Missing fish at night

[CanadianCowboy]

Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.

My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
neighborhood.

Are there any other animals that feed at night that you know of that
would eat fish and go in a pond. I know of a skunk in the area but
didn't think it would go in a pond.

[Reel Mckoi]

"CanadianCowboy" > wrote in message
. ..
> Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
> missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.

## Been there, done that (pre netting days) and know exactly how you feel.

> My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
> neighborhood.

## Could it have been a two legged bandit?

> Are there any other animals that feed at night that you know of that would
> eat fish and go in a pond. I know of a skunk in the area but didn't think
> it would go in a pond.

## We have skunks here but they don't go in the ponds. My guess is a
raccoon or someone who wanted a few free fish.
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[CanadianCowboy]

## Could it have been a two legged bandit?

I'd rather have it been as at least the fish are still alive.
I became very attached to these fish as they survived the longest from
the original batch of feeders.

Reel Mckoi wrote:
>
> "CanadianCowboy" > wrote in message
> . ..
>
>> Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
>> missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.
>
>
> ## Been there, done that (pre netting days) and know exactly how you feel.
>
>> My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
>> neighborhood.
>
>
> ## Could it have been a two legged bandit?
>
>> Are there any other animals that feed at night that you know of that
>> would eat fish and go in a pond. I know of a skunk in the area but
>> didn't think it would go in a pond.
>
>
> ## We have skunks here but they don't go in the ponds. My guess is a
> raccoon or someone who wanted a few free fish.

[~ jan jjspond]

>CanadianCowboy > wrote:

>Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
>missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.
>
>My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
>neighborhood.

I definitely think you're on the right track. Took 5 years for one to visit
me too. I was lucky, ended up with none missing, but I could see where he'd
tried to grab my biggest. She was raked on both sides from the gills
through the tail, and a few others were also marked up. The raccoon
couldn't get a firm purchase on my loose rock so it was pulled in, along
with the rock. Pond was trashed.

I purchased the Scarecrow motion sprinkler and haven't had a problem since.
What I don't know is, if he had caught his dinner, rather than getting
dunked over and over, would he have been more persistent? ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[CanadianCowboy]

Plan A for me is installing two flood lights connected to a motion
detector since the pond is close to my wooden deck. I heard raccoons get
startled with bright light.

~ jan jjspond wrote:
>>CanadianCowboy > wrote:
>
>
>>Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
>>missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.
>>
>>My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
>>neighborhood.
>
>
> I definitely think you're on the right track. Took 5 years for one to visit
> me too. I was lucky, ended up with none missing, but I could see where he'd
> tried to grab my biggest. She was raked on both sides from the gills
> through the tail, and a few others were also marked up. The raccoon
> couldn't get a firm purchase on my loose rock so it was pulled in, along
> with the rock. Pond was trashed.
>
> I purchased the Scarecrow motion sprinkler and haven't had a problem since.
> What I don't know is, if he had caught his dinner, rather than getting
> dunked over and over, would he have been more persistent? ~ jan
>
>
> See my ponds and filter design:
> www.jjspond.us
>
> ~Keep 'em Wet!~
> Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
> To e-mail see website

[Reel Mckoi]

"CanadianCowboy" > wrote in message
.. .
> Plan A for me is installing two flood lights connected to a motion
> detector since the pond is close to my wooden deck. I heard raccoons get
> startled with bright light.
======================
Have a Hard Rock station come on at the same time. That should discourage
them. However, if the coons already fed on some of your fish they can be
very, very persistent. Your neighbors may not appreciate lights coming on
in the middle of the night, especially if they shine in bedroom windows.
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>
http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killfile/anti_troll_faq.htm

[Reel Mckoi]

CanadianCowboy wrote:
> Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
> missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.
>
> My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
> neighborhood.
>
> Are there any other animals that feed at night that you know of that
> would eat fish and go in a pond. I know of a skunk in the area but
> didn't think it would go in a pond.

Wrong. I sent my husband to see your pond. He has this nasty reputation
with fish.

Most like they ran away!

[Reel Mckoi]

~ jan jjspond wrote:
>>CanadianCowboy > wrote:
>
>
>>Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
>>missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.
>>
>>My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
>>neighborhood.
>
>
> I definitely think you're on the right track. Took 5 years for one to visit
> me too. I was lucky, ended up with none missing, but I could see where he'd
> tried to grab my biggest. She was raked on both sides from the gills
> through the tail, and a few others were also marked up. The raccoon
> couldn't get a firm purchase on my loose rock so it was pulled in, along
> with the rock. Pond was trashed.
>
> I purchased the Scarecrow motion sprinkler and haven't had a problem since.
> What I don't know is, if he had caught his dinner, rather than getting
> dunked over and over, would he have been more persistent? ~ jan
>
>
> See my ponds and filter design:
> www.jjspond.us
>
> ~Keep 'em Wet!~
> Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
> To e-mail see website

Shut up Jan, I know more than you.

[~ jan jjspond]

>On Sat, 01 Oct 2005 17:23:44 -0400, CanadianCowboy > wrote:

>Plan A for me is installing two flood lights connected to a motion
>detector since the pond is close to my wooden deck. I heard raccoons get
>startled with bright light.

I had a motion light w/2 floods, didn't stop mine.

http://www.km01.com/gardeninghome.html ~ jan

[zookeeper]

Don't count on it -- our friendly neighborhood raccoons seem to enjoy dining
by flood light. And when I go out to yell at them, they just sit and watch,
until I get the hose going and spray them out of the tree or off the fence.
--
Zk

"CanadianCowboy" wrote :
> Plan A for me is installing two flood lights connected to a motion
> detector since the pond is close to my wooden deck. I heard raccoons get
> startled with bright light.

[CanadianCowboy]

Well I caught the bugger in the act.
It was the skunk after all. As soon as it got dark
the critter started foraging on the edge. When the
flood lights came on it went away (slowly) under my deck.

I hope skunks are easier to discourage than raccoons !

CanadianCowboy wrote:
> Well my worst nightmare as a pond owner came true when fish have gone
> missing and plants and rocks have been knocked over, overnight.
>
> My guess is a raccoon but it is the first one in 5 years for this new
> neighborhood.
>
> Are there any other animals that feed at night that you know of that
> would eat fish and go in a pond. I know of a skunk in the area but
> didn't think it would go in a pond.

[Reel Mckoi]

"CanadianCowboy" > wrote in message
...
> Well I caught the bugger in the act.
> It was the skunk after all. As soon as it got dark
> the critter started foraging on the edge. When the
> flood lights came on it went away (slowly) under my deck.

## And we never had problems with skunks getting into our ponds. They're so
slow moving it's surprising they can catch something like a goldfish.

> I hope skunks are easier to discourage than raccoons !

## In my area they seem to come and go. We don't see them or awhile, then
they're back again.....
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>
http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killfile/anti_troll_faq.htm

[~ jan jjspond]

>On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 07:43:23 -0400, CanadianCowboy > wrote:

>Well I caught the bugger in the act.
>It was the skunk after all. As soon as it got dark
>the critter started foraging on the edge. When the
>flood lights came on it went away (slowly) under my deck.
>
>I hope skunks are easier to discourage than raccoons !

I think the skunk is just guilty by association. We had lots of skunks
around here before I had any damage. Do a little research on skunks and
you'll find fish, at least catching one, isn't on their menu. ~ jan