To hand feed or not

[Skydog]

Our 1500 gallon pond is outside our dining room window. To feed them, I shut off the pump/waterfall. This alone brings them to the surface. If they're particularly hungry, they'll start mouthing. I'll then toss in a 5 minute dose of pellets. If I approach the pond outside, they go down and stay there. I've considered feeding them at water's edge, but like the safety factor of them diving at perceived danger. What is your approach/belief in this regard?

 

[Dave 54]

If you want to feed your goldish by hand then patience is needed before they ever will appraoch it, only when they do will they eat from your hand so to speak .
But are you settling them up for preditors by doing so , whats to stop me as a preditor looking into your pond and the first fish that swims up to get fed snaffle its gone .
If you wish to feed from your hand I cannot stop you but please be aware you could be setting your fish up to be eaten

Dave

 

[Skydog]

That's why I said, "but like the safety factor of them diving at perceived danger"..........

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I don't feed the pond goldfish by hand although I do feed my fancy goldfish in the house by hand. They are in a protected environment so no worries there.

I kinda like the idea of the pond fish not being too trusting. Although I don't want them to hide from me either. Its not much fun that way.

I do keep my pond netted to help keep the fish safe from predators. But nothing is 100% safe when keeping them outside.

 

[Skydog]

I was told by a ponder that raccoons are known to "patty-cake" the water in order to get fish to rise! It's a jungle out there!

 

[Dave 54]

I don't feed the pond goldfish by hand although I do feed my fancy goldfish in the house by hand. They are in a protected environment so no worries there.

I kinda like the idea of the pond fish not being too trusting. Although I don't want them to hide from me either. Its not much fun that way.

I do keep my pond netted to help keep the fish safe from predators. But nothing is 100% safe when keeping them outside.

I totally have to agree with you there Maria however when in doors we chose not to feed by hand simply because of the dream of being a koi ponder which as you know was a good move for me .
The upshot is our koi do not take from the hand and as such wont come up to one .
Thankfully the only raccoons in the UK are behind bars in zoo's Skydog , its the Otter we fear the most in the UK .

Dave

 

[C-Note]

This has always been a toss-up subject of internal conflict for me. I know there are safety issues that hand-feeding can cause, but hand-feeding also allows me the opportunity to get a good, close-up inspection of my fish. That's also an important factor for me, and the health of the pond and fish. I enjoy the bond, and the playfulness when the fish want to nibble my fingers. Also, having their trust for hand-feeding means they come right up when I'm around, and if a fish needs to be netted and/or treated, it's much easier to do. But I really do see the risk factors, and would not recommend if there's a high probability for raccoon, herons, etc. around your pond.