Killed a baby today

[Smaug]

Sad day. Last spring I bought a baby koi while out with our Thai exchange daughter and I let her choose it. It was a mostly black one with orange markings around its head and only about as big as my pinky. After a simple acclimation I released him in my heavily planted pond and never saw him again. Not until a few weeks ago when I pulled the lily anyway. He was about 4 inches now and very pretty,I was so happy to see him. I messaged our exchange daughter who is back in Thailand now to share the good news and she was happy to hear it. Now that fall is here I am in the process of getting the pond clean and that involves netting leaves. I am usually very careful with this as I know what can happen. I netted this morning and thought nothing of it as it was just a final mop up really,not much left. Later today I was at the pond and felt something beneath my foot squish. I saw him then,I didn't see him this morning. He had such a long life ahead of him,he even had a name,Boomer.

 

[haver79]

Oh so sorry to hear about your fish. It is an easy thing to do and could be missed in the net under the gunk. I have caught a few but luckily spotted them before the gunk is tossed. At least that I'm aware of.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I'm very sorry to hear.

I share that same fear every time I net the pond. I'm always trying to look through the debris I catch, but it can be very difficult, especially with smaller fish. To my knowledge, I don't think I've ever scooped one by accident, but it could happen so easily.

 

[addy1]

Darn, sorry to hear, when it is colder they get caught up in the net a lot easier. Since they are moving a lot slower.

 

[sissy]

sorry to hear ,

 

[Smaug]

Yep it didnt help he was the same color as sludge I also have a red threadleaf Japanese maple that drops it's still red leaves and it just made it impossible to see at a quick glance.

 

[Becky]

Goodness, I wasn't sure what to think when I saw your topic title!!

Sorry to hear about your koi

 

[Marshall]

Sorry to hear about that. I know how devastating that can be especially if you are as "crazy" about the animals in your care as I am. I tend to view any creature I take into my care as being just as valuable as any life so I understand how devastating it can be but, oh how awful for your little girl too bad but maybe you can try and get her two juveniles ? I would be willing to bankroll them if needed

 

[Marshall]

Goodness, I wasn't sure what to think when I saw your topic title!!

Sorry to hear about your koi

I know I kinda took a double look myself lol I had to see if Amelia Dyer might have joined the forum... sorry

 

[Smaug]

I will let the new exchange student pick 2 new ones out this spring.

 

[sissy]

When I scoop my pond I use a 5 gallon bucket with water in it just in case .I put the mess in there and then go through it .I made that same mistake years ago but he had gotten into my tank filter and I had cleaned it and did not see him

 

[pecan]

I am sorry to hear that. I find it odd that when I try to catch them its impossible, yet when I net the gunk from the bottom they swim into the net...

When I netted my pond a few weeks ago, I had to toss three fish back in the pond after getting dumped in the sludge bucket.

 

[Smaug]

I think they are looking for bugs and other bits when the bottom gets stirred up

 

[Nepen]

I'm so sorry to hear. I had an incident where I was going to till a heap of old water hyacinth that i took out of the pond and very luckily, a big bull frog hopped out before the blade hit...scared the outta me!! But lucky for him he survived.


By the way, I was a Thai exchange student once.. in 1997 I still visit my host family, last year I went and took my son to stay with them for a few days.
And I'm going to Thailand in a few days YEYEYEYEY

 

[callingcolleen1]

I think we all have accidentally killed the odd fish at one time or another so don't feel too bad, its part of the learning process. One time a rock slipped from my hand and one fish got banged up pretty good but managed to recover. Then I too used to net the pond and would examine the muck close cause sometime little fish get in there. Now I put up net that has fine screen so leaf litter does not fall through.