Another bird attack! Feel like giving up

[backyardponder]

 
Last Friday I went to check on my fishies, haven't seen them for a while since it's cool here at night.  They've been hiding on the bottom.  Looked and looked, only found one of my 5 comets.  Also, saw a feather floating. Nothing else disturbed, not even a pot turned.  My pond is small, about 5x6 feet, 20 inches deep. I have good coverage with huge trees over the pond. A bird of some sort must have gone in and taken 4 comets.... :'( :'( :'( :'(
This happened to me before, two years ago in the winter when the pond was bare with no leaf coverage.  Didn't expect any problems with all the lily pads covering the surface, cinder blocks I have for hiding places and the trees.
Keeping the pond covered year round is not an option, I'd rather not have any fish.
so...I don't know what to do.  I guess I give up keeping goldfish. Thinking about just getting a couple of minnows.
 :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
Eija

[Esther]

Yup, sure is frustrating. I put fishline across the sides of the pond where there is access is to the plant ledges. Not pretty but have to make a choice. My fish are 5-6 years old and most are Koi. And yes I have had some fantails taken and both my Wakin before I got smart and put up the fishline.

[Vickie]

I covered my 800 gallon koi pond with leaf net and now I do not have to worry.
Lowes has a 14x14 for $5.47

[GAjen]

Lost my favorite platnium last month.....found a Koi dead over the weekend. It won't take much more for me to give up on the fish and do just lily's. You go out of your way to buy all the stuff and in our case end up loosing some.

[Johns]

Been there, done that...

See my website page (posted over 10 years ago, stuff still works)  http://www.gardenendeavors.com/rack/web13.html

Electric fence works also.. Use iron wire that will rust and not be obtrusive to sight . works on racoons AND heron, that walk into the pond.  Have not lost a fish since...

you can also see my whole website by clicking on the link below my sprinkler picture below...

[Bonnie]

So sorry to hear this Eija.

Let us know what you decide to do and if it works for you.

[Kat]

A heron got about 2/3 of my baby koi over the weekend.  It is very fustrating & upsetting.  See if you can put cinderblocks, heavy plastic large diameter tubing, or a heavy clay pot on its side, etc. in your pond to provide several places for the fish to hide.  I didn't have any in the pond the koi were temporarily being kept, but now I do.  Good luck.

[barb]

How awful!   :'(

[the Julles]

I lost a good couple of fish a week or so ago. 

1.  Our water garden center covers its ponds at night with some plastic screening, tied to PVC pipe.  Not attractive, but it keeps the birds from pecking their way in.  And thanks for the tip about 20"-24" above the water - I would have set it just above the edging.

2.  Does that leaf netting from Lowe's really work?  It seems like it would be very thin, and birds' beaks are strong.  But much more attractive than the PVC pipe contraption.

3.  A 20" deep pond isn't very safe from predators.  I figured out a way to deepen a pond, without digging any more.  Use landscape timbers or concrete blocks to build up around the edges, then re-line the whole original pond and the new addition with a bigger liner, and cap the top with some decorative flag stone.  The new part will be above ground, but lots of ponds are like that, and it will give you more depth for the fish to hide in, plus... more depth = more gallons = MORE FISH!!   

[Kittyzee]

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your fish.  I see herons flying over quite often, I've never had one at the pond.  Don't know why, maybe it's because my pond is tucked in beside the side of the house, kind of hidden.  Then maybe it's because we have so many barn cats....I'll be having many litters in a week or so in case you're interested   

[croft]

Sorry to hear about this Eija. Hopefully they are just hiding and will come out again when they feel safe.

[bunny56lbc]

Sorry to hear about your fish , Eija . They fly over my house & ponds quiet often on their way to the mud pond. I've alway's thought if they do stop for a "visit" I'd put an electric fence around my ponds.
bonnie

[karen J]

I'm sorry, too.

That's just the way of the world, though. The Heron (or Kingfisher, etc) sees a bowl of Jelly Beans, and they just do their thing.

I have lost hundreds of fish to them. Nothing has worked... except the fishing line. And I really don't like the fishing line, so I don't use it.
The Scarecrow works for a while.. maybe about 3 days, but the Herons learn how fast they can walk without tripping it. If they trip it while spearing a fish, they just fly away with the fish. Mission accomplished!

Birds are a lot smarter than fish.

[tootsie]

I am sorry to hear of your loss. Darn things just can't eat the bullheads or the sunfish, or even the minnows!!           NAHHHHHHHHH, they have to have the favorite KOI. When I pulled up to the pond, yep, right there just waiting to jump in was a cormorant! I have had quite a few of those NASTY fish eaters! I ran to the dollar store and bought 2 of these blow up aligators, LOL Well, wouldn't you know it was going to be one of the most windy days of the year. I watched those 2 green aligators just whirl around and around the big pond, until one got caught on a decoy duck Maybe, just maybe, DARN CORMORANTS AND HERONS WILL NOT KNOW THEY ARE NOT IN FLORIDA

[perplexed ponder]

Sorry about your fish.

We had a heron and egret attck last year, repeat visitors. Lost many fish to them....always the best ones too!!

This year the herone was staking out our pond from the roof. Luckily we must have been outside every time because we haven't lost any.

We bought one of the floating alligator decoys and it seems to be working. We have not lost a fish yet. Those darned herons aren't afraid of much. With those beaks they don't have to be I guess. The blue devil landed in a pine tree RIGHT BEHIND ME, while my husband was IN the pond and our dog (wheaten terrier 35 lbs) was running around the pond edge. I HEARD it land! When was the last time you HEARD a bird LAND? they are BIG.

Kitty- Sooner or later they will find you. They flew over us for 2 years before stopping in, I think they were waiting for my fish to get bigger!

Maybe try feeder goldfish, they are about 10 cents each... no big $ loss if you lose them and easily replaced. Fish at least eat bugs.