Fish Disappearing...any ideas??

[FIRE224U]

Hello, i have lost 3 , 5-6" goldfish in the last 2 weeks. When it started i
found one, a calico, up stream in one of my catch ponds near my water feature,
it was half out of the water,thought it was dead but started moving when i
touched it so i put it back in the pond, it seemed fine and swam around, thats
when i noticed one missing. The next day the one i put back in was missing.
Then a few days later our pure white fantail disappeared much to my 9 y/o
daughters dismay, she was highly upset as she had named her "Angel" and we've
had this fish for around 6yrs. The water is 18" deep and the pond is 5' X 7' in
an oval shape, has bushes on one side and a wooden walkway on the other. I have
not found anything disturbed in the pond or around the pond,everything is where
its suppose to be. The day i found the white one gone i noticed a 1" gash on
the body near the dorsal fin of another fish. Any idea what may be after my
fish ??? We have a part chow part golden lab thats in the back yard with the
pond but she doesn't go near it. And it seems to happen at night.I recently put
in a large stone overhang/cubby hole to hopefully help hide even they have
other places to hide. Since ive put this in they stay under it. Thanks for the
help in advance.

Scott in Louisiana

[Lisa Tetzlaff]

A heron or a coon?
"FIRE224U" > wrote in message
...
> Hello, i have lost 3 , 5-6" goldfish in the last 2 weeks. When it started
i
> found one, a calico, up stream in one of my catch ponds near my water
feature,
> it was half out of the water,thought it was dead but started moving when i
> touched it so i put it back in the pond, it seemed fine and swam around,
thats
> when i noticed one missing. The next day the one i put back in was
missing.
> Then a few days later our pure white fantail disappeared much to my 9 y/o
> daughters dismay, she was highly upset as she had named her "Angel" and
we've
> had this fish for around 6yrs. The water is 18" deep and the pond is 5' X
7' in
> an oval shape, has bushes on one side and a wooden walkway on the other. I
have
> not found anything disturbed in the pond or around the pond,everything is
where
> its suppose to be. The day i found the white one gone i noticed a 1" gash
on
> the body near the dorsal fin of another fish. Any idea what may be after
my
> fish ??? We have a part chow part golden lab thats in the back yard with
the
> pond but she doesn't go near it. And it seems to happen at night.I
recently put
> in a large stone overhang/cubby hole to hopefully help hide even they have
> other places to hide. Since ive put this in they stay under it. Thanks for
the
> help in advance.
>
> Scott in Louisiana

[K30a]

I'm betting a heron as racoons usually make
a mess.
Heron tips:
- string fishing line around the pond
- put in an electric fido fence
- netting over the pond.
- a motion activated sprinkler
- a brick flue at the bottom of the pond
to give the fish a place to hide
- Migratory Bird Act forbids lethal methods,
heavy fines and jail time take away from pond time ;-)


k30a

[Bonnie Espenshade]

FIRE224U wrote:
> Hello, i have lost 3 , 5-6" goldfish in the last 2 weeks. When it started i
> found one, a calico, up stream in one of my catch ponds near my water feature,
> it was half out of the water,thought it was dead but started moving when i
> touched it so i put it back in the pond, it seemed fine and swam around, thats
> when i noticed one missing. The next day the one i put back in was missing.
> Then a few days later our pure white fantail disappeared much to my 9 y/o
> daughters dismay, she was highly upset as she had named her "Angel" and we've
> had this fish for around 6yrs. The water is 18" deep and the pond is 5' X 7' in
> an oval shape, has bushes on one side and a wooden walkway on the other. I have
> not found anything disturbed in the pond or around the pond,everything is where
> its suppose to be. The day i found the white one gone i noticed a 1" gash on
> the body near the dorsal fin of another fish. Any idea what may be after my
> fish ??? We have a part chow part golden lab thats in the back yard with the
> pond but she doesn't go near it. And it seems to happen at night.I recently put
> in a large stone overhang/cubby hole to hopefully help hide even they have
> other places to hide. Since ive put this in they stay under it. Thanks for the
> help in advance.
>
> Scott in Louisiana

Have you seen any herons in the area. That would be my guess.

--
Bonnie
NJ

[jammer]

Any way you can set up a night time camera?



On 28 Jan 2003 20:00:18 GMT, (FIRE224U) wrote:

> Hello, i have lost 3 , 5-6" goldfish in the last 2 weeks. When it started i
>found one, a calico, up stream in one of my catch ponds near my water feature,
>it was half out of the water,thought it was dead but started moving when i
>touched it so i put it back in the pond, it seemed fine and swam around, thats
>when i noticed one missing. The next day the one i put back in was missing.
>Then a few days later our pure white fantail disappeared much to my 9 y/o
>daughters dismay, she was highly upset as she had named her "Angel" and we've
>had this fish for around 6yrs. The water is 18" deep and the pond is 5' X 7' in
>an oval shape, has bushes on one side and a wooden walkway on the other. I have
>not found anything disturbed in the pond or around the pond,everything is where
>its suppose to be. The day i found the white one gone i noticed a 1" gash on
>the body near the dorsal fin of another fish. Any idea what may be after my
>fish ??? We have a part chow part golden lab thats in the back yard with the
>pond but she doesn't go near it. And it seems to happen at night.I recently put
>in a large stone overhang/cubby hole to hopefully help hide even they have
>other places to hide. Since ive put this in they stay under it. Thanks for the
>help in advance.
>
>Scott in Louisiana

·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
jammer
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸

[FIRE224U]

Thanks to all who replied. I don't have a way to set up a night camera. I've
been suspecting a heron but haven't seen any which doesn't mean it isn't
around. After a thought I did some checkin and we have Black crowned Night
Herons here whiuch are nocturnal, so that maybe the reason i don't see it
during the day. I am gonna try the fishing line across the pond. I did build a
large hiding area for them to get under which is made of large 3ft x 2ft
stepping stones,they seem to stay under it now. Thanks all.

Scott in Louisiana