My fish are missing!

[Kelly H]

I’m not sure whats going on but three of my large koi (14”), are gone. I have a 5400 gal pond that is next to my business. Theres a lot of foot traffic on the daily and its right in the middle of town so there should not be a predator problem. Its like they just vanished out of thin air. I have (had) a total of 29 different fish mostly koi and a few big blue gill.

It may be a nasty Herron. I just had one pay my backyard pond nestled close to my house near my kitchen a visit, twice in the same day! It cleared out all my beautiful fish, including my 3 favorite Koi, Spot, Big Red, and Silverwing. I am totally devestated and I went out there to check this morning and nasty ugly bird was back! I chased it away. I have a single frightened goldfish left, hiding in one of the hideaways I had in the pond. So I threw a bunch of plastic tarps over the pond to dissuede the bird until my net arrives. I am hoping the herron steps on a floating tarp, causing the bird to immediately sink and the tarp wrap around it. Maybe it will be freaked out and never come back. As soon as I get my net I am stringing it up right away!

 

[GBBUDD]

we all have had the visit from the bird man. they are incredibly smart, including smart enough not to come back when patio furniture develops wings and goes flying at them. but they will be back.

 

[j.w]

It may be a nasty Herron. I just had one pay my backyard pond nestled close to my house near my kitchen a visit, twice in the same day! It cleared out all my beautiful fish, including my 3 favorite Koi, Spot, Big Red, and Silverwing. I am totally devestated and I went out there to check this morning and nasty ugly bird was back! I chased it away. I have a single frightened goldfish left, hiding in one of the hideaways I had in the pond. So I threw a bunch of plastic tarps over the pond to dissuede the bird until my net arrives. I am hoping the herron steps on a floating tarp, causing the bird to immediately sink and the tarp wrap around it. Maybe it will be freaked out and never come back. As soon as I get my net I am stringing it up right away!

@Kelly H
Sorry this happened and hope the one fish left does not get eaten!
I had to resort to a net also. Mine is up on high posts so I can get in there if I need to.

 

[Kelly H]

View attachment 161583 @Kelly H
Sorry this happened and hope the one fish left does not get eaten!
I had to resort to a net also. Mine is up on high posts so I can get in there if I need to.

Thank you for the welcome I will take your advice and string it up high enough to prevent the herron from stabbing at fish - I probably wont buy any more fish until April - and I want to make sure the pond is well fortified. I love my fish, they are so friendly and curious, and I want them to be able to swim around without fear.

 

[addy1]

I use a wide weave net above the pond, 3 ish feet. Before the net the bird came everyday.

 

[j.w]

Thank you for the welcome I will take your advice and string it up high enough to prevent the herron from stabbing at fish - I probably wont buy any more fish until April - and I want to make sure the pond is well fortified. I love my fish, they are so friendly and curious, and I want them to be able to swim around without fear.

Make sure the net is secured to the ground somehow as those birds can lift the net and slide under. I have a short wire fence below my net that it is attached to and make sure if you use a fence that the spaces between the wires are slim so bird cannot fit through. I had to reinforce my wire fence w/extra wire as those birds can squeeze through tight spaces when hungry.
He could get his head through but not reach far enough after I secured it better.

 

[Kelly H]

Make sure the net is secured to the ground somehow as those birds can lift the net and slide under. I have a short wire fence below my net that it is attached to and make sure if you use a fence that the spaces between the wires are slim so bird cannot fit through. I had to reinforce my wire fence w/extra wire as those birds can squeeze through tight spaces when hungry.
He could get his head through but not reach far enough after I secured it better.
View attachment 161588

I got my net in place today - it is an Aquascape with very smile diamond shaped netting - cant even fit a penny through - my pond is raised so I had to mount the net on blocks on top of the raised stone caps - the net sits about a foot off the pond which is kidney shaped with foliage all around it. Out of my 3 koi and 10 goldies, it appears I have 4 goldies left, and one appears to have a small area on the back where maybe the heron tried to pierce it - but they all appear fine and are swimming or resting in their hideaways (I bought reptile hideaways as they are larger to accomodate size) I love my fish so this was a relief to have 4 not just a single sole survivor. Question though- regarding the net- will raccoons try to climb on it? And what happens if it snows? Does it ruin the net? Should I be aware of any routines or methods to keep the net strong and resilient?

 

[j.w]

I got my net in place today - it is an Aquascape with very smile diamond shaped netting - cant even fit a penny through - my pond is raised so I had to mount the net on blocks on top of the raised stone caps - the net sits about a foot off the pond which is kidney shaped with foliage all around it. Out of my 3 koi and 10 goldies, it appears I have 4 goldies left, and one appears to have a small area on the back where maybe the heron tried to pierce it - but they all appear fine and are swimming or resting in their hideaways (I bought reptile hideaways as they are larger to accomodate size) I love my fish so this was a relief to have 4 not just a single sole survivor. Question though- regarding the net- will raccoons try to climb on it? And what happens if it snows? Does it ruin the net? Should I be aware of any routines or methods to keep the net strong and resilient?

Raccoons never tried to climb my net but I do have to knock the snow off or it will crash the net down. We don't get a lot of snow here tho.

 

[Kelly H]

Raccoons never tried to climb my net but I do have to knock the snow off or it will crash the net down. We don't get a lot of snow here tho.

Thank you - we dont get much snow either - maybe two weeks in February - I will take a brrom and lightky brush snow off or dump warm water on it - thanks (I guess my resident bullfrog is now locked out of pond)

 

[j.w]

Thank you - we dont get much snow either - maybe two weeks in February - I will take a brrom and lightky brush snow off or dump warm water on it - thanks (I guess my resident bullfrog is now locked out of pond)

I don't know about dumping water on the net. It will turn to ice and then be heavy perhaps? I just use a broom and also I shake the net from the sides kind of up and down and it will fall off is not to stuck yet. Watch out for those small holed nets as some critters can get stuck in them trying to get in there. I have large holed nets to allow the frogs and birds to get in mine. Snow does not build up as bad either. It's a wide weaved fishing net like fishermen use.