Video of the Fishies 6/15/11

[j.w]

Real pretty fish :regular_waving_emot

 

[Neo]

That feeding looked a lot better! LOL the yellow one is just a show off! he steals the show, by far he's the standout fish! Do you have any idea what the orange colored butterfly is? It's a pretty fish, All that black makes it blend in the pond more which makes it not stand out as well but he's really a nice looking fish.

Not really sure what he is I just thought he looked really cool. The woman working at the nursery we bought him from wasn't happy when we picked him because it was impossible to see in their tank to catch...:regular_waving_emot

And when I got him home from a 30 minute drive he was floating upside down in the little ziplock bag they gave Me so I had to swim him around by hand for 20 minutes before he would move again, I really thought it was over for him but he recovered.

 

[fishin4cars]

It's a very cool looking fish and sounds like your very lucky you saved it! I've gotten to where I bring a couple of used bags from buying other fish, that way if I find a fish I like and they don't have a bag big enough I supply my own. Can't understand why people sell fish and think they can ship them in ziplock bags. Don't feel bad, I've seen it too! Sad but it does happen. I'll be keeping a couple of large bags and a couple of heavy duty rubber bands in my truck and car just in case now.

 

[Peepers Mom]

Awesome looking fishies! I also love the yellow butterfly, but they're all very nice! Mine are still babies, but I'm trying to get them to come to the surface to feed - no luck yet. :\ I even made them a feeding ring (disguised as a badminton net..... LOL!) to teach them to eat there. How long did it take yours to learn to come to the top?

 

[fishin4cars]

It can take a while getting them used to coming up. Try to always to do the same thing when you come up to the pond, go tho the same place, if possible about the same time, and make the same noise. mine hear when someone steps on the deck, You can see the whole heard get excited just by hearing us walk on the deck. My friend uses two rocks, One small one and one large, taps the two rocks together and they all come running. It's advisable not to tap the water and make a splashing sound to attract them, that's the same thing a Raccoon does and they may coming running up to the wrong thing. It's surprising how well they hear vibrations. I've heard of using a small bell, taking two pieces of bamboo and tapping them together. Just something that is distinctly a sound only you or someone you show knows to make. Even shaking a fish food can close to the water works rather well. Don't expect it to work right away, but in time it will. Also, always sit as low as possible by the pond when getting them used to coming up. The taller you are by the edge of the pond the more threatened they will be as they think you are a predator and they will hide instead of coming running for dinner.

 

[Neo]

I've always fed them at the same times and sit on a rock right at the pond but it seems like they've always just came to the top when we walk up.

Unfortunately They also come to the top when something splashes the water, I've caught My Son a few time with his fingers in the pond letting them nibble on him.

I'm in the process of making a net to be safe because We live on the edge of town and I've noticed raccoons about before.

 

[taherrmann4]

nice looking fish.

 

[Peepers Mom]

Great advice, thanks! I've been going to the middle of the bridge (so they don't get used to coming to the shallower sides - raccoons), 'knocking on wood' a few times, and have been swishing my hand in the water a few times -- I won't do the hand swishing anymore, I didn't even think about the predators making a swishing sound....!!!! Yikes. I've been putting their food in the ring, and repeating a few more times. When we're feeding them, we do sit low on the bridge and just peek our heads over to watch. They are not at least completely swimming away when I approach now.... Maybe I'll try rocks, too...... great idea!
Also, we've been treating them with worms occasionally -- the large one ate a fat 5" worm yesterday! Sucked it right down....

 

[fishin4cars]

feeding from the bridge is a good idea, very few predators can feed from there, also just the walking on the bridge is all they need to hear. Mine here me step on the deck and it looks like a swarm of swimming bees coming! LOL It's funny I sneak out there sometimes and the pond looks completely empty tap my foot on the deck and here they come!

 

[Neo]

Speaking of Predators, I found a garter snake by the pond Today and just scared it off. Do they eat fish? Surprisingly I never found any snakes by My old pond in a different yard but last Summer before this pond I found 5 or 6 snakes including a couple 6 foot long black snakes.

 

[fishin4cars]

Look like this one? I leave them alone, welcome quest. They might get a small frog or small lizard but chances are slim they would get a fish unless they couldn't find other food or if they could get a fish that was already dying or weak.

 

[Neo]

Yep it looked just like that last pic, black with yellow stripes, it's the second one I've found this Year but the first that was by the pond. I don't bother them if they don't bother Me usually but I admit I'm a bit uncomfortable with it by the pond.

 

[Peepers Mom]

I grew up with playing garter snakes , and they're 'harmless', even if they bite (which they don't do unless you catch them, and even then they usually don't). I doubt that they'd go after your fish; a really big one might, but most garter's are small snakes (like a few inches to about a foot long) and probably couldn't get close enough to even catch small fish. They do eat a lot of bugs, beetles, slugs, other little nasties, and if they're lucky they might get a few small frogs. They're actually good to have in a garden. They will get in the water and swim, but not to go after anything to eat as they're a land snake. I'd say to just let them enjoy your pond area and not worry about them!
We also get the dark with red striped ones here (Oregon). Oh, their babies are born live....!

 

[addy1]

Very nice fish! I only feed mine in the deep end, mainly near the water fall. I don't want them getting used to coming into the "shallow end" which is around 2 feet deep. Glad you saved your fish neo!

We have a great blue heron that flies over every morning and every evening. Must have their night roosting spot some where near here. I watched it "pause" in the air and look down at my pond but it kept going. This has been going on for a few months now lol, keep watching for it to land..............

 

[Neo]

Look like this one? I leave them alone, welcome quest. They might get a small frog or small lizard but chances are slim they would get a fish unless they couldn't find other food or if they could get a fish that was already dying or weak.

Just found another snake but this one was actually looking in the pond, also found a cat lurking around. Honestly I'm more worried about the cat at this point. Maybe I should get a dog to keep out the predators.