Jumper

Hello-
I have gotten a lot of good info by lurking here. I really enjoy all the nice pictures,
and the great advice.

I am a beginning ponder, with a small 'kit' preformed pond. It is a 125 gallon Bermuda
pond, with a 35 gallon spillway. I had it going very nicely, but we had a mishap involving
a neighbor with a destructive dog, and the rocks along the edge. Needless to say, the
water in the pond was down to about 10 inches or so, and I quickly gathered the few rosy
reds and three other fish, a comet, a koi, and a fantail goldfish, to put them in the
spillway until we can get the replacement liner in tomorrow.

I kept having to pause, to allow the water to clear. I caught Charlie (the comet) and Lacy
(the fantail), but Velvet (the Koi) was nowhere to be found. We have tons of frogs and
toads who decided they loved my hospitality in putting in a pond for them. I heard a jump
and a 'flop' but assumed it was one of the big frogs.

I kept looking in the (now cloudy water) and dragging the big net around. I caught all the
rosy reds, but still no Velvet. I walked around with the flashlight, for by this time it
was getting dark. Then I noticed a pair of shiny eyes... IN THE GARDEN! The garden is
about 2 feet from the edge of the pond, and the fish was a good 2 feet beyond that. Is it
normal for koi to just jump like that? He had to have jumped at LEAST 6 feet, as there is
a ledge, and a shelf, plus the rocks around the edge.

If they jump like that, is there something I should do in the future to discourage it?
This is the SAME fish that jumped from the spillover into the pond after the last leak (a
very visible hole I managed to plug with aquarium silicone). But that wasn't as much of a
jump as this.

He was still alive, despite being covered with dirt and out of the water for (I estimate)
around half an hour. Good thing that night fell, had it been daytime (I live in Texas) the
poor guy would have cooked. I put him in the spillway, and after a few minutes, he
regained his ability to hold his orientation, although he didn't look so good. I am not
sure if he is going to make it or not. If he does, I think I will rename him Houdini.

Also, has anyone had any dealings with the liquid EPDM (I think that is the right term)
rubber? It is for sealing roofs, but I was told you can use it to create ponds? We want to
eventually add a small 'creek' that trickles down to the pond.

TIA for any advice anyone has to give!

Dee

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