# Tips on Taming Koi



## akuma 天 (Apr 15, 2008)

So I've added 3 Koi to my goldfish pond, and eventually I'd like to get them hand tame like the ones at Pro ponds and Zoo's etc...

For now they are very young and very tiny (about 5cm long) so I don’t expect them to calm down and lose their skittishness just yet.

I've read up on various sites and they all seem to say the same thing, patience, patience and more patience!

For now I'm just putting my hand in the pond and leaving it there for 5 to 10 minutes, and they do seem to be losing their extreme fear of the hand, as in the don't instantly hide, they just carry on as normal. But if I try and approach them all vanish.

Anyway doesn’t anyone have any other tips or techniques they’ve tried that are not considered “the usual?”

Thanks


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## Viva (Apr 19, 2010)

Don't know but I just hold food just into the water then slowly dip fingers down into water so they have only to food that's in your hand at first. Then give them some free food to check they've all had some. But having watched some cichilds in a mouth lock earlier I would still be cautious and count fingers :gasp: .


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## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

Use prawns.

They are probably a bit small at the mo, but you cant beat prawns for getting koi tame.

Two years on and you will easily get them on to toe sucking!


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## xNatashax (Nov 20, 2009)

lol we use brown bread as it is easyer for the fish to digest than white and they love it =] as long as they learn they are safe to come up to you its fine and also make sure that heerins dont get in and scare them as that will ruin the whole plan other than that good luck lay out side all summer burning your back :2thumb:


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## akuma 天 (Apr 15, 2008)

Not worried about the Herins as I've had the pond going for 2 years now with big godfish and I've not seen one.

My garden is pretty well covered, but there is also a really big lake just down the road which deflects any fish eating birds attention away from my tiny little pond. (tiny by comparison to the lake) 

I've seen a few videos of people feeding Koi fry with chopped up Shrimp, they really seem to go for that.


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## r6paul (Jun 17, 2008)

I have 12 Koi in my pond. 9 that are 20-30cm and 3 that are 45-55cm in length. All are 1-2 years old. 

Firstly you need a Chagoi in your pond as these become VERY tame and will calm the others down. 


Secondly as you have said yourself... time and patience! All fish esp Koi are more active with high levels of oxygen, heat, clean water and food.

While the weather is warm sit out there and feed them. Mine feed around 4-5 times a day. 

Before mine are fed i knock the side of the pond for 10-20 seconds. If you keep doing this they associate this with food. So after a few months you can knock the side and they will come up even if you are not feeding them.

As they grow they become taimer so sit back and enjoy them!


HTH
Paul


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