Chasing in agitation sounds like breeding.

Hiding in rock caves sounds like fear of predators.

It is really unlike goldies to stay in caves. Fear is a best bet. Seen
any predators?

Jim

Otto Pylot wrote:
We installed our pond last July. 1200 gallons, 10x12x2, with a vigouous
4' waterfall meandering down a 6' stream. Lots of rocks with lots of
places for fish to hide. Decent plant coverage with water poppies and
parrot feathers plus a few odds and ends. Water is clear with a hint of
algae. 4 shubunkins (2 "white" and 2 "spotted") and mosquito fish too
numerous to count. The shubunkins have grown quite a lot since last
July.

Here's the oddity. About a month ago we noticed that one of the spotted
shubies was missing. A few days later he(she) re-appeared. The
following day, it was gone again. The next day, we watched the other
spotted one go into one of the rock caves. It never came out as far as
we know and it has been almost 2 weeks now since we've seen either one.
The two white ones seemed to get very agitated and chased each other
around the pond more than normal. Then they went into the rock caves
and were gone for a day or two. The other day we watched them
tentatively poke their noses out of the caves and then dash around the
pond and go into the rock caves on the other side. Whenever they came
out, they would always dash around like they were "afraid". They'd eat
and then hide. Today, they were just cruising around the pond like
nothing had ever happened and all was well. We still haven't seen the
two spotted ones. So, did we have a predator (bird) that selectively
ate the two spotted ones and freaked-out the two white ones, are the
two spotted ones "hibernating or incubating" in the caves, or did they
just go in there and die? This is our first season with the pond and
fish so we're not too sure what to expect. Thoughts or suggestions
would be appreciated.