No new babies

[rubyduby]

I am holding my breath...Why, you might ask? It is because two years ago I put 4 shubunkins in my pond...Within 6 months they had two groups of frye hatch and .... whalah! 4 became 24 and all I could think of is how am I going to stop this? I thought maybe the Great Herons would take a few...nope....I thought the water snake would cut down numbers...nope (just one)....but two years later I am not seeing one baby swimming around so I am holding my breath and hoping that maybe there is some truth to the fish actually being able to limit their competition for food (like coyotes) and therefor refrain from spawning?? I know that many on here don't believe this is true since many people are inundated with frye but why am I so lucky so far? I feed every night (I know, but I love to feed everything that comes in my yard) so my fish are not starving but I guess it is still possible that they might be eating the eggs even though I have not been able to see any....BTW...My pond is only 900 gallons and I have 24-25 six inch shubies...which I figure is max for keeping good water quality since I only have the Aquascape Biofalls filter and skimmer.....So far my parameters are still perfect!

 

[j.w]

My fish seem to gobble all the freshly laid eggs before they get a chance to hatch. I only have about 15 goldfish. Once in great while I see a smaller fish so I know it made it through the feasting.

 

[addy1]

You needed my snakes! They ate over 250 fish.

I am encouraging babies! I am seeing fry! Caught way fewer snakes this year.

My 1000 gallon tank had about 20ish, the snakes dropped it to 4.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

When it comes to pond fish & spawning, the only consistency I've found is that nothing is consistent! My pond has been up & running since early fall of 2012. We've gone from a mix of goldfish & koi, to koi only (since removing the last comet in 2022)

Early on in the pond's life we had spawning & a couple of our current koi were born in the pond at that time. Then we saw little evidence of spawning and zero fry for years. Why? Who knows. (We did add koi to the pond twice over that time to replace fish lost for one reason or another)
Then in 2021 we had a massive spawning which resulted in numerous baby fish. Even with predation by the northern water snake we had in residence at the time, we still had to do a 'drain & remove' in the spring of 2022. Kept three of the fry, removed about 12 - 15 plus a couple adults. We did have a minor spawning later that spring, and saw a couple of fry in the late summer, but they all disappeared.

This past spring (2023) we had another really big spawn, including one of our largest koi that we didn't know was a female because she had never spawned before! (Poor thing got injured in the process, survived, but with some epic scars from being shoved into the skimmer basket & getting stuck!) Anyway, I expected to see fry this fall, but nope! Haven't even seen a single one.

So, yeah, consistently inconsistent.
Pic of Jacques Cousteau (now Jacque-Lyn) after some healing. All the white is scarring.

 

[j.w]

I would welcome a few little ones...............but just a few!

 

[rubyduby]

When it comes to pond fish & spawning, the only consistency I've found is that nothing is consistent! My pond has been up & running since early fall of 2012. We've gone from a mix of goldfish & koi, to koi only (since removing the last comet in 2022)

Early on in the pond's life we had spawning & a couple of our current koi were born in the pond at that time. Then we saw little evidence of spawning and zero fry for years. Why? Who knows. (We did add koi to the pond twice over that time to replace fish lost for one reason or another)
Then in 2021 we had a massive spawning which resulted in numerous baby fish. Even with predation by the northern water snake we had in residence at the time, we still had to do a 'drain & remove' in the spring of 2022. Kept three of the fry, removed about 12 - 15 plus a couple adults. We did have a minor spawning later that spring, and saw a couple of fry in the late summer, but they all disappeared.

This past spring (2023) we had another really big spawn, including one of our largest koi that we didn't know was a female because she had never spawned before! (Poor thing got injured in the process, survived, but with some epic scars from being shoved into the skimmer basket & getting stuck!) Anyway, I expected to see fry this fall, but nope! Haven't even seen a single one.

So, yeah, consistently inconsistent.
Pic of Jacques Cousteau (now Jacque-Lyn) after some healing. All the white is scarring.
View attachment 161558

Well just when I was thinking that nature might naturally limit my fish population I read this BKH....I guess my best bet is to be vigilant and restrict food if I see spawning behavior because it would be REALLY hard to catch fish in my pond (I have a fish cave at the very bottom that they all disappear into) Glad that Jacque-Lyn survived ....She is still beautiful even with the battle wounds!

 

[j.w]

Well just when I was thinking that nature might naturally limit my fish population I read this BKH....I guess my best bet is to be vigilant and restrict food if I see spawning behavior because it would be REALLY hard to catch fish in my pond (I have a fish cave at the very bottom that they all disappear into) Glad that Jacque-Lyn survived ....She is still beautiful even with the battle wounds!

Must be why no babies for me as I only feed mine once a week on Friday (Fish day)

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Well just when I was thinking that nature might naturally limit my fish population I read this BKH....I guess my best bet is to be vigilant and restrict food if I see spawning behavior because it would be REALLY hard to catch fish in my pond (I have a fish cave at the very bottom that they all disappear into) Glad that Jacque-Lyn survived ....She is still beautiful even with the battle wounds!

Thanks! I don't feed them for at least three days after I see lots of spawning action (Normally they get fed twice a day) Catching the fry is absolutely a PITA! We had to completely drain the pond to get them all.

 

[j.w]

Thanks! I don't feed them for at least three days after I see lots of spawning action (Normally they get fed twice a day) Catching the fry is absolutely a PITA! We had to completely drain the pond to get them all.

I think Koi are different then goldfish. Think koi need more food. Goldfish can go forever w/o us feeding them, don't think koi can tho?

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I think Koi are different then goldfish. Think koi need more food. Goldfish can go forever w/o us feeding them, don't think koi can tho?

Maybe if your pond is huge they don't need to be fed, but my pond isn't that big, so I'm pretty sure they need to be supplemented besides what they can naturally forage. Unless the water's cold, of course, like it is now.

 

[Mgessert]

I have a small 300 gallon pond with nine adult goldfish. Last year I removed twenty babies, and this year caught fifteen more. I feed well and have lots of plant cover. Fortunately, I haven’t had any trouble finding other pond owners to take them. This year I waited until the water was cold and they were much easier to net.

 

[rubyduby]

Maybe if your pond is huge they don't need to be fed, but my pond isn't that big, so I'm pretty sure they need to be supplemented besides what they can naturally forage. Unless the water's cold, of course, like it is now.

I also feel that my fish need to be fed daily since my pond is small (900 gallons) and I have also noticed that there are not a lot of bugs here where I live...I agree that if you have a large pond and goldfish there will be much less of a need to feed regularly...My guys go through a big bunch of flat leaf parsley (I tie the bunch with jute twine and tether it) every night and it is completely devoid of leaves in the morning...I am in Florida so the weather is never so cold that my fish aren't hungry

 

[j.w]

I also feel that my fish need to be fed daily since my pond is small (900 gallons) and I have also noticed that there are not a lot of bugs here where I live...I agree that if you have a large pond and goldfish there will be much less of a need to feed regularly...My guys go through a big bunch of flat leaf parsley (I tie the bunch with jute twine and tether it) every night and it is completely devoid of leaves in the morning...I am in Florida so the weather is never so cold that my fish aren't hungry

My fish look like they are freezing to death right now. They just all sit still and move rarely. Don't think food is in their minds right now, I know if I were freezing to death I would not be hungry.............hmmmmmmm, maybe a good diet plan, turn the heat off and freeze and get thin?

 

[SarahT]

I also feel that my fish need to be fed daily since my pond is small (900 gallons) and I have also noticed that there are not a lot of bugs here where I live...I agree that if you have a large pond and goldfish there will be much less of a need to feed regularly...My guys go through a big bunch of flat leaf parsley (I tie the bunch with jute twine and tether it) every night and it is completely devoid of leaves in the morning...I am in Florida so the weather is never so cold that my fish aren't hungry

MY Florida fish are envious of YOUR Florida fish. My pond is somewhat bigger at 1250-1400 gallons, plus bog, and right now, I'm feeding my fish about every other day. They're hungry, but not crazy-so. I'll see if I can grow parsley in the bog and let them nibble on that, in the New Year.

 

[sissy]

I make my fish clean up their own room by feeding them less means the water stays cleaner . Then I can hand feed each one of them and make them more friendly to people . But that also has a downside as it makes them more susceptable to predators . We have lots of those around here