Well I've actually lost two fish, my largest yellow gold koi and a beautiful
all black butterfly koi with silver fins, really a stunning fish. I have a
hard time believing that a ground animal could have taken the latter one at
night, you can barely see it during the day.

I have never seen a Heron around here, although there are occasional egrets
and hawks and other birds , and I am very near what passes for a river basin
( cement flood channel, San Gabriel River).

I now have 4 remaining fish , a longfin comet and 3 under 12" Koi. I guess
whatever bird took interest didnt want appetizers, instead the 18" main
course. I have a plastic horned owl, which seems to do absolutely nothing,
the little songbirds dont worry too much about it, I very much doubt a Heron
would.

Had to be one big bird to take the big fish.

I do not relish a net, and have cats which occasionally go outdoors under
supervision so motion sensor high frequency would not be desirable but I
could work with it. If anyone has a brand name, source or link to anti bird
apparatus I would appreciate it. For now I am monitoring further losses and
preparing to take immediate action.

D

"KoiDave" wrote in message
oups.com...
Well,

I live about 10 miles up the coast from you. In 12 years I have seen 1
heron. What you do have in your area, and may not know it, are large
raccoons. I am next to LAX and we have raccons, skunks and foxes here.
PV is loaded with them. The raccoons are quite the pests. My pond is
too deep to have real problems, my neighbor's is much shallower and the
raccoons are getting fat.

Now raccons usually leave parts of the fish laying around and uproot
plants. Have you found the plants disturbed?

Another possibility is a thief. How accessable is your pond and who
all knows you have Koi?

I have never had a problem with sea birds.

I hope this is your last loss ever!

KoiDave