Do Shubunkins hide all day?

[Donna Saverino MI]

Do Shubunkin fish have a tendency to hide all day until being fed? And only eating what sinks? If so I’m going to go buy some goldfish so I have some life to my pond. Then I know that if bugs land on top of the water I know they will eat it.

60 gal pond with 2 Shubunkins

 

[addy1]

No mine run to see me anytime I am near the pond.

Have they been in the water for awhile?

Anything bothering them?

 

[Mmathis]

Mine are like Addy’s. Maybe something has frightened yours, ‘cause Shubies tend to be fairly tame.

 

[Donna Saverino MI]

I have had them for over a week. I pound on a rock and they know that I'm there to feed them. But after they find all the food they go back in hiding. They seem OK while I am watching them feed.

 

[addy1]

I have had new fish take weeks to get comfortable in their new home. Give them time. I have some fan tails in a small pond, They have been there over 2-3 weeks, they just came to the surface today.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh for sure more time! Shubunkins ARE goldfish by the way - so they will become very friendly. And I'm not sure pounding on a rock is going to make them feel more at ease, honestly.

 

[brc]

If they are not coming up to the top, they’re probably not comfortable yet. Overhead movement is a strong fear for fish, even domesticated ones like shubunkins.

If you go to the pond but kinda hide / stay still for a while, do they start coming out? Could be you just need to let them see you before throwing food in.

 

[addy1]

The fantails would run the second the saw me shadow shape near the pond. I stood real still near them and they started coming up. Then I tossed in a few pellets so shadow = food.

I have a lot of plant coverage on this pond, trying to not net it from the herons. Which still fly over every day.

 

[EricV]

Yeah, you don't need a loud sound to alert them. Mine do as others, come swimming over begging. And they do that anytime they hear footsteps near the pond or the sliding glass door open.

They also learn from each other or like to travel in packs and two fish may take longer to acclimate. When I quarantine fish I put a few in a 35 gallon tub. The first week they are in there I do not see them, even for food. Maybe by the end of the three weeks they are in there they will come to the surface when they hear me but not when I stand over the pond.

Catch those same fish and toss them in with 20 others and they will be begging for food in two hours.