Hand Feeding your Koi

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 by: Brett Fogle

One of the most rewarding and entertaining things about
having a Koi pond is when your fish finally start eating out of your
hand. There is no better way to learn each fishes' personality and
temperament than to have them nuzzle your fingers when they are hungry.

The key to training your Koi to eat from your hand is
patience and conditioning. Like any wild animal Koi have a natural
distrust for anything that they think can hurt them, and you're plenty
big enough to do that as far as they are concerned.

If your goal is hand feeding then you need to start
training from the very first time that you feed a new fish. Of course,
it's not too late to start training your existing fish, but it's easier
if you start out that way.

If you have been feeding your fish by simply
broadcasting the food on top of the water then stop doing that
immediately. Instead, bring your feed bag next to the pond and kneel
down. Then, place a few pellets in your hand, submerge your hand, and
let the pellets slowly fall out.

Don't worry if your fish seem to not be paying
attention. They know that your hand is in the water and they know that
pellets just appeared out of nowhere.

Eventually one or two will swim up and eat. When that
happens, the rest of them will follow. Continue slowly dropping pellets
from your hand until you have fed your normal amount. Repeat that
process for about a week.

The following week, set up as you did last week, but
this time submerge your hand and hold the pellets in your slightly
cupped palm. Hold your hand steady and don't make any movements.
Eventually at least one fish should come over and eat from your hand.
It is essential that you do not make any quick movements while this is
happening. Remove your empty hand and repeat the process. If the fish
will not approach your hand to feed, then do not feed them that day.
They won't starve to death, believe me, and they will be a little bit
more likely to eat form your hand the next time that you offer them
food.

Once you have them to the point that they will eat form
your palm, it is time to teach them to take the food directly from your
finger tips. Simply grasp a pellet, submerge your hand, and wait until
the boldest fish approaches. Once he eats the others will follow. If
they don't you know what do to. Just feed the ones that will eat from
your hand and let the others miss a meal. Hunger is a great motivator
for Koi.

Once you have your Koi eating out of your hands you can
alternate between normal feeding and hand feeding for those times when
you're in a rush and just can't sit down and enjoy your fish.

To read the full article, click here:

https://www.macarthurwatergardens.com/Newsletters/September2004/Hand-feeding-koi.shtml

About the Author

Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary 'New Pond Owners Guide' for joining, just visit MacArthur Water Gardens at www.macarthurwatergardens.com.

brett@macarthurwatergardens.com

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