How to get Fish to eat out of my Hands?

[Shoestring Ponder]

Turning off the pump does it for me...no sound and they start to swarm. If I tap w a stick on the side of the pond...they come a swimming! I have to turn off the pump to clean the grate and it is hard to clean the strings of "seaweed" from it while the water is flowing through it. DH used a piece of ceiling light grate across the port to trap dead leaves etc....well if trapped, it also traps some gunk that passes by the filter material/ Once I turn off the pump...well, "Let's eat" is the call from one fish to another....that or tapping on the side. LOL Oh, tried small shredded wheat squares w/o frosting. They will come to that and tear off parts...especially if the sw is soggy. Am still working on that though. They do love soggy shredded wheat squres...not frosted.

:goldfish:

 

[shanezam203]

scared of what they have no teeth .

Cool pics, you are my inspiration.

 

[Craig58]

Nice pond Shane! I haven't popped back in until now. You did a good job!

Craig

 

[Craig58]

Nice pond! I haven't stopped back for a while. You did a nice job!

Craig

 

[Craig58]

Nice job Shane! I haven't stopped back for a while. Nice job on the build!

Craig

 

[fishrich]

I only have to walk past the pond and they are all up wanting food from me, anyone elts walks by and they are not interested. (and we think we are cleaver!)
They fight for the food like they have had none for a week!
It takes time for the fish to know who you are, and that you are not wanting to eat them!!

 

[sissy]

no matter who walks by my pond they beg like dogs

 

[HARO]

I was feeding the fish in the pond at work this morning. Took a small handful of food, held it underwater, and the two koi went crazy trying to get at it. My wife, who was watching, called over another girl to see it, but as soon as she got near the pond, the koi swam away and refused to come to my hand again. Why? This is a small pond in the entranceway to the garden centre, and kids come in all the time to feed the fish, so these koi aren't exactly shy. Guess they just figured there were too many people watching!
John

 

[callingcolleen1]

Help! We snuck "on the line" while our mean owner was not looking, and she says she's going to leave us out side again all winter with NO FOOD and under the ICE!! Help, send us puppy chow and we will eat your hand!! Look how she abuses us and makes us her suck toes too! HeLp!

 

[addy1]

You have naughty fish colleen! chatting on line.

Haro, maybe they don't like women?

 

[shanezam203]

no matter who walks by my pond they beg like dogs

They are almost a year old and still they are timid and not eating from my hand. There are 20 fish, I may try way LESS pellets than Fish and show them its coming from Me and see if I can teach them in time. How long can it take?

 

[callingcolleen1]

The fish need to feel safe if they are going to eat from your hand. If they are still timid, it could be that a preditor may be lurking and scaring them, or if you have moved the fish with a net, and taken them in for the winter, then they will remain timid.
My fish are not scared of the net, cause the net does not ever go after them, as they stay out all winter. my two biggest koi that you see in post 24 above, have never been moved for over 15 years, when that pond was last re-built.

You can try feeding them high quality puppy chow, as mine much prefer the puppy chow over fish food any day. I have been feeding my fish puppy chow for over 10 years with no problems ever, and my fish have been outside now for over 20 years and they do well on this puppy chow that is made fresh here in my home province of Alberta.

If you prefer the fish food, make sure it is very very fresh and skinky, and that will also make a big difference too. Last years fish food will be stale, so chuck it in the garbage. Also if you buy fish food, check the date, as lots of fish food is old and many stores I have found still try to sell old fish food from last year!

 

[markd]

Netted my goldfish and shubunkin to move them out to the pond last Saturday... by Monday night they were coming running when I walked up, and eating out of my hand just like last year (with the last of last years food no less ;-). They have also vacuumed up every bit of green algae in the pond... maybe that's why!

 

[shanezam203]

I am using food left over from last year, should I try new food? and should I try feeding every other day, will they be more aggressive and hungrier?
I think they are getting better, I sat on the ledge yesterday for 20 minutes and they were getting closer and closer.

 

[markd]

I think regular time for feedings helps. I typically feed them when I get home from work, and in the morning (once it gets a little warmer) I have my breakfast sitting right next to the pond and feed them then too. They are pretty used to seeing me there.

I started out tossing the food in near the fish, then worked it closer and closer to where I was sitting, until I was dropping it right in their mouths... now I let the food come off the tips of my fingers, getting lots of "fishy kisses". ;-) The big ones will not really startle if i touch them either.

Definitely leave them wanting more food, I think, by waiting longer or feeding less.