Hey guys. I am a newbie to owning a self made pond, not new to growing up with one. That being said, I have a mystery! I put in a small 31 gal prefab pond in my shade garden, primarily to fill the hole rainwater left from my roof in the spring. And naturally, I thought it a great idea to throw some goldfish in while I'm at it. I already had 2 fantails and two goldfish from a little overstocked bowl in my house. (Yes, I know, it was a bad environment and a poor decision...hence the pond thought also, two birds, one stone, right?). Well, ok, thats the back story.
Within two days of owning this pond, my resident frog enjoyed a good swim. Within a week, my resident garter snake came for a swim also and stayed all day. (In that time I also bought a few more cheap pond goldfish). Now, I knew both my fantails were alive when the snake came for a bath. I was also aware he would take a fishy dinner if he could catch it. I was ok with that. After all, these arent expensive Koi.
Next day, one of my fantails is gone! I trully assumed his fat slow swimming self got eaten. I was resigned to it. But weirdly, just today, a few days later, I found him half rotten a foot away from the pond, in my sword fern! How on earth did that happen! In the meantime, his/her fantail buddy is busy laying eggs and being chased by its bowl buddies while she lays eggs all over the new pond.
Now, my pond is slightly off level, so in a hard rainstorm, it siphones off the back, like natural water replacement, but not so hard to have washed him two feet into the plants! Did the snake realize he was too small to eat? Maybe the frog? Fascinating isnt it?
Within two days of owning this pond, my resident frog enjoyed a good swim. Within a week, my resident garter snake came for a swim also and stayed all day. (In that time I also bought a few more cheap pond goldfish). Now, I knew both my fantails were alive when the snake came for a bath. I was also aware he would take a fishy dinner if he could catch it. I was ok with that. After all, these arent expensive Koi.
Next day, one of my fantails is gone! I trully assumed his fat slow swimming self got eaten. I was resigned to it. But weirdly, just today, a few days later, I found him half rotten a foot away from the pond, in my sword fern! How on earth did that happen! In the meantime, his/her fantail buddy is busy laying eggs and being chased by its bowl buddies while she lays eggs all over the new pond.
Now, my pond is slightly off level, so in a hard rainstorm, it siphones off the back, like natural water replacement, but not so hard to have washed him two feet into the plants! Did the snake realize he was too small to eat? Maybe the frog? Fascinating isnt it?