Goldfish gathering in shallow area under plants.

[Ferney]

The pond is approx 3000 litres and have about 30 medium to largish goldfish which we inherited when moved to the house. Have lost about 10 but not had dead fish so think a predator of some kind. But the problem at the moment is 10 fish are congregating under some plants in a shallow area and not moving and not interested in feeding. Any action needed?

We also have lots of tiny tiny ones who arrived over recent weeks who come up when food thrown in and assume these are babies. Do we need to do anything?

 

[Angel]

IMHO the ones under the plants are hiding predator is the right thought. Most likely a heron or the like may be a racoon.

 

[moby]

We don't get raccoons in the UK I'm pleased to say! Heron is most likely the culprit, they often strike at dawn when you're not out and about, landing away from the pond and walking towards it. Fence round a pond will prevent them from walking into the shallows to fish your fishes out. Best advise is to get a net and cover the pond entirely, black ones are almost invisible.

 

[j.w]

Yep afraid w/o a net your fish are going to be sushi.................every last one of them cuz those heron don't stop till they are all gone!

 

[j.w]

I have my net up high so I can get in there and do stuff if I need to.

 

[moby]

Yes, they will come back again and again if they find an easy source of food, and as I mentioned, they will come very early when it's halflight. They also have the patience of a saint as they will stand motionless for ages waiting for the unsuspecting victim to swim within its reach....which is considerable.

 

[moby]

...and here's mine! It was almost invisible when new, it's a bit green here, but has been washed so is now black again

 

[Ferney]

Thanks re net etc. Any thoughts on other question re lots of the goldfish in one location and hardly moving and not interested in eating. Seems to be shallow area and next to plants at one side which is quite shallow as well. Didn't do this last year.

 

[moby]

Other than if they've been spooked badly by a predator such as a heron as mentioned in post #2. Mine were at one point as when I opened the curtains I saw the darned bird trampolining right across the net! My net was low to the water as in that old pic above, so I piled up rocks and made it higher from the water level after seeing that happen, in the hope that if it did it again, it wouldn't be able to stab them. It took them well over a week to gain confidence to swim around again when a shadow approached and mine were very tame, especially the ghost Koi, as in hand fed. Maybe they could also be chilling out and enjoying the sun in the warmer water, that happens too. My two ghosts are often seen with their head and shoulders resting on the weeds in the sun!

 

[Lisak1]

Any thoughts on other question re lots of the goldfish in one location and hardly moving and not interested in eating. Seems to be shallow area and next to plants at one side which is quite shallow as well. Didn't do this last year.

I think you missed the answer within the answer - everyone is recommending ways to keep something from getting at your fish because that's why they are hiding under the plants.

Fish won't come out of hiding even to eat, because they are more interested in not being eaten themselves. It can take fish days, weeks, or even months to regain confidence after a predatory attack. I talked to one pond owner who saw a heron stab a big koi in his pond and then drop it back in. He searched and searched for that fish for days and never saw it again, so he assumed the bird had come back and gotten it. The next spring the fish reappeared. It had been hiding in the fish cave, completely out of sight, for months.

Do you have any other places in your pond for your fish to seek shelter? Somewhere deeper in the pond would be better as they are less likely to be spotted by the predator. If you can see them, so can the hunter.

 

[Cj Harvey]

My mom has a very large pond with a massive amount of koi. She used fishing line and fence posts to deter the herons from coming to her pond. It has worked pretty good for her. My pond is right next to my house and I have no net or fishing line. So far the herons haven't been an issue. I am planning on expanding my pond so I may start to have heron issues. But I've read if I dig the pond 3' or more the herons won't be able to stand in the water. Hopefully that's true

 

[Lisak1]

But I've read if I dig the pond 3' or more the herons won't be able to stand in the water. Hopefully that's true

Well, they won't stand in water that's too deep, true. But they will stand on the edge and wait for your fish to come to them. And they will wait. And wait . And wait. Heron are tricky, patient hunters. They will even regurgitate in the water so the fish come to the surface, thinking it's food, and then get nabbed. The only thing that is ALMOST completely fail safe is a net - but people have even watched heron stab at their fish though the net if it's too close to the surface. They may not be able to eat them, but they will still kill them.

Your mom is lucky that the fishing line worked for her - I saw a video of a heron carefully stepping it's way through a maze of fishing line to get to the pond. Where there's a will... and they definitely have the will!

 

[Nyboy]

Never under estimate a hungry animal

 

[Angel]

Well, they won't stand in water that's too deep, true. But they will stand on the edge and wait for your fish to come to them. And they will wait. And wait . And wait. Heron are tricky, patient hunters. They will even regurgitate in the water so the fish come to the surface, thinking it's food, and then get nabbed. The only thing that is ALMOST completely fail safe is a net - but people have even watched heron stab at their fish though the net if it's too close to the surface. They may not be able to eat them, but they will still kill them.

Your mom is lucky that the fishing line worked for her - I saw a video of a heron carefully stepping it's way through a maze of fishing line to get to the pond. Where there's a will... and they definitely have the will!

They will also throw up into the pond to attract the fish

 

[Lisak1]

They will also throw up into the pond to attract the fish

I just used the $10 word - regurgitate. Barf. Upchuck. Puke. Toss their cookies. Tricky devils!