New koi acting weird.

Ulyaoth

A few days ago I got 2 small Koi(one about 3 inches long, the other about 5-6 inches) but they've been acting a bit weird. The smaller one just spends most of his time hiding between some rocks up in the shallow end, the bigger one hiding down in the deeper section on the rocks but occasionally swimming around. Today since it was hot I guess the little one went down and hung out with the bigger one but still from what I've read they should be a bit more active shouldn't they?

Another thing is they're not eating the pellets I'm giving them, not even looking at them really other than once when they were both at the shallow part I threw some in to see if they'd eat and they both looked up and looked like they'd go after it but then I guess saw I was there and darted back down. Is it just a matter of them getting used to it being food? They are eating, they've been eating vines and leaves that have been growing into and falling into the pond(Is that alright for them to eat) they just won't eat the pellets, but I assume they were fed that at the store. I don't have test strips at the moment(just ordered some online) but I've been doing about 3 water changes a day of about 3 gallons each, just not sure if ammonia or nitrate may be a problem.

Not sure how big the pond is, not large, which I know a Koi pond really should be but I figured while they're small it should be alright for at least the summer then see if I need to get rid of them or if I can make a big pond(the pond is made out of a big chunk of my old pool liner, it was about 15x15 feet big, dug it about 2.5 feet deep at deep part) Or even with them being so small is the pond too small? I told my mom to get Goldfish and she came back with the Koi.

kitten_penang

did you get them recently? some times fishes get spooked and stressed when they are bought and put into a new home.is the water clear in the pond?give them time to settle into their new surroundings and they should be fine.

Ulyaoth

Got them last Friday. Water's pretty clear, getting a little tinge of green but I'm gonna get more plants because I want to be able to see them. They're starting to act a bit more active today despite the heat, still both on the bottom though.

kitten_penang

wouldn't worry then.adding plants is a good way for making shy fish come out and play =) my mom has a pond and her fish do tend to hide at the far away side near the water fall and only come out to feed.set a feeding time and location for them and they will get used to it and sooner or later they will wait for you to feed them at that specific area and time.

KHA1990

You're Koi need time to adjust. Just throw in the pellets, and walk away. If they can't see you, they will eventually learn to come up and eat the pellets.

I raise Koi, and the ABSOLUTE MUST when getting new fish is Quarantine for at minimum 2 months. For Koi that is... Koi carry KHV (Koi herpes virus) which is a fatal disease that kills EVERYTHING and you have to start over.. even buying new filters and liners. When exposed to stress, the signs of KHV will come out.

If you got them at a petstore, they more than likely have parasites, and if they are outside, and warm, then the faster the parasites will spread and then your whole pond is infected. The best thing for Koi when you get them is to QT them with a salted water of .3%. It will kill the parasites.

If you get snow, or the water gets cold and freezes over winter, you will need to bring them inside. 2.5 feet is not near deep enough to keep them from becoming Koi Pops.

They are just stressed, and they should be fine in a week though.