My Magikarp is quite close to evolving, and the closer it gets, the more fearful I am about it becoming Gyarados. We have a great bond so I’m positive that everything will go well, but Gyarados is still a very intimidating pokemon. The stories of Gyarados rampaging and its short temper still frighten me a bit and I don’t want to hurt its feelings by appearing afraid. Any advice you can give on how to prepare myself and possibly some information on Gyarados care?

First and foremost, congratulations on your impending evolution, anonymous.

Second, although it’s not unusual for a pokémon’s personality to undergo a shift during evolution, remember that above everything else, your magikarp will still be your magikarp inside. So long as you’ve given it the best care as possible and so long as you make it clear you’ll continue to do so after evolution, your gyarados will have no reason to hurt you.

In fact, in many cases, although wild gyarados are ferocious and violent, tame gyarados, particularly those you’ve raised as magikarp, only act out if you make it known that you’re afraid of them or if you make it clear that you’re about to hurt their owners. Otherwise, they tend to be rather docile and incredibly loyal. This is true for practically any “ferocious” pokémon. The quicker you establish the idea that you’re both willing and capable to meet their needs as a caretaker and a trainer, the quicker they are at bonding with you. If you find it difficult to remind yourself of this, take a moment to ground and center yourself (meditate, in other words) in order to achieve a calm mental state before approaching your gyarados.

As for care, the most important thing to remember is gyarados are both carnivorous and far, far bigger than magikarp. You’ll need a large body of water (a lake or olympic-sized swimming pool) to give it plenty of room to exercise. Feed it at least sixty pounds of raw meat and fat at least every twelve days. (Tamed gyarados can have their meals broken down into five pounds once a day daily, but some gyarados prefer larger chunks. This should also be reassurance that if you’re unable to feed your gyarados on a particular day, it can survive. Doubly so if it’s an outdoor gyarados, as they tend to supplement their own meals with birds that happen to fly over their habitats.)

Gyarados also tend to roar and snap at random, but these aren’t normally displays of aggression towards their trainers. Rather, it’s often a gyarados’s way of playing—or hunting, if it happens to spot something flying overhead. These acts are perfectly harmless, so it’s recommended that you don’t prevent your gyarados from engaging in them. However, if you absolutely must, do so in a reassuring tone but explain things clearly to it. Contrary to popular belief, gyarados are highly intelligent pokémon and understand the meaning of the word “no” if told by a trainer they’re already loyal to.

Lastly, never keep a gyarados of the opposite sex in the same habitat as this one. Gyarados become difficult to reason with when mating, and their rituals are highly aggressive, loud, and violent.

Good luck, anonymous.