Golden Orffe behaviour worries.

[Merlin]

Ok guys while I am in this area, :frisbee: some time ago I accepted a golden orffe who has severe spinal dammage ( other option was the guy was gonna knock him on the head) I could not let that happen. When he finaly went in to the pond after quarantine he was fine, then he started hanging out in one area of the pond ( now this I know not to be a good sign). When the food came around he was up there with the rest of them, and despite his deformality he could get round the pond with no problem.

Over the cold season I have hardly seen him, and when I have he has seemed quite happy, now the warmer weather is starting to appear he is back in the same spot again :( , when I tap the food container on the side of the pond ( the signal that it is feeding time ) whoosh he is normaly one of the first there.

I will take a photo if I am home early tomorrow, but as far as I can see there are no other outlying problems with him.

[Ron C]

Merlin,

Unless the spot where he is hanging out is at a water inlet, if he is feeding okay and doesn't act distressed I wouldn't worry about him a whole lot. My fish have their favorite spots in the pond and tend to stay there for the most part.

[Terri]

Well, I don't know a lot about Orfe, never kept them. I do know that they are a shoaling member of the carp family and their care is similar to that of koi. Could it be that your lone Orfe is pining away for company of it's own? I've seen it recommended to have at least 3 Orfe in ponds.

I think the fact that your Orfe is readily coming for meals and is an agressive feeder is a good sign... part of it's behaviour could be due to it's spinal damage.

You've a bigger heart than I Merlin :grin:

[Merlin]

Ron to your point no, it is a quite part of the pond he just likes to hang out there. I do have two other Orffe in the pond which I purchased to keep him company, but they are quite young and small to his size of 10", maybe if I can find a couple more of his size would help. ??

Terri I love animals of all kinds, I hope I never get to a point where I would want to terminate a life just because it has a deformity or just does not look right. As long as it is not in any pain and has a reasonable quality of life, I will do what ever I can to maintain that life. I have two Large Ghost carp around 20" that I rescued from a pond 18" deep and 5' across that I need to find a good home for, but they will not go until I find something suitable. Ok some may call me a big softy but I can live with that. :smile:

[marla]

I'm in agreement with everyone else. Even though I'm new to all this, I did have one koi that loved the quiet bay side of the pond in the afternoon the sun shone there he was the only one that would hang there. Lost him this week, the last of my four koi. They were all small, My husband says we'll get more, maybe bigger this year who knows

[Jackie Ramo]

OK Big Softy :frisbee: could it be that because he has this injury it is more comfortable in that quiet spot where he doesn't have to fight the current but can just lie in the sun and relax so to speak. I have one that likes to sunbath almost on the rocks, nothing wrong with him, he just likes warmth.

[Merlin]

Not sure on the Sunshine theory Jackie, it is pouring down with rain at the moment :smile: Here he is in his usual spot, and turning to swim away when he spotted me sneaking up on him :grin: .http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/Chateauwizard/Bendy.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/Chateauwizard/000123103402.jpg

[Jackie Ramo]

Looks like he has found a quiet spot though. As I can't see him swim I don't know how much effort it is for him but the quiet corner there allows him to rest between meals. He looks healthy but I know nothing about Orfes, golden or otherwise.

[Merlin]

Oh he is quick , it took me 4 visits to the pond today to try and get the photo's :grin: . I guess he just like to be on his own.:wink: