 2-4" to match the size of the others but atm haven't found one as small yet.

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  38. #20
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Benjie View Post
    I do have another pond that's about 4x times bigger thats not got many fish in but that's for the bigger fish or when the little ones out grow it. I'm still playing about with the whole waterfall part and the filter. Been looking for a chag that's about 2-4" to match the size of the others but atm haven't found one as small yet.
    Ah sorry mate didnt realise not trying to tel you how to suck eggs sorry . Some one might out me right but would a 6 to 8 inch chag not have more confidence and some times the little ones stick to a bigger fish . I thought size was only a problem when your talking 1 inch and 25 inch fish

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    Freddyboy the legend

    "we are water keepers first"

    Johnathan

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