New fish we didn't add

[AJ1500]

we have found we have a new addition to the pond that we didn't add and it's not offspring either
I had noticed a few weeks ago a small black looking thing shooting around in the pond, later I found a small very dark frog and just thought that was what I had seen. well yesterday my wife tells me there is a new fish in the pond
it has gotten big enough to see better but is very skiddish so it's hard to get a good look at him.
it looks to be almost black and is now about 3 inches long, he seems to stay near the bottom and yesterday was hanging around a couple of the goldies. only thing I can figure is he got introduced by a passing bird that had eaten a pregnant fish as we have not added anything to the pond that could have housed any eggs
I guess there is that slim possibility that it is offspring but why would it be almost black

any thoughts

 

[addy1]

Goldfish are quite often black as fry then they change color as they age. Some stay black.

 

[sissy]

My babies always start out black and then sometimes turn colors sometimes not for a year or more

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I guess there is that slim possibility that it is offspring but why would it be almost black

The question is also the answer. It's black because it's young. They start off black. They're nearly impossible to see when they're black and small, so it doesn't surprise me that you're just seeing it now. Keep an eye out, you might see more.

 

[pecan]

I had some alien fish show up the second year we had the pond. Little black looking fish with what appeared to be white masks. But I actually caught one to take a closer look and the color was more of a green rather than black, just looked black in the water. I still have them and they turned out to be comet/koi hybrids. At the time They showed up I only had comets in the pond, no koi. So all I can figure it they came in with plants or on bird feet.

Then

Now

 

[Nepen]

I had some alien fish show up the second year we had the pond. Little black looking fish with what appeared to be white masks. But I actually caught one to take a closer look and the color was more of a green rather than black, just looked black in the water. I still have them and they turned out to be comet/koi hybrids. At the time They showed up I only had comets in the pond, no koi. So all I can figure it they came in with plants or on bird feet.

Then
View attachment 90426

Now
View attachment 90427

What a beauty!!!!

 

[sissy]

Well sometimes and surprise turns into a beauty and you sure got a beauty there .I know a lot of my black babies I gave away have grown into mostly butterfly type fish with beautiful flowing fins and tails.I think maybe that is why I get so many calls to take my baby fish .

 

[AJ1500]

I will have to keep a close watch on this one. maybe I can sit still and get it to come up for a better look

 

[Smaug]

I had the same please t surprises that Pecan has but mine have no bright colors. A few of mine are butterfly though. Yes they start out very dark.

 

[Stephen T.]

In a pond I built when we lived out on the coast, It had enough leaves and debris after 2 years under numerous trees, I cleaned it out. YIKES, what the heck was that? It seems that in getting some gravel from the stream that ran through the neighbor's property, I got a baby lamprey eel. It was now 9" long, very active, ready to move to the sea and very slippery/hard to catch.