This is the adorable moment a little girl pats a huge koi fish on the head while hand feeding it as it sits close to the shore of its pond and gently accepts her offerings.

The harmonious scene, captured by a pond in Zhongshan, in south-eastern China’s Guangdong Province, shows the five-year-old leaning against the stone embankment to reach the colourful fish inside.

Among the several normally-sized fish, one very large orange koi seems to stand out not only for its size but also for fearlessly approaching the child.

As the girl reaches over the water with a hand full of mini mooncakes made from special feed, the chubby fish gently opens its mouth and accepts the food.

Incredibly, it even remains still as the girl then puts her little hand out and pats the fish on the head.

According to Mr Yuan, the fish’s breeder, this particular creature is around seven years old and weighs over 60 lbs.

In comparison, he said the girl is even smaller than the fish as she weighs only 50 lbs which likely made the fish feel at ease, and it allowed her to touch it.

Koi fish are coloured varieties of the Amur carp (Cyprinus rubrofuscus), often kept in ponds or water gardens for their striking appearance.

The koi vivid colours originate from a breeding programme that began in Niigata, Japan, in the early 19th century.