New Ponds / Green Heron

[Priscilla]

I finally added some fish to the stock tanks. My kids claimed one each.

My baby (3yo) claimed the 35 gall which currently has some tadpoles, platys and guppies and lots of water hyacinth to keep it cool and help fiter it, as I just have a small pump wrapped in some quilt batting, going to small 'waterfall'.

My 5yo claimed the 110 gall. Today we bought a bala shark for it (now I just read they get lonely and need at least 5 for company!!!!???). I also added some colorful platys to it. It already had tadpoles in it. Again, I only have a pump wrapped in quilt batting and then a small 'waterfall'. I also have water hyacinth and a water lily in that pond.

I need to figure some small filter for both. I guess if I somehow had the water run down a longer 'waterfall' it would be some sort if shower/trickle filter? Perhaps if I cut some tubing in half, filled it with gravel and let the water run through that ..... maybe 2 feet (like a mini stream to the mini pond) that might work?

Any thoughts?

Oh and of course, murphy's law, in the 110 pond (the one I actually BOUGHT fish for), an hour after I added the fish, the tubing from the pump slipped off and emptied the pond! Left like an inch of water which was just enough to keep the fish alive. UGH!

I am at WAR with the green heron, he's just about cleaned me out of my red platys. He's taken up residence at the pond. I now throw rocks at him, of course I never actually hit him, but I try to scare him, and I guess he knows my aim is off, he doesn't even fly off - he just stands his ground and yells at me. Bastard!!!! I think he sleeps near the pond. I would say he's eaten about 300 of my platys, I no longer think its cute.

 

[Lisaebetten]

maybe he can be relocated, far, far down.....ops I mean away!

 

[Lisaebetten]

take it easy, I'm joking!!!! Maybe a bird dog would help?

 

[Priscilla]

The heron cleaned out my stock tanks. Ate them all. I have no idea how he found them, both ponds are covered in water hyacinth and water lilies. I never even see those fish, so how he found them, I don't know.

 

[addy1]

Darn! so sorry The only thing that stopped the heron for me was my net hung 3 feet or so over the pond. That was the gbh, the green heron is smaller it visited once, for it the net has to hang down to the edges of the pond.

 

[j.w]

@Priscilla those heron are so very patient and they know that water holds fish and they are quite familiar w/ ponds or containers w/ plants. They can see the slightest movement and will wait staring forever and when they see a little ripple in the water they will stab and win. I have resigned to a net over anything I want to save from them.

 

[RobAmy]

Sorry to hear this. Can you possibly sit out there with a hose and spray the heron. It will not hurt them but they will not like it.

 

[j.w]

Ha Ha yeah sit out there forever and ever Amen

 

[RobAmy]

Ha Ha yeah sit out there forever and ever Amen

Best of both worlds, enjoy the pond and scare the heron. Time well spent

 

[Priscilla]

I have been spending a lot of time out there and the kids have started wear their knight gear and guarding the fish (so cute!).

I'm going to net the big pond, but probably not the small ponds. They are right next to my front door, so it will look weird to have nets there. I will just leave them as my water gardens (no fish). Just tadpoles. Less stress for me.

 

[addy1]

My small ponds are netless, they do have a fish or two in them, mainly because of eggs wandering into them on their own. The heron has left them alone, since I netted the big pond it has not come back.

 

[Priscilla]

That's what I thought would happen. He came got a bunch of fish, I put up some line, he went away. Then I got sloppy with the line, moving it, not putting it back, he saw the opportunity and ate a bunch of fish. We put up more line and he just seems to check it out like he's looking for a way in. Guessing he will go away soon (at least for a while again).