Can or will Koi jump out of the pond?

[Emtjewel]

I am a newbie, I just bought a home with an 1800 Gal koi pond. I have not been having any luck with it so far. I bought 4 fairly large koi ( about 7/8 inch) and put them in my pond on a Saturday. By the next Saturday they were all gone. I found a water snake in the midst of eating the last one. So we took apart the waterfall (thats where they were living) got rid of the snakes then put it back together with foam in between the rocks to help keep any future snakes out. Went out and bought 4 more large Koi. Within the past few weeks I have found 2 of them laying just outside of the pond, dead. Do Koi jump or what would be killing them but not eating them? Any advice?
Also, saw another small snake swimming around in there within the past few days. Is there any way to keep snakes away? I have spread something on the ground called "Snake Away" but apparently it does not work.
Thanks
Julie

 

[koiguy1969]

yes, koi will jump. they will jump when put in a new enviroment. when in poor quality water.(low ph, high ammonia, etc..) netting off the pond is a good idea when putting in new fish. especially the first few days.

 

[Emtjewel]

yes, koi will jump. they will jump when put in a new enviroment. when in poor quality water.(low ph, high ammonia, etc..) netting off the pond is a good idea when putting in new fish. especially the first few days.

Hmm, I guess I should invest in some water testing equipment. Can anyone recommend a kit to start out with? I have taken water samples into the local pet store to have tested and was told it looks good. I do have an algae problem right now, I have been trying to get a handle on that. These fish have been in the pond about 3 weeks when I found them. By netting off the pond you mean skimming a net around to get the dead or other debris out, I do this almost everyday.

 

[ZmanArt007]

No, netting off the top does not mean skimming. It means taking a large net and suspending it over your entire pond so your fish cannot jump out.

 

[Lisaebetten]

Owl decoy to ward off snakes? Other snake predators are large birds, wild boars, mongooses, raccoons, foxes, coyotes..... so if you have a boar decoy that might help!!!! How about calling Turtle Man?

We had a gardener snake out break up by our cabin and we spent a week removing 50+ snakes and relocating them. We have only seen a couple this year. We did seal off their lair.

Please tell us what you come up with

 

[Emtjewel]

Owl decoy to ward off snakes? Other snake predators are large birds, wild boars, mongooses, raccoons, foxes, coyotes..... so if you have a boar decoy that might help!!!! How about calling Turtle Man?

We had a gardener snake out break up by our cabin and we spent a week removing 50+ snakes and relocating them. We have only seen a couple this year. We did seal off their lair.

Please tell us what you come up with

I actually do have an owl decoy sitting on the side of my pond. I move him to a different spot every few days. He does NOT help though because there was a snake resting right below him on the plant shelf the other day. ~~Sigh~~

 

[timvz]

Can anyone recommend a kit to start out with? I have taken water samples into the local pet store to have tested and was told it looks good. I do have an algae problem right now, I have been trying to get a handle on that.

I use the "API Pondcare Master Liquid Test Kit" myself. $20 on amazon. You might also want to add a KH test kit to the mix for good measure. Do you know what the pet store measured, and how? Liquid test kits are generally more reliable and accurate than strips. For suspended algae, a UV light or filter in your water circuit is the best solution I know of. Lastly, maybe start again with goldfish until you've got the kinks worked out? They are much cheaper.

 

[crsublette]

yes, koi will jump. they will jump when put in a new enviroment. when in poor quality water.(low ph, high ammonia, etc..) netting off the pond is a good idea when putting in new fish. especially the first few days.

Indeed they will.

Tried to look for the video i had. A fella at a koi show, with a nice 29" koi, jumped 4 feet into the air after being transported into a show tub and there was only around 6 inches of water in the tub.

 

[DrCase]

I Found that only the ones I like jump out on me

 

[fishin4cars]

Are there any signs of injuries to the fish that were out of the pond. Sure sounds like the snake may be getting a bad rap for what's going on. yes some snakes will eat fish, But I've never seen that many fish of that size being eaten by snakes. snakes usually go after already weak or dying fish. I have to wonder if a Heron has found your pond. BTW, fake owl really does no good for keeping away snakes. Kings snakes do a GREAT job of keeping other snakes away and will rarely if ever eat fish.

 

[Fishylove]

I agree with Larkin, not many snake will take the time to catch a healthy fish, and especially not that many at a time. Snakes are opportunistic hunters and don't normally hunt in packs HA!
The fish would have to be on land already, which is how I suspect that one snake obtained the fish you caught him eating, or stuck in the shallows with no way out.
I'm not saying they wouldnt eat fish, but it's not their food of choice.
BTW when you say "water snake" what are you talking about?! Round here water snakes are Copperheads and Cottonmouths. Not a snake I would want swimming around in my pond .

 

[Fishylove]

Course I've only owned Boa's

 

[Dave 54]

Indeed they will.

Tried to look for the video i had. A fella at a koi show, with a nice 29" koi, jumped 4 feet into the air after being transported into a show tub and there was only around 6 inches of water in the tub.

Charles my friend where have you been nice to see you back.
Yes Koi will jumpand as Charles says they are powerful jumper's I've had one I just touched with the large pan net I was guiding it to the surface with to be gently directed into a benching bowl , next thing you know the koi shot over my left shoulder above head hieght to come crashing down a good 3-4ft behind me :eeK:.
I dont know who was more spooked by that him or me
Sometimes they jump for flies or as koiGuy has stated they are new to the water.
We have a net covering our pond it serves as a security blanket for them against jumping out and against preditors

Dave