Author Topic: Ponds have thawed out and all my fish have disappeared (Read 3735 times)

louis · « **on:** April 05, 2008, 06:49:32 AM »

Don't know what happened. I had over 50 fish of all types in two ponds and they have just disappeared with no trace.

The ponds froze in mid December and just thawed out two days ago. all that time there was a solid coat of ice with no disturbances. I did have my electric heaters on the ice, but did not notice anything unusual with them. This is heartbreaking, some of the fish I have had for over 10 years. I had a pair of goldies that were 20 years old and 2 feet long.

Some animal got in and did not even leave a scale or part of fish to show that he was there.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Now all these years I had to beg some pond friends here to take some fish, now I have to go back to them to ask for some back.

If the weather warms up next week, I will drain them down to see if there is any trace of them on the bottom.

louis

karen J · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2008, 06:58:54 AM »

Louis, I'm sorry, that's heartbreaking. Aside from the list of usual things (like raccoons, Herons, & human theives), maybe something was introduced without you knowing.
You live on a lake, right? Maybe a bird dropped eggs from predatory fish into your pond. Sometimes these fish can grow large before being noticed. That doesn't explain the loss of your larger ones, though.

Joyce · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2008, 07:17:25 AM »

Sorry Louis! :'(
I agree, some kind of animal, like an otter perhaps?

mcp · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2008, 07:42:17 AM »

Louis , So sorry to hear about your loss. Must be really devastating . My ice just became unfrozen last week. I know the anticipation I have looking forward to seeing the fish after a long winter. I know the heart break I would have felt if they were not there. :'( Karen stated you lived by a lake. I lost 2 gold fish to a mink this past summer. I did not even know he was here. Left no trace! I would not even know he had been visiting except I seen him while inside. Will not have to worry about him any more as he is in minkland up in the sky. Could this be a possibility? Hope you find the culprit! Let us know.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2008, 07:50:47 AM »

What??? I'm so sorry to hear your long time pets are all gone. I can't imagine how devastated you feel. I'm hoping that maybe they are hiding at the bottom....

Bonnie · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2008, 08:16:35 AM »

Lou I am very sorry to hear this. :'(

I can't imagine how you are feeling.. it's bad enough when a predator take a fish or two but ALL of your fish are gone?!!

Hugs,
Bonnie

Double S · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2008, 08:26:47 AM »

How horrible! I'm very sorry for you :'(

Mikey · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2008, 08:36:18 AM »

I can't imagine how saddened you must be as you were expecting to see your friends after this long winter only to find them missing.

happyoutsidegirl · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2008, 08:51:53 AM »

How devistatting! I'm so sorry :'( I would just die if I found all mine gone.

Julles · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2008, 09:48:25 AM »

So sorry, Louis.

My first thought was, some chemical leached into the water, or perhaps lack of oxygen from the ice? But if the fish died, you would have some remnants floating, wouldn't you? I don't see how a predator could have gotten all of them.

Once you get it drained, I sure would like to know what you find out.

El Jefe · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2008, 10:26:08 AM »

Wow louis That is terrible. I know your loss! Last year we had a horrible storm that dumped more water then the ground could soak up. Due to some modifitions made by my neighbor the water moved swiftly across his yard and poured into mine. The onrush of water quickly overwhelmed the previous berms and mixed the runoff into my pond. Come to find out he had sprayed his yard with a mosquito yard spray just the day before and that washed into my pond. Over the course of the next week I buried 52 fish (all native)some of them weighing 15 pounds or more. Including an 8 pound bass. I was NOT

happy! He had a very luke warm reaction and I wanted to take him for a swim in the mucky muddy water.... Luckily I had enought in there left that they coud carry on. I know your pain. Sorry for your loss. Hopefully something wasn't introduced prior to the freeze, I can see if a muskrat got in there but with few or no signs it is hard to tell until you drain it down what happened. Even then it is hard tellin'

Andy

Timgod · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2008, 11:38:42 AM »

Hey Lou,

I know how bad it feels to lose one or two prize specimens at a time.
I cannot imagine how much worse your situation could feel.

I hope you can solve the mystery to at least get some closure and know how to proceed for the near future.

Tim

bunny56lbc · « **Reply #12 on:** April 05, 2008, 12:11:41 PM »

OH , lou
I'm sorry .... :'(

bonnie

louis · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2008, 04:18:56 PM »

hi all,

i drained the pond down tonight and there is absolutely no sign of them, not even a small piece of fish.

i would assume a mink or otter. although i never saw any signs.

so i start fresh. i am heartbroken.

i wonder if mink or otter take them outside to eat or do they eat in the pond.

thanks for all your thoughts.

louis

maryvonne · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2008, 05:27:34 PM »

Hi Louis,
Sorry to hear about your fish too.
We had a pair of Hooded Mergansers visit our pond a few days ago. They almost cleaned our ponds of fish in just a few hours. We had hundreds of fish in each pond and now only have a few dozen left. They dove down and ate fish the whole time they were there. They also had no problem gobbling up the big ones. They didn't leave anything behind, just swallowed the poor things up in one easy gulp! Mallards have visited before but didn't touch the fish so when these arrived I didn't pay attention right away until I saw them dive for the fish. They could clean a pond out very quickly.
Maybe you had some diving ducks visit in the fall?

tranquility · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2008, 05:38:55 PM »

Louis I'm sooo sorry :'( :'(...(((huggs))).....
Lawanna

Kittyzee · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2008, 06:23:36 PM »

Louis, I am so very sorry. I can't imagine an outside critter getting all of your fish with no trace. But that doesn't lessen your loss. :'(

Jonna · « **Reply #17 on:** April 05, 2008, 06:53:12 PM »

I'm so sorry Louis. I can't imagine how devastating this is and how sad you must be. It's just horrible.

tinkster · « **Reply #18 on:** April 05, 2008, 07:10:11 PM »

SO sorry louis! A few years ago I had something similiar that got most of mine.. it ended up being the coconut bags the lilies from walmart came in .. the fish burried up in them and could not get out.

tinkster

happyoutsidegirl · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2008, 08:19:10 AM »

Louis, I too am thinking muscrat or beaver. Racoons wont dive in but the others will and eat lots.Maybe an electric fince around the pond would detour them in the futcher.

Joyce · « **Reply #20 on:** April 06, 2008, 08:42:18 AM »

Muskrats are 95% herbivores...so I would be discinclined to believe it was a muskrat.

(or a beaver for that matter)
Muskrats here go right for the cattails and water lilies, & other water plants.
Muskrats are not very active in winter, same with beavers.
In fact, muskrats like to co-habitate with beavers as opportunists,
often making their dens on the outside edges of a beaver dam.
(and then poach from the beavers winter stores)

Otter, ermine/mink, weasel, yes, because these animals are mostly carnivores.
And they are active all winter, do not hibernate or slow down at all.
In fact, muskrat is high on the menu of these animals.

Johns · « **Reply #21 on:** April 06, 2008, 09:29:12 AM »

My first thought is the otter. He could have gone into the pond through the unfrozen area around your heaters. Otters generally take their catch to the bank to eat. They are insatiable eaters. I would suggest an electric fence about 4 inches above the ground as well as netting the pond in winter. I net all my fish ponds during the winter to keep the heron from getting at my fish. The net should be at least 18 inches above the water, but weighted onto the ground all around. Best net for this purpose : Toron netting by http://www.jacissel.net/who.html It will last for many years.

A note on electric fence: if you use brown iron wire, it will be almost unnoticeable, as the rusted wire will blend into the ground.

barb · « **Reply #22 on:** April 06, 2008, 09:46:00 AM »

What a tragedy! I am so sorry for your loss. :'(

louis · « **Reply #23 on:** April 06, 2008, 05:59:33 PM »

As you know, i live on the shore of a lake and am surrounded by 4000 acres of nature preserve. I spoke to the resident biologist and he feels the same as me, most likely an otter or mink.

I have seen a mink living in my seawall, however have not seen him/her in a couple of years.
And the entry point could have been the clear area around the ice defroster. He, the biologist, thinks a net would not be effective, since if they know there is food in there, they would chew through the net.

I do have bad luck with fish, I lost all my koi a few years ago due to a brutal winter and the goldies and shubunkins all survived with no problem.

I am going to put plastic fish in there.

louis

Johns · « **Reply #24 on:** April 06, 2008, 06:46:28 PM »

Louis,

The net is for blue and green heron. The electric fence would be for the marauding mammals.

EagleEye · « **Reply #25 on:** April 06, 2008, 06:57:54 PM »

Louis, I'm very sorry to hear that you lost all of your fish :'(
After having them for that many years, I know that it is a big loss.
I feel your pain.

I'd like to see him try to eat that plastic one

Steve

Jonna · « **Reply #26 on:** April 06, 2008, 08:34:33 PM »

If it were me I think I'd be putting some kind of bait with poison in there. But then, I'm vindictive and don't mind using my spot on the food chain for revenge.

Julles · « **Reply #27 on:** April 07, 2008, 07:06:47 AM »

Quote from: Jonna on April 06, 2008, 08:34:33 PM

If it were me I think I'd be putting some kind of bait with poison in there. But then, I'm vindictive and don't mind using my spot on the food chain for revenge.

Hee hee hee

louis · « **Reply #28 on:** April 07, 2008, 08:05:34 AM »

Quote from: Jonna on April 06, 2008, 08:34:33 PM

If it were me I think I'd be putting some kind of bait with poison in there. But then, I'm vindictive and don't mind using my spot on the food chain for revenge.

i agree with you.

lou

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #29 on:** April 07, 2008, 08:35:34 AM »

Lou, I feel your pain. So sorry.

As it has warmed up here I just realized that almost all of my fish are gone too. They usually hide under the floating island planter during winter though we don't have ice cover. It is normal to not see them during winter much. A kingfisher must have cleaned me out as when I moved the planter I could only find five fish. My ten year old comets and all of my shubunkins are gone. My pond does have an electric fence so no raccoons possible, would have noticed the damage to plants anyway. No mink or otters here in the big city. No trace of them. I once saw a kingfisher swoop down and make off with a six inch shubunkin but have not seen one in years. I would have netted the pond....

BTW beavers are herbivores and hibernate during winter, same as muskrats as Joyce pointed out.