Foolish... What do mink like?

[crazyfishlady]

I was was foolish.  :'(

I live more or less in what is now the middle of the city. One block off the main east/west route through the city. We have a billion rabbits, but I didn't think we had raccoon or mink or whatever. Something got all my small goldfish and has scarred the Koi to death. For 2 days they lay motionless on the bottom, like fish sticks.

I put a black milk-crate in the middle in the deepest part of the pond and put a lily pot and rocks on the top. This morning the Koi were all inside. They swim around and eat but really stay in a bunch. They hide when I approach the pond. I am afraid to feed them because I want them to stay scarred. They used to come to meet anyone who came near the pond.

I put out a havahart trap last night near where we found a little piece of gold tail. But, had no clue what bait to put in it. The local pond store says there are a lot mink in the area. What do mink eat besides goldfish?

My other question is what happens when they grow to big to squeeze into the holes of the milk-crate? My biggest is only about 10 inches. Some have tripled in size since I got them last summer. Each morning I spy from afar to make sure everyone is accounted for.

[Rick]

A net over the pond may have to be in order... Also at night lay a medium size piece of styrofoam in the pond so the can hide...

[tranquility]

Sorry I'm not sure what Mink eat---but, you probably could google it and find out....I can tell you alittle trick I tell my customers...cut the holes out bigger in the milk crates...a hacksaw cuts it quite easily...I think someone on this forum dealt with them before---hopefully they will see your post and be able to give you some more advice....
Lawanna

[Sunbeam56]

Mink look sort of like a ferret. I haven't seen any photos of mink that I would call golden, tho.

Sewer tiles are a pretty red, and make good fish shelters. Cinder blocks get covered with algae and disappear, and make good fish shelters.

[Julles]

I use a big heavy-duty wire clippers to snip larger holes in milk crates.

I would think anything could work as bait - tuna, chicken necks, etc.  Something smelly.

[Julles]

We had a discussion on concrete blocks recently, and most people said not to put them in the pond.  Bad chemicals.

[Sunbeam56]

Bad chemicals?
I digress, but chemicals have no moral value. Some are destructive... but its not their fault, they are made that way. 

I have used cinder block in ponds with fish and plants and bugs and all the things that are attracted to bodies of water for over 22 years. And I've probably been doing it wrong - but nothing died.

I believe, from actual observation, that the alkaline property (lime is one of the ingredients of the block) are halted when the block is sealed over with algae.

[Vickie]

If your blocks are old and been outside for years they are fine. It is the new ones that leach chemicals out into your water. Minks do get your fish. i belong to a pond club and even in the city limits people have had minks. I think cat food maybe canned might work to bate the trap.

[PondmaninAL]

Vickie is right, a seasoned cinder block would be no problem in a pond unless your water is acidic and then it might be beneficial.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[miguynmkoi]

And when you catch that mink...   Momma needs a pair of ear muffs for those cold winter nights. 

[crazyfishlady]

Well I didn't have tuna or cat food so DH put a couple of shrimp for tonight. My neighbor that loaned me the trap said to put a feeder goldfish in it, but I couldn't do that.

I was afraid if we cut the holes bigger then the mink would get in.

Crossed fingers.