New Koi

[dakamp84]

Hello all,

After some silence on these forums, I am back with additions to the family.

I have added trapdoor snails and some koi (mixed butterflys) into my pond. Really enjoying everything coming together now (algae growing on rocks and liner, plants spreading out and blossoming, etc.).

The koi have been in the pond for about 2 weeks. The bigger ones swim together and the smaller ones kind of do their own things. Guess koi are like people; they have there own personalities. The guy I got them from, fed them flakes but his big ones pellets. I originally gave them flakes, which they did not eat (possible filled up on algae or whatever). Then I bought the small pellets and again same thing. Then bought sinking granuales for goldfish and they liked those. So at least I know they will eat store bought food. lol.

So for the question. How do I get my koi to eat at the surface? I would like to see them (since they are only 3-5") and hopefully make them more social. Since they are still "new" to the pond, they may still be adjusting. Just wanted to know if anyone has some knowledge on this one.

Thank you.

 

[sissy]

some say if you pinch flake food between your hands and they are hungry they will come up .But after they get used to the fact you are feeding them they will come up also .Never had a problem with mine there pigs .

 

[pecan]

Congrats on the new family!

I added Koi to my pond this year and started feeding them for the first time. It took only a couple regular feedings before they figured it out and now like Sissy said they are little pigs. LOL

Try feeding at the same time/times every day and in the same location. They will figure it out.

When I go out to feed in the morning and after work they are schooled by the deck at the surface waiting for me...

 

[sissy]

Mine hear my voice and come swimming over so get down close and let them get to know you .After awhile they will get really friendly it just takes time .Even if you are not feeding them get down close so they get used to seeing you .

 

[dakamp84]

Thank you all for the advise. I will add these suggestions to their feeding.

 

[dakamp84]

Update

They now swim to me when I go out to feed them and they are not really scared of me.

I have also began throwing the floating pellets out first. They usually swing under the pellets looking for the granuals. I then throw out some granuales and they devour them. I have been moving to lower levels of granuales and lower gap of time between pellets and granuales. I did notice that at the next feeding, all the pellets were gone. Obviously they could have sunk or etc. So I did not take this to heart.

Last night, I went to feed them. They acted the same with the pellets but I noticed they were getting much closer to the surface (the bigger ones were at least). So I waited and sure enough one took one off the surface. More time is need but it is exciting to see. They are not attacking the surface like I see at the store, videos, etc but exciting never the less.

 

[fishin4cars]

This is VERY common for smaller koi, Just keep working with them as your doing, the more comfortable they are with you the more they will come up. Also, May try feeding just a very very few pellets/granuals at a time and feed more often. the more they see you and relate you with food the more they will come to you.
Think of them like kids, a baby has no clue what a bottle is, they relate bottle to mommy/food, mommy feeds, baby cries for Mommy, Mommy changes diaper, makes baby happy. Koi are the same way. feed them, keep there pond clean, make soft sounds they can relate to you and they will get more and more use to coming to you for feeding time.