Thanks, Reel :*)

Howabout if I should start by getting rid of the frogs ..perhaps 1 at a
time? They are currently being held in a large container. Eh, they seem
pretty docile although they can usually spot me as I approach the pond and I
see a splash. That's how I discovered them in the first place (last
summer). But if they were after the fish, I would have thought the little
troutmeisters would have been the first to go as I understand the other
fish, fancy goldies, can be rather aggressive. As for birds/raptors, there
are hawks now in the neighbourhood but haven't really been bothered by them.
I just hear them every once in a while. Again, they may have watched for
the yard to be quiet (while I was away).

I hate like heck putting all this work into a pond build only to have to
cover it up with netting. How about using a single fish line fence around
its perimeter? Would this work against most preditors ..especially herons?
I've now repositioned several water plants to more fully cover the shelves
and built a rock and boulder fort on the pond bottom. As well I've got some
overturned nursery pots on the bottom and cut openings in them for refuge.
I placed water plant containers on them to both hold the pots down and to
help raise the water plants. Also, there is a water fall of sorts. It
consists of a huge boulder with a core drilled out of it. Water is
backrouted to the hole and voila! a wash down its face directly into the
pond. I feel this may camoflage the fish a bit by disturbing the water
surface.

Jack


"Reel McKoi" wrote in message
...

"Jack" wrote in message
news:u4dhe.38140$0X6.21406@edtnps90...
Hi.
It's year 2 and just did a full water change on our little 300 gallon
pond.
Found a few surprises when the pool was emptied.
First off, about a week ago I was out of town for 6 days and when I came
back I decided to do the water change as it was pretty mungy as I left.
At
the time of leaving there were 5 fish (from the original 6) that survived
our mild winter: 3 goldies, 2 skubunkins(?) Now, after doing the water
change I found only 3 goldies, 2 tiny fingerlings (look like imported
trout
from a friends wild pond), and 3 - 3" frogs!
My concern is, what happened to the 2 skubunkins while I was away? No
bodies found at the bottom. Neighbourhood cats? ..nah, the pond sides
are
too steep and no plants we disturbed.

## Large frogs eat fish as do snakes, herons, mud turtles and King
Fishers.

Not aware of any raccoons in the area
either, and again nothing disturbed. So, do frogs eat 6" fish?

## Yes.

Are the 2
tiny fingerlings that aggressive? How about the goldies as all 3 of
those
survived. There are lots of tall everygreens surrounding the property
and
thought there might be predators in those trees. But haven't seen any
eagles or herrons, etc.

## That doesn't mean they're not there when you are away from home or
asleep.

Perhaps they dropped by when they detected no
humans around for the week?

## More than likely.... :-(

Your thoughts?
Thanks.
Jack
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." :-)
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o