In for a penny, in for a pond.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Hello ponders, I am but another pondman that is clueless, so clueless that I am not really even sure what I am about to ask you. Please allow me to introduce myself;

I have had a pond for around five years now, it came with the residential acreage on the farm that I bought back then. The pond is approximately 2.6m x 2.6m (8.5ft x 8.5ft), and I don't know if the depth is uniform throughout, but it is only about 25cm (10in) at the front of the structure. The pond receives water only from the rain and when I top it up, it also has no filter. The fish (goldfish I believe), have never been fed by me, they obviously get their food from the plants and insects in the pond. The pond has a chicken wire type of covering, but last week I found that the covering had been breached, and all of the big fish ended up in the bellies of whatever marsupials invaded the pond.

I want to know if I should buy some more fish and add them to the pond, or would there be hostilities from the fish that have always lived there? Will the current smaller fish eventually get bigger, does it matter if they don't? Can anybody offer me any advice for ponds like mine that are self-contained systems? Can you mix fish? I think that I lost about eight fish. Probably the same amount left.

I browsed quite a few threads before I registered, and I know that you are going to want to see photos. I will endeavor to take some for you to see my situation. I have also decided that I am going to build some frames with wire/netting, and put them together to make a basic enclosure for the pond. This will look much better than the terribly ugly chicken wire draped over the surface.

I don't know for sure what animals attacked my fish, it may have even been birds of prey. So many animals on my property that could have done it. I personally think that some wallabies walked over the chicken wire (I have seen them doing this), which created the chicken wire to submerge, and then Tasmanian Devils, or something similar, sat down for a feast.

Thank you.

 

[MitchM]

Welcome!
I would not add any fish for now, you should see some spawning and a balancing out of the fish population eventually.
I always like to see/hear about a pond that is self sustaining.

 

[RobAmy]

Welcome

 

[Rupert Pupkin]

Welcome!
I would not add any fish for now, you should see some spawning and a balancing out of the fish population eventually.
I always like to see/hear about a pond that is self sustaining.

Thanks Mitch. I asked whether I should get some more fish because I wasn't sure if they'd get lonely without the recently departed big fish. For the five years that I've had the pond, I have done nothing for it or them. Always have enjoyed having a peek at them every time that I walk out the back door, but have come here to learn more in order to improve my pond. I know less about fish and ponds than probably everybody else in the world.

 

[MitchM]

Whether it's a drop of water or an ocean, every aquatic habitat has it's own characteristics.
They all provide a life long learning experience.

 

[Rupert Pupkin]

The characteristics of mine, minus the failed predator defense, has been pretty good since I have barely touched it in five years. There are quite a few plants in the pond, which I assume provide them with the food that they need. The pond may be getting some runoff from the small paddock directly behind it, in which there is a spring well which makes the paddock wet for half of the year.

I would like to find out what animals could have raided my pond. I also have a 'million' frogs when the area is wet, so I know that they are probably not a problem for my fish. Do you know if snakes could enter a pond and eat fish?

Beware, plenty more questions in my pen.

 

[Rupert Pupkin]

Welcome

Thank you.

 

[mgmine]

You have an interesting post that a lot of newbies should read. From what you stated you seem to imply that you don't lose sleep over what you have read online about ponds. You aren't too concerned about what food to feed in the spring versus the winter. When to test your water what to do about the ammonia and PH and what to do about all those things that you read about that will destroy your pond. In other words, you know that you have a hole in the ground filled with water. Nature will take care of it and whatever you do besides nothing will only make it more pleasant to look at and not more appealing to the fish. I say keep up the good work! As far as the fish go, if they are goldfish they won't grow very fast. Eight fish for a pond that size is more than enough. If you want fish that grow bigger and faster then get a few koi. You can mix any type of pond fish together just don't put something like bass or pike in your pond. It might have been a raccoon that got your fish and if so they will keep coming back. Get a large trap and see what you catch in it. Once you get rid of whatever it was you should be okay for a while at least.

 

[j.w]

@Rupert Pupkin
I don't think the fish will miss the others. They will get along w/others that you put in there but I'd get that pond secured before doing anything cuz those invaders will be back!

Maybe the Dingo's got your babies

 

[Tula]

Welcome I look forward to seeing pictures of your pond, it sounds very natural, which is lovely. I agree with the others about not adding new fish, especially koi that grow quite large.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group! I would not add any fish, they add plenty on their own.

 

[JamieB]

Welcome, and yes, just enjoy. Secure it, you might put up motion activated trail cams, to see what comes around, but fish breed rapidly when conditions are right, no need to add more.

 

[poconojoe]

Given enough time and the maturity of the fish, they will multiply. This has caused my pond to be slightly over populated. Every year I see new babies swimming around. I have goldfish, koi, comets and shubunkins. The koi get really big! I have some monsters in there!