A few more better (maybe) pics of the new koi...

[slakker]

So took out my real camera with a polarizing filter (still couldn't get rid of all the glare) to see if I could get a fe better pictures of the new residents...

They're still shy, staying mid to lower in the water column, my wife has been working to train them to come... any special techniques or tricks? See what I mean about the GF and Shubunkins staying up top and Kois going lower?



D3A_1459 by slakker, on Flickr



D3A_1460 by slakker, on Flickr



D3A_1464 by slakker, on Flickr



D3A_1475 by slakker, on Flickr

 

[Mmathis]

I think that once they learn to associate people with food, they won't be as shy. I try to do "things" around the pond where I can have my hands in the water a lot (fiddling with plants, scooping leaves, retrieving fallen rocks, pulling string algae, etc.), which also gets my face close to the water. I pretend to ignore them as they swim around my hands, looking for food or bugs that get stirred up. But that gets them used to my presence in a non-threatening way. I'll even swish the net around for no reason, and I have to be careful not to snag one. Now, get the net out to actually CATCH one -- totally different story

I have a feeding trick that works pretty well. I will spread some food, then tap out the "4 beats" from Dr. Who on a rock. And I do this EVERY time I feed, but ONLY when I feed. So the little piggies can beg all they want, but when they get their "signal," they KNOW it's the real thing. It's so funny to watch them literally swarm over to me. I have some fry in an aquarium indoors, and have started conditioning them. After a week, they already know to get excited when I tap lightly on the glass (if I tap too hard, it frightens them)!

 

[slakker]

Dr Who... the Master's 4 beats! LOL... I have that as my custom vibrate on my iPhone! Goods ideas, thanks!

 

[Fishylove]

That's a great idea TM, I'll have to try that. My little piggies take all signals from my big BF Matsuba. He's the one that sumo slams all of the duck weed out of the floating ring. LOL! Last time I measured him, it was this last fall, he was 16". So I'm sure he's grown, he looks it.
I find, that when I feed them, if I crouch down to the level of the pond, or sit on the ground next to it, they are less skittish. Wait till your koi get bigger slakker, they sit down there with these huge eyes, and watch your every move lol. Now my butt wigglers are very friendly! They will swim up into your hand and eat. Their so cute

 

[Mmathis]

You could, of course, use ANY audible signal. I guess we'd just watched that Dr. Who episode, so that beat was playing in my brain

I was remembering the old TV show, FLIPPER -- anyone else remember that show? Anyway, they had a device they'd hold under the water (a horn or siren?) and use it to call Flipper.

Also, we have our cats "bell-trained" (with food as a reward) which is helpful when you can't find one of them (imagine that!). And when we had ferrets, we DEFINITELY had them "squeaker-trained"! Anyone who's had ferrets will understand

But the more exposure you have, the more "tame" the fish will become. I even have one now that's in my QT that has been TERRIFIED OF ITS OWN SHADOW (almost literally). But through having to take it out for treatments and just in general, being around it a lot and letting it see me, it's calming down a lot. I don't think this guy will ever be "tame," but at least it doesn't react as strongly as it used to. Even when it was in the pond, I never saw it except when I fed. Just its personality, I guess -- like people....

 

[pecan]

Beautiful Koi!

They do learn very quickly where food comes from.

Mine even try to get the Chihuahuas to feed them when the Chihuahuas stand by the pond.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I broke down and got a couple butterfly koi this summer. I have been hesitant to put any koi in with my pond with the other fish because I was concerned they'd get too big and become such aggressive feeders they consume all the food before all the goldfish have a chance to get much. Five minutes after I introduced them to my pond I fed the fish,,,, and those 2 new crazy koi were consuming all the food before the goldfish could get it. Sheeeeesh! :dunno: Those guys weren't shy.

Slakker, we have carp in the local ponds, lakes and streams around here and although they can and do feed on the bottom, I've often seen them feeding on the surface, and even jumping out of the water to catch bugs like trout do. I think there adaptability is why they are such a prolific fish. (BTW, carp are not native to this area, but they are everywhere)

 

[slakker]

I'm making progress, they started surfacing when feeding now... still a bit shy when I talk or make any movement, but they're slowly getting it. It must also be a "schooling" thing... at the place I got them, once they put food in the water, they all come to the surface, so I know they do it... but with just 2 in the pond, it's like they know there's no safety in numbers and are more shy to begin with.

 

[koiguy1969]

you can probably go to just about any freshwater marina, where there are carp, and feed or even hand feed them.... atleast here you can. boaters throwing table scraps, cleaning plates, etc. gets them used to getting fed. just like our koi they look up out of the water waiting to be fed. intentionally or accidentally!

 

[pecan]

I have noticed the same thing around here koiguy and they are not native.

The second largest lake in Utah, Utah Lake is FULL of carp. and even though it is a huge lake near the most populated area of the state, not many people have ever used it for anything recreational. It is known to be horribly filthy. The water is gross to even look at. I read an article in the local paper not long ago that they have allotted money to cleaning it up which means between now and 2017 they will kill off the millions of carp living in it. Apparently the carp dig up all the natural vegetation (natural filter) leaving nothing but muddy, dirty water and nothing for native fish to live off of. So they think by getting rid of the carp the natural vegetation will grow back and bring back the natural fish species which in turn will clean the lake making it more desirable as a recreation spot.

After reading that and seeing posts about people wanting "natural Koi ponds" without filtration, it hit me that "natural koi ponds" without filtration are really really gross like Utah Lake.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I don't know if this will help, but I set my cell phone camera on "NIGHT" and or "LANDSCAPE" when taking pictures during the day of the fish, seems to help me. Also my fish come running and scramble to greet me cause I feed them yummy Doggy Puppy Chow!

 

[addy1]

I will try that colleen, thanks

 

[callingcolleen1]

Glad I could be of help!