Predators...grrrr...

[Guest]

I go to a bunch of trouble to make sure my fish make it through the winter, as far as i could tell, they all did. I was outside first thing this morning, admiring how well my plants were coming back, especially this one rush. Go back out at lunch, it's partly smashed down UH, OH!

This is a sure sign some predator has been visiting, usually a Great Blue Heron. I start looking for my fish, toss in some food. Prolly half of them are gone, including my best fantail, nice pretty white one one with a single dot of red on the top of her head. !@#$%^@$%&#$^&^, I am upset to say the least. Very mad, she was full of eggs too, just gat a real good look at her 2-3 days ago, was looking forward to her offspring.

I know the wild critters gotta eat, and I refuse to cover my pond with a net during spring and summer, so i guess I gotta live with it.

 

[fishfreek]

U know wild critters have a nack at finding the BEST specimns to eat. That fish full of eggs was very filling I bet.

 

[Guest]

Wow. That would make me mad too. What about decoys? I have seen them work in some occassions, I understand fake snakes work pretty good.

 

[Guest]

This is prolly the main reason I have no expensive fish out there, I didn't pay more than one dollar for any of them, but I do get attached after awhile!

Another thing, goldfish, well, they are pretty stupid Thats why I admire 1 of my guys out there, Big Red, my oldest 6-7 yrs old prolly. He has survived every attack by critters his entire life, so he must be smarter than most. I did find a few of my others that I like, but I'm not sure on their sex. I was only sure on Mrs. dot just this spring when i saw she was packing eggs.

This is one more reason i over winter some goldfish babies every year, as soon as I think it's getting a bit crowded out there, WHAM, a critter comes along and makes sure there's no over-crowding!

Cue up Elton John "It's the Circle of Life..."

 

[loganj]

I like the idea of placing some decoys out there. Although I haven't ever tried it, it sounds like a great idea. Of course...a good Remington 1100 and...well, better not go there 8) .
Logan J

 

[Guest]

I hate the way those decoys look! Being the stubborn knucklehead that I am, I'll continue as is.

BTW, mrs dot is still there, but many others are bird food. Glad she was smart enough to hide!

a good Remington 1100 and...well, better not go there

Well there was this bottle-rocket incident, but that also is better left unsaid!

 

[loganj]

Well there was this bottle-rocket incident, but that also is better left unsaid!

You're killin' me, Paul
Logan J

 

[felipe]

dude, sorry about your fish, that white one sounded like it was gonna be really cool.

 

[Murphy]

Wow! nothing hurts more than seeing your dreams wrecked.

 

[Guest]

BTW, mrs dot is still there,

No worries folks, my prime breeder is still there! She hid, or the bird got full, who knows

Wow! nothing hurts more than seeing your dreams wrecked

Nahhh, it is frustrating, but I'm a big nature guy, I expect this, respect the birds, they were here first. Try to live in harmony, at least as best I can in the suburbs.

 

[prisoner1572]

decoys wont work if it was a muskrat or racoons, i had a muskrat eat some of my fish and dig up my plants. I stopped all that with an electric fence that shocks them pretty well

 

[JMaffei]

Hehehe... My parents are having problems with a pesky egret that keeps making periodical visits out at the pond. My mother is stubborn though, the egret eats, she restocks. I feel bad for my mom sometimes but can't help but laugh about it. I think she is determined to feed the egret to death!

 

[honmol]

I go to a bunch of trouble to make sure my fish make it through the winter, as far as i could tell, they all did. I was outside first thing this morning, admiring how well my plants were coming back, especially this one rush. Go back out at lunch, it's partly smashed down UH, OH!

This is a sure sign some predator has been visiting, usually a Great Blue Heron. I start looking for my fish, toss in some food. Prolly half of them are gone, including my best fantail, nice pretty white one one with a single dot of red on the top of her head. !@#$%^@$%&#$^&^, I am upset to say the least. Very mad, she was full of eggs too, just gat a real good look at her 2-3 days ago, was looking forward to her offspring.

I know the wild critters gotta eat, and I refuse to cover my pond with a net during spring and summer, so i guess I gotta live with it.

Here, cats are the problem. Sorry about your fish. A cat recently killed the most beautiful guppy I've ever seen. His tail was twice his size at least and it was all these different shades of blue and green. He had a polka dot pattern on his tail with thiny white polka dots surrounded by a thin ring of black in sort of zigzagging lines. He had been an adult for just a few months and his tail just got bigger and more colorful as he aged. Now I'm really mad at the cat.

 

[honmol]

Another thing, goldfish, well, they are pretty stupid "

If you haven't seen this yet. . . Just thought I'd post the link

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=64826&highlight=albert+goldfish

 

[honmol]

Another thing, goldfish, well, they are pretty stupid "

If you haven't seen this yet. . . Just thought I'd post the link

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=64826&highlight=albert+goldfish

 

[pentiumburner]

I have a great solution although I love the 1100 solution ..

I would use what I have to keep rogue animals out of our yard, and I can testify it works awesome.

Take a look here:

http://www.nextag.com/animal-repeller/search-html

 

[WaterPond]

I only have a 266 gal. pond and i have gotten snakes and great blue herons. One time a snake grabbed my best fantail and tossed it onto the ground. I raced out to get the fish before the snake did. I am so glad i was home and i saw that. Could have been a disaster!