Questions about Koi behavior

[azndragon0613]

Hey, I'm new to this forum and new to this hobby. After 1 month of getting some 4-5 inch koi I'm in love with them. Two of my three koi let me handfeed them, one after 1 week and the other recently. I'm trying to get my Kohaku to do the same letting the other fish set an example, but he still lurks in the depths of my tank. He seems healthy, no clamped fins, but he did jump out in the beginning when I bought him. I think the experience might have scarred him because before he used to nibble and dash down. Now he won't even come up. Should I just starve him and force him to come up for food? Another question. This other koi follows another one and kind of nibbles at the underside of another koi gently. What is going on?

[MikeM]

Welcome! Young koi have lots of peculiar behaviors. Like kids, they usually grow out of them.

Your idea probably will work to get all 3 hand feeding. But, not having seen them I hesitate to give advice as to whether that is what you should do. Koi that small can be delicate and have a high degree of instinctive fear. I'd not let the 3rd one go very long with no food. I doubt it would starve, but there could be other consequences from having new pond conditions etc. which, together with fear-induced adrenalin levels and low/no food, could lead to reduced immunities and thereby to low resistance to disease organisms and parasites. So, while there is most likely no concern, without personal observation I'm not comfortable advising. As they grow, all will catch on to the notion of easy meals fed by hand.

BTW, as a new koikeeper, take advantage of all the info available on the internet, but keep in mind that everything posted is not accurate, or may be incomplete. Good luck!

[JasPR]

I agree, the fish will not starve. But you need to watch to see that the jumping incident didn't lead to a health problem.
As far as training a koi, it is all classic conditioning. And classic conditioning of the 'strongest kind' is not constant. You should continue feeding the fish as you have and throw in just a few sinking pellets near the shy fish at the bottom. This will insure nutrition but also give a reduced amount. After the fish gets comfortable with that routine and also has seen the other fish feeding at the same time on the surface, begin to throw in the sinking pellets every-other-time. At some point stop throwing in the sinking pellets ( maybe after two weeks or so of the conditioning period). At that point you will know your hidding fish is healthy and eating and it will also be conditioned to the routine. It will likely come up and feed at the back of the school or touch the surface and race away again. Some fish are naturally shy this way. Sooner or later you will go out and be surprised to see this fish competing more agressively.
Two other tips: water changes improve appetite
And kohaku tend to be great feeders and other varieties like showa tend to be more timid.
Best of luck. JR