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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 10:07:17 GMT 1
Come down this morning and let Charlie out as per usual, he was going nuts at the pond trying to get to it and barking, I went down to investigate, to find the pond looking completely empty!!! I went back into the house and called my MiL and I got the long handled grabber, i started pushing it into the bottom, where there is a lot of fallen leaves, and 2 of the buttercup gold fish came out, but no sign of the Ogon Koi (2) or the Ghost Koi (2 also) or the Sarasa comet or the 2 Shubunkins!!!! Later one of the Shubs came out of hiding, and we are hoping that a few others may have made it, but it doesn't look promising  . We didn't have the net on, so it's our own fault really, although the garden is quite well covered with trees so we thought that would stop one of the blighters from attacking. |
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Post by madonplants on May 22, 2008 10:14:01 GMT 1
Come down this morning and let Charlie out as per usual, he was going nuts at the pond trying to get to it and barking, I went down to investigate, to find the pond looking completely empty!!! I went back into the house and called my MiL and I got the long handled grabber, i started pushing it into the bottom, where there is a lot of fallen leaves, and 2 of the buttercup gold fish came out, but no sign of the Ogon Koi (2) or the Ghost Koi (2 also) or the Sarasa comet or the 2 Shubunkins!!!! Later one of the Shubs came out of hiding, and we are hoping that a few others may have made it, but it doesn't look promising . We didn't have the net on, so it's our own fault really, although the garden is quite well covered with trees so we thought that would stop one of the blighters from attacking. Oh sorry to hear that. That is why ours is netted, as a neighbour said he lost all his fish to one not long before we moved in. Nets do look horrible and we do have a cabling/wiring system to go around the edge, when the waterfall is done, but the net is working atm. Don't give up hope yet, they, as you say, may still be hiding. |
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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 12:19:02 GMT 1
It's not that big of a pond, we'll have to net it later today because they can remember where thery are and they apparantly tell their friends too or so I've been told. I think us not clearing out the fallen leaves may have saved the 3 we have left. gutted about the koi tho they were beautiful. Like this www.nishikigoi-info.com/koi-classification/platinum-ogon.html |
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Post by bogmyrtle on May 22, 2008 12:20:53 GMT 1
We see a heron going to the pond at our neighbour's house, frightened the life out of Poppy the other week! He has just had all his koi stolen and not by the heron!
Hope your others are just in hiding and are ok.
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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 12:30:01 GMT 1
I've seen one flying around the area in the last few days so i should've got the net on then.
I was wondering whether it could've been a person who had nicked them. the dog was going mad sniffing all around the pond, but there was no sign of disterbance we have a wire fence around the front and bits of trellis and logs around the back to stop the chickens going skinny dipping. There was no sign of somebody getting in, we have a rather enclosed garden and i think the pond defences would have been disturbed more plus water spilt around the edge too if there was a person doing it, I'm sure it was a Heron at dawn.
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Post by bogmyrtle on May 22, 2008 12:37:56 GMT 1
I've seen one flying around the area in the last few days so i should've got the net on then. I was wondering whether it could've been a person who had nicked them. the dog was going mad sniffing all around the pond, but there was no sign of disterbance we have a wire fence around the front and bits of trellis and logs around the back to stop the chickens going skinny dipping. There was no sign of somebody getting in, we have a rather enclosed garden and i think the pond defences would have been disturbed more plus water spilt around the edge too if there was a person doing it, I'm sure it was a Heron at dawn. I think you are right, a person would make more mess around the area. |
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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 13:29:44 GMT 1
A ghost koi has turned up!!! ;D ;D ;D So now we have 4 out of 9   |
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Post by madonplants on May 22, 2008 13:52:27 GMT 1
 they could hide for a few days, so don't despair yet! Some people use decoy herons, but they will/could encourage a heron looking for a mate! Decoys only work out of the mating season - allegedly. I remember a photo in a magazine, where a real heron was fishing next to a decoy, can't remember if it was breeding season or not, though!! |
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Post by madonplants on May 22, 2008 14:10:48 GMT 1
Just remembered something from years back. Rudd can be a natural alarm call, as they can be nervous of anyone or thing approaching. Trust me on this, I know from my own fishing antics! Whether you have room for a small shoal I don't know. I think they can be sensitive to some medications as well. I didn't net my last pond, even after I found Lucky, but here I did because of what that neighbour said. Hope you find more of them, you never know.
Might be an idea to check the other fish for puncture wounds, as they can lead to infection if not treated.
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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 14:55:59 GMT 1
The fish that are left are unmarked, just really shook up.
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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 17:17:43 GMT 1
Spotted another ghost koi, so that's 5 survivors out of 9
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Post by debbiem on May 22, 2008 19:06:36 GMT 1
Let's hope so. I've also heard that they may take a while to come out of hiding.  |
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Post by debidoos on May 22, 2008 20:37:56 GMT 1
Put the net on the pond, too little too late i think tho. |
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Post by maggyd on May 22, 2008 22:39:00 GMT 1
Oh the blighters my Daughter in law rang me and told me she has lost a koi and she thinks it was a heron the house behind has just chopped their leylandi down by half so her pond is more exposed now. John got up early one morning last year and a heron was just taking off from our garden he said it nearly crashed into the fence  I lost one shabumpkin and one gold fish, I thought I was down to just one fish when I came back the other day but the other one was thrashing around when I went out to-day . Thats the trouble when you clean and thin out the pond the fish have less places to hide. |
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Post by floweringcherry on May 22, 2008 23:28:04 GMT 1
My neighbour has lost all of the fish in her pond this year to a Heron! She has decided to turn the pond into a bog garden. I never had a problem and nor has she for the 15 years she has lived here!
I saw a Heron who landed in a large tree close by. The crows were dive bombing it for about 15 minutes and it then took off. Fascinating to watch. Hope you discover more fish that have gone to ground.
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Post by madonplants on May 23, 2008 9:40:22 GMT 1
My neighbour has lost all of the fish in her pond this year to a Heron! She has decided to turn the pond into a bog garden. I never had a problem and nor has she for the 15 years she has lived here! I saw a Heron who landed in a large tree close by. The crows were dive bombing it for about 15 minutes and it then took off. Fascinating to watch. Hope you discover more fish that have gone to ground. So they do do some good, then? Found any more yet, Debi? |
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Post by debidoos on May 23, 2008 9:47:50 GMT 1
I saw a Black (didn't know they came in black too!) Heron being attacked in mid air by a couple of crows a few weeks ago. I should've seen it as a warning and put the net on then.
So far no more fish have turned up and the net we put on is un disturbed.
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Post by debidoos on May 23, 2008 16:19:18 GMT 1
I looked up Black Heron on the interweb and found out that they are not native to this country, they're from AFRICA! Could it've gotten lost?!  Or is there another huge heron looking bird with long legs, neck, and beak that is native here? Any ideas??? I wish I got my video phone out now. |
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Post by karenwl on May 23, 2008 16:48:17 GMT 1
Sorry about your fish hope the others turn up.
Karen
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Post by emseypop on May 27, 2008 20:11:19 GMT 1
;D Maybe it was just a dirty Herron Debs, we arn't far from the blackcountry are we!  |
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Post by madonplants on May 27, 2008 20:46:43 GMT 1
I looked up Black Heron on the interweb and found out that they are not native to this country, they're from AFRICA! Could it've gotten lost?! Or is there another huge heron looking bird with long legs, neck, and beak that is native here? Any ideas??? I wish I got my video phone out now. Always a chance of a zoo escapee, I suppose, but do you have any reservoirs near you, as I was wondering about a cormorant, as they are 'similar' to a degree. Any more fish come to light, Debi? |
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Post by debidoos on May 27, 2008 21:21:48 GMT 1
We're not far from Sutton Park which is the biggest national Park in europe (apparantly) and there's a huge lake there.
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Post by debidoos on May 27, 2008 21:27:20 GMT 1
Just looked up Cormorant and it does look similar and the sound was quite similar too as the bird I saw was calling. I think what I saw had long legs, although if I thought it was a Heron I could have thought I saw the legs if that makes sence.  No more fish have shown up. Just the 5 survivors. |
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Post by madonplants on May 27, 2008 23:18:40 GMT 1
Just looked up Cormorant and it does look similar and the sound was quite similar too as the bird I saw was calling. I think what I saw had long legs, although if I thought it was a Heron I could have thought I saw the legs if that makes sence. No more fish have shown up. Just the 5 survivors. It does make sense. Only other thing was, where was the sun? If it was behind the heron, then the bird would have been dark coloured, as it would have been in sillouette. |
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Post by debidoos on May 29, 2008 10:06:17 GMT 1
The sun was shining on it so it wasn't in silhouette, i wish i grabbed my phone to film it, but I was in a rush to pick up hannah from school.
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I lost one shabumpkin and one gold fish, I thought I was down to just one fish when I came back the other day but the other one was thrashing around when I went out to-day . Thats the trouble when you clean and thin out the pond the fish have less places to hide. 
