They have a toy called the R2 fish school* for aquarium fish has anyone taught a koi a series of tricks** If so how? Ponds are deep and the koi spook if you offer treats too fast or they mug your hands and take all the treats and leave.
I have noticed a difference in personality between the goldies and the koi.
While they are both very food motivated a goldfish is more willing to stay around when the food is gone***. It could be that goldfish have been pets for closer to a millenia than not and a couple centuries ago a koi was destined for a dinner plate and in their little fishie minds they think 'Does she want to feed me or eat me.?'
My pond is only 1K gallons**** so I think 3 koi and 8-12 goldies ***** is the reasonable healthy limit so I might as well get the most entertainment value out of what I have. I didn't pick very showable koi and they are family so they aren't going anywhere.
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgRrr...eature=related
**Except jumping into a plastic boat and sinking it like jaws the shark, That trick is dead easy to teach a koi (put food in the boat semi sink it so the fish knows there was a goodie in the boat, and progress to bigger toy boats) but not the best idea for a koi in a pond I think it would increase the chance of a jump out the pond fish suicide so that trick hasn't been reinforced in about 2 years.
***Maybe this is my fault it is a mixed pond and the Koi beat up the little fish and if they get too brutal+ I will shove their big fat koi faces down further in the water to give the little fish a chance at a floating pellet. I haven't drowned a koi yet. Upon reflection it probably isn't the best way to treat something you want to train - starvation and abuse vs praise and reward.
+Usually happens when they are on a diet to keep the water in better quality The Tim overfeeds and I underfeed-the fish hate it when they see me in the morning because they know it is going to be a lean breakfast and the koi get frantic to eat as much as they can I'm surprised I haven't lost a goldfish in the riot. The ones small enough to be edible although not brain sturgons are still smart enough to stay out of the way.
**** Will go into everything I'm doing wrong as a pond owner later.
*****I thinned the goldfish school and the new owners love them there are about 4 or 6 fast net wise mavericks that I still have to rope out of the herd. They have good pond homes lined up if I can catch the fast finny little darts