Is it love or bullying?

[HSJami]

A couple of weeks ago I walked out to my smaller pond, which is accessible to the public in this condo development, and someone had dropped off a large koi. I only had goldies in that pond before. The koi is probably 14 inches long and has an enormous girth. (Full of roe, maybe?) I left the fish in the small pond for a couple of weeks and today decided to move it to my larger pond in which there are several koi, though none as large as this one. The fish was hardly in the water before two smaller koi (about two years old) were chasing it. It has been about 4 hours now and the chase has not slowed at all. I'm afraid they are going to kill the new fish. I can't tell if they are bullying the new kid on the block, or if they sense that the new fish is ready to spawn and want to get to be the lucky dad. How can I tell the difference in love and bullying?

 

[sissy]

sounds like love and they both want to be first .Just make sure they cannot jump out they get really worked up sometimes and do that

 

[Waterbug]

Spawning. I've seen it before when a female is in a tank or someplace where spawning isn't really possible. Adding to a pond with males and the reaction is almost instant. This is also how fish are spawned in a breeding program, females are kept separate until ready.

 

[HSJami]

I just went out to check on them again and the chase continues, even more feverishly! How long does this go on?

 

[addy1]

Until she drops her eggs.

 

[HSJami]

It must have happened. Things are calm this morning.

 

[j.w]

The fish prolly have full bellies now and a few of the eggs might make it if they are hidden somehow where the piggy fish missed some.