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Thread: Something eating my Koi- ideas
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15-05-2020, 08:00 AM #1
Something eating my Koi- ideas
Gents
i'm not really a forum person and set back quiet and just view.
i'm at a loss this year.
neighbors been over giddy with a fence sprayer resulted in a loosing most of my smaller fish, and most of the large ones requiring re homing in several kids pools in the garden to give the pond a full decontamination. fence paint is a F***** to get out of the system completely, lucky the company i work for can do organics testing, so several strip done and decontamination has helped. so glad i fiber glassed the pond now. he did the same thing when i first started.
The pond is 3.2m x 3.4 meters vertical sides straight to a depth of 1.4 meters in the shallows
Then had a few infection break out after and had a nightmare getting on top of it.... i've got there now.
THIS IS MY NEW PROBLEM
But now something is eating my fish, i have nothing amazing in my pond but there still my fish
I found two bodies, both had been bite cleanly in half no mess but a very clean and though the back bone. i was going to post a photo but i was unsure.
both fish were 12-14 inch
Any ideas what would do this ? didn't think birds would do it and cats would eat all or leave more of a mess? but this was very clean like a perfect bite.
many thanks
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ABN67 Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 08:04 AM #2
Prob a heron
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15-05-2020, 08:07 AM #3
Would a heron manage to get them with such steep sides?
i thought they would need to wade to strike
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15-05-2020, 08:41 AM #4
Herons do not have the power in their beaks to cut a fish in half that's for sure, they can only stab and swallow and they will not enter the water past their legs..
So I would suggest, if the fish were 12-14 inches, then it is probably an Otter to be able to do that. A Fox will eat fish, but only if the fish was out of the water somehow, but if the fish were near the surface, I'm pretty sure a Fox would be able to get it.
Mink are not big enough either.
On a more obscure note...how is your relationship with your neighbour now...!!!!!
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Gazkoi, MustBeSomethingInTheWater Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 08:41 AM #5Hobby and business gone but when you’re hooked you’re hooked.
Always happy to help!!
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 08:42 AM #6
Otter !!!
Got to be something with sharp teeth and strong jaw.
Sorry to hear this.John
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15-05-2020, 08:51 AM #7
Think u underestimate a mink slightly they are very strong. Weazles which are in the same family but are tiny less than a foot long can take adult rabbits and I’ve even seen one dragging one of them huge seaguls. A 12-14” koi would be nothing to a mink they even used to take trout when I did work experience on a trout farm back in the day. Not convinced an otter or mink would just bite them in half without taking any tho
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15-05-2020, 08:52 AM #8
Hi coupe, Welcome to the forum
Sorry to hear of your fence issues (I would have been fuming) and your more recent issue.
I would be interested in seeing a video/photo of the injurys.. Eyes missing to be would suggest birds but this could be secondary
Few questions
where were the bodies found (In the pond, side of the pond)?
Is the pond raised?
do you live in a rural area?
I have heard of mink in the Barnsley area.
I am based in oxford and we have issues here with red kite swooping down and taking fish but this does not sound like the problem.
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 09:07 AM #9
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15-05-2020, 09:12 AM #10
Hi Coupe,
I think the advice you've got above pretty much covers the main possibilities.
Being an urban dweller I can only relate to foxes. They sit on the side of my pond every night. They purposely poo in the pond and on the sides of the pond a lot, which infuriates me. But they've never attempted to catch a Koi. I've seen them sniffing my friendly koi who come up to the surface to investigate but nothing more.
So I'd say the other scenarios above seem more likely. Only thing about Otters is that I don't believe they leave any Koi alive - All the stories I've heard relate to them wiping out entire ponds over a couple of nights and not leaving anything behind.
You are welcome to post photos of the damage - It might not be nice to look at but where the wellbeing of your Koi is concerned its worth it and someone might spot something.
One final thing..... 2 posts in 2 years is unacceptable. The only way you can make up for this is by starting a new thread and posting some photos of your pond, and it needs to be done sharpish
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15-05-2020, 09:20 AM #11
it wasn't the best anyway as our life views are very different, he a very much a eco warrior, money has no value sort, but sponges of the bank bank of mum and dad and no doubt the government.
his other half reported me to the RSPA for shooting the rats in the garden .... and they attended, again waiting time money and effort they could spend on real issue.
if its a fox it will suffer the similar fate
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15-05-2020, 09:38 AM #12
as i said not a amazing fish but still not pleasant
i can find odd fine tooth mark,
and yes i live in a very rural area
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RS2OOO Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 09:50 AM #13
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RS2OOO Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 10:06 AM #14
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 10:07 AM #15
was the remaining tail end present or eaten?
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15-05-2020, 10:11 AM #16
The only way you are going to be sure, is to set up a camera trap, then hopefully all the questions will be answered instantly.
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15-05-2020, 10:12 AM #17
cant find it
I'd surprised if its a fox cause not fox crap about and i'm to far from water courses for otters
i have a night vision camera so might set that up.
or leave the dogs outside.Last edited by Coupe312; 15-05-2020 at 10:16 AM.
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15-05-2020, 10:15 AM #18
Looking at the picture doesn’t look like a heron, they normally damage at the back of the head area.
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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15-05-2020, 10:59 AM #19
might try leaving the back door open a few days in case it is a fox, the dog will surely scare it away
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15-05-2020, 06:06 PM #20
I would say its an otter ….. here is a piece written by somebody who had a problem loosing fish...……..So he put up a
night vision camera and caught the culprit on film .
'' Soon after the Otter makes another trip to the pond leaving the half eaten fish behind to drag out
another one '' Now the photo he put up was nearly identical to the one you have shown, bitten in half etc...
He has a Fox that visits but doesn't show interest in the fish...….he clears up the rubbish left behind being the opportunist
that he is . .A n otter will travel quite a few miles for food so don't be fooled, no water near by doesn't mean you wont have a
visit. The only thing I can think of to help would be an electric fence . And lets not forget there just doing what they do to
survive...…...……..weather we like it or not i'm afraid....
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Running heater at low temp?
Covering the pond with polycarb should be enough to stop water temps dipping below 6C for the most...