Hi everyone. A little about myself. I live in the Catskill mountains of Upstate New York. I sort of stumbled into pond gardening. I moved into my current property (a rental) three years ago which has a private spring fed natural pond (though re-lined with clay). The pond being one of the main reasons I took the place. The pond was already lightly stocked with small native fish, frogs, tadpoles, a lone mean snapping turtle and a couple of water snakes. A perfect little eco-system. But no Koi. I went to the Pet store and bought several Koi and have been hooked ever since. It has been a pleasure and frustrating ever since as I learned as I went. Between Herons, Minks, raccoons, ulcers, dropping water tables and a constant un-ending battle with moles who tunnel under the water line causing the pond to drain to a glorified puddle (heartbreaking in Winter when there is not much I can do) I take a very hands off let nature take its course approach. Sadly, only one of my original Koi (Big Boy) survives to this day. The rest are replacements. Nobody understands how attached I am to these fish and how I can spend hours just watching them. I am glad to have found some like minded people. Now I must put on my hip boots and go do battle once again with those evil, evil moles!!
