vbforvendetta asked:
I’ve got a small pond and so bought some very small Koi (3) but since putting them in they just stay out of site. I only see them if I move the pond weed searching for them, then they stay motionless and only swim off if disturbed. They don’t appear to be eating much either. There are no other fish in the pond. Does anyone know what is wrong?
Thanks.
I’ve got a small pond and so bought some very small Koi (3) but since putting them in they just stay out of site. I only see them if I move the pond weed searching for them, then they stay motionless and only swim off if disturbed. They don’t appear to be eating much either. There are no other fish in the pond. Does anyone know what is wrong?
Thanks.
“they just stay out of site” – so would I…it’s their defence mechanism !. Put any fish into gin clear water that has weeds in it and the fish will hide in the weeds, don’t worry about it.
However much are you expecting 3 VERY SMALL koi to eat ?. And don’t forget that there’s probably insects and little creatures in the weeds that they are snacking on. Again, don’t worry. In no time they’ll have outgrown that small pond and you’ll be building pond Mk II
Ross
They’re being coy..
Is the water quality good (right temp, no ammonia, nitrates and nitrties, etc)? Are they free of disease? If that all tests ok, they might just be freaked out still by being put in a pond being small.
I agree with the other post, I’d check the water quality, especially if it’s a newly set up small pond. And, if they’re fairly new to the pond, they may just be adjusting as well. How warm is the pond? I notice with it being warmer out, my goldfish will hide during the day, down towards the bottom where it’s(I’m assuming) cooler.
Small koi are notoriously shy. It is a self-protection technique. You are a big, two-legged thing that, from their perspective, looks remarkably similar to a heron or something that will swoop down from above and eat them! It will take time for them to become accustomed to you, and to understand that you will not hurt them.
Also, though, once they grow big enough to not easily slip down some bird’s throat, they seem to somehow magically know this and they almost instantly become more friendly. I would say that this is at about the 6-8 mark or so. Koi grow pretty quickly, though – they can generally hit this mark by the end of their first summer, or mid-year the second year, easily.
You don’t want them to grow TOO fast, though, as koi that grow too quickly are more susceptible to scoliosis (bent spine) and other defects. Though, if you feed a good diet (Hikari and Aquatic Gold are my favorites) you can usually avoid this.
So, as the others have suggested, check your water parameters just to be sure all is well (if you take care of the water, the fish will take care of themselves!). And then, just be patient. They’ll come around!
Hope this helps.