The Fish are gone

Well, We have had a 2500 gallon pond for about 10 years now and never had a
problem with losing fish to animals until now. Our indoor/outdoor cat died about
three weeks ago. We went away last week and when we got home this sunday my wife
went out to feed the fish. There were none! We had six large Koi and about 20 or
more gold fish. We did count 5 small gold fish yesterday morning (under two
inches) Have not seen them since.

We suspect musk rat or raccoons, but there were no signs of either. We do have
both in the area. We do not suspect "foul" play because we have not seen any
fish eating birds since we have been home.

We have been talking of late of going to a smaller pond for maintenance reasons.
(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do so. The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We shall see.

Chris

ChrisGW wrote:
Well, We have had a 2500 gallon pond for about 10 years now and never had a
problem with losing fish to animals until now. Our indoor/outdoor cat
died about
three weeks ago. We went away last week and when we got home this sunday
my wife
went out to feed the fish. There were none! We had six large Koi and
about 20 or
more gold fish. We did count 5 small gold fish yesterday morning (under two
inches) Have not seen them since.

We suspect musk rat or raccoons, but there were no signs of either. We
do have
both in the area. We do not suspect "foul" play because we have not seen
any
fish eating birds since we have been home.

We have been talking of late of going to a smaller pond for maintenance
reasons.
(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do
so. The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We
shall see.

Chris



A skunk got to our fish 2 years ago !!

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

ChrisGW wrote:
Well, We have had a 2500 gallon pond for about 10 years now and never had a
problem with losing fish to animals until now. Our indoor/outdoor cat
died about
three weeks ago.

Sorry to hear about your cat :-(

We went away last week and when we got home this sunday
my wife
went out to feed the fish. There were none! We had six large Koi and
about 20 or
more gold fish. We did count 5 small gold fish yesterday morning (under two
inches) Have not seen them since.

We suspect musk rat or raccoons, but there were no signs of either. We
do have
both in the area. We do not suspect "foul" play because we have not seen
any
fish eating birds since we have been home.

My best guess is that your cat was detering predators, which would make
me think of birds or possibly another cat. Although you haven't seen any
fish eating birds since your return from holiday it doesn't mean that
they can be ruled out - sounds like most of the "disappearances"
happened while you were away. You also can't rule out that someone might
have netted them out while the house was empty......sad, but more common
than you might think - but as I wouldn't think the cat would have
deterred such people then this is probably lower down on the scale of
likeliness.

Don't know much about musk rats or raccoons as we don't get them in the
UK but it could be a possibility - minks might be another but I don't
think that they are the cleanest of killers from what I've heard so I
would have guessed if it was minks then you might have found some
evidence....


We have been talking of late of going to a smaller pond for maintenance
reasons.
(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do
so. The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We
shall see.

When you design the new pond I would suggest some safeguards against
predators - or you could just get another cat....


Chris



Gill

Thats a real bummer.......


On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:34:34 -0500, ChrisGW
wrote:

Well, We have had a 2500 gallon pond for about 10 years now and never had a
problem with losing fish to animals until now. Our indoor/outdoor cat died about
three weeks ago. We went away last week and when we got home this sunday my wife
went out to feed the fish. There were none! We had six large Koi and about 20 or
more gold fish. We did count 5 small gold fish yesterday morning (under two
inches) Have not seen them since.

We suspect musk rat or raccoons, but there were no signs of either. We do have
both in the area. We do not suspect "foul" play because we have not seen any
fish eating birds since we have been home.

We have been talking of late of going to a smaller pond for maintenance reasons.
(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do so. The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We shall see.

Chris




-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

"ChrisGW" wrote in message
...
Well, We have had a 2500 gallon pond for about 10 years now and never had
a
problem with losing fish to animals until now. Our indoor/outdoor cat died
about
three weeks ago. We went away last week and when we got home this sunday
my wife
went out to feed the fish. There were none! We had six large Koi and about
20 or
more gold fish. We did count 5 small gold fish yesterday morning (under
two
inches) Have not seen them since.

We suspect musk rat or raccoons, but there were no signs of either. We do
have
both in the area. We do not suspect "foul" play because we have not seen
any
fish eating birds since we have been home.

The herons here often came early in the morning. We lost many fish before we
realized what was going on. We also saw a Kingfisher carry off fish. Then
were where fish eating snakes and large bullfrogs getting into the ponds.
Finally, in desperation, we netted them.

We have been talking of late of going to a smaller pond for maintenance
reasons.

Us too! My husband is planning to retire in less than 18 months. We're
discussing getting rid of all the fish and letting the ponds be more
natural. Just leave them be for frogs and whatever chooses to call them
home. One is 800g and the other is 2000g. This whole place is just too big
for us to take care of.

(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do so.
The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a
new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We
shall see.

They need care as well.

Chris
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~ }(((((o

On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 15:34:20 -0600, "Reel McKoi"
foamed at the mouth and managed
to spew the following: I just love good old Tristan, He rocks! He is
my hero!


snip

The herons here often came early in the morning. We lost many fish before we
realized what was going on. We also saw a Kingfisher carry off fish. Then
were where fish eating snakes and large bullfrogs getting into the ponds.
Finally, in desperation, we netted them.

Who cares about your ponds in rthe yard made form a kjiddy pool carol,
certainly no9 one in the aquaria grups gives a rats ass.......get a
clue! If yur husband wa really desperate he would have you netted and
taken away.....but then again he is a loon of a mushroom just like
you. Afterall he married you a washed up and well used motor cycle
momma didn't he..so how much of a person can old Randy be......or your
younging who likes to prowl the inner cities looking for love in all
the wrong places.......uh huh! Fathers day is a real bitch in the
Gulley household huh?

snip

Us too! My 8th husband is planning to get real tired in less than 18 months. We're
discussing getting rid of all the fish and letting the ponds be more
natural, and let the country finish paving over the mudholes
. Just leave them be for snails and whatever chooses to call them
home. One is 8g and the other is 20g. This whole place is just too big
for us to take care of. Its all of 50 x 50 feet square and that includes the
mobile home too...

Ah poor dumbass loon......the problem is you spend too much time
playing games and trolling on the internet and usenet to pay any
attention to those pud puddles in the dirt road you call a pond you
physcho bitch! Your husband is a mushroom anyhow. His best bet is
keep the ponds and get rid of you. God forbide if I ever was stuck
with something like you a washed up wellused piece of carpet bagging
trash that has had more hubbys and motor cycle gang members than
carter has liver pils.....Poor loon needs help huh!
Eventually the county will fin in those pot holes you call a pond and
then there is no need to be on rec.ponds or usenet in aquaria
groups......really there is no need now as you contribute NOTHING!
(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do so.
The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a
new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We
shall see.

They need care as well.

Chris



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

"Tristin" aka Roy wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 15:34:20 -0600, "Reel McKoi"
foamed at the mouth and managed
to spew the following: I just love good old Tristan, He rocks! He is
my hero!
=============================
Get professional help at the VA Roy. We can't help you. Harassing people on
Usenet will not make you well like your meds will. You must stay on your
meds for them to be effective.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~ }(((((o

are you absolutely sure, positive they arent on the bottom of the pond under some
leaves or whatnot?

almost rectangular pond 6 feet wide x 14' long with veggie filter.
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/changes/changes2.htm
Ingrid

ChrisGW wrote:
Well, We have had a 2500 gallon pond for about 10 years now and never had a
problem with losing fish to animals until now. Our indoor/outdoor cat died about
three weeks ago. We went away last week and when we got home this sunday my wife
went out to feed the fish. There were none! We had six large Koi and about 20 or
more gold fish. We did count 5 small gold fish yesterday morning (under two
inches) Have not seen them since.

We suspect musk rat or raccoons, but there were no signs of either. We do have
both in the area. We do not suspect "foul" play because we have not seen any
fish eating birds since we have been home.

We have been talking of late of going to a smaller pond for maintenance reasons.
(we are not getting any younger). So I think this is a good time to do so. The
liner is 10 years old, so I have gotten my moneys worth out of it and a new
design would be a nice change. May even go for a more formal pond. We shall see.

Chris




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List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?...s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan

wrote:
are you absolutely sure, positive they arent on the bottom of the pond under some
leaves or whatnot?

almost rectangular pond 6 feet wide x 14' long with veggie filter.
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/changes/changes2.htm
Ingrid

I am positive. The pond is some what clear. We noticed today that the two fish
in the front smaller pond are now gone. We believe that it is a musk rat or
several musk rats.

Chris

musk rats are rodents, they dont eat fish. more likely if nothing else is disturbed
you have a mink or other sharp pointed toothed in the weasel family that swim really
really well. Ingrid

ChrisGW wrote:

wrote:
are you absolutely sure, positive they arent on the bottom of the pond under some
leaves or whatnot?

almost rectangular pond 6 feet wide x 14' long with veggie filter.
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/changes/changes2.htm
Ingrid

I am positive. The pond is some what clear. We noticed today that the two fish
in the front smaller pond are now gone. We believe that it is a musk rat or
several musk rats.

Chris



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/
sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?...s=Group+lookup
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website.
I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan