Predators and ponds

[MollieA]

Gwaaaahhh!! Something got through my pond netting and ate half of my koi and goldfish stock What advice do you guys have out there to keep predators from attacking fish... I'm at the point of putting in an electrified fence My neighbour has koi as well and his got decimated that night as well. We think it might be a raccoon.

[Barbie]

In the Fosters and Smith catalog for pond supplies, there is a motion sensor sprinkler that looked like it would be pretty effective at repelling unwanted visitors. You might look into that?

Barbie

[Bob F]

Good one Barbie, it's about the best thing going. If the water doesn't scare them the hissing from the sprinkler might. You don't want to have to build a fort around your pond Mollie. Another idea might be to hook up a motion sensor attached to a flood/spot light and have that light shine on the area of the pond. I know that daylight is not their friend. Or a combination of both?

[MollieA]

Thanks for the advice! I reinstalled the netting-- this time I spiked the whole thing down every three inches so that nothing can yank it out. I'm hoping this works. I was absolutely devastated when I found that one of my best koi had been munched and my goldfish were also missing. I'm going to look into the motion detector thing.

Unfortunately, building code in Santa Monica says that I can't have a pond in my front yard that is deeper than 18 inches. I read somewhere that if a pond is deep enough- like at least three feet, predators can't get to the fish. This sounds logical enough unless I have city-dwelling otters running amok in my neighbourhood, LOL. I'm planning on building a real deep koi pond in my backyard after my studio is done. I have motion detector lights in the back, and the dogs have access through the doggie door to keep guard as well. Plus, the city won't know about my backyard pond, heh heh heh.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the netting for now. I love my pond in my front yard. The neighbours love it too. A lot of people stop to look at it while they're talking walks. It's also nice to see birds and other "nice" wildlife visit for a drink or bath. Anyways, thanks for the advice.

[Bob F]

You are welcome and good luck. I saw another pest deterrent in the Foster's and Smith catalog. It has a motion sensor too. Only problem is it sounds a screaching alarm and flashing red light when the they approach. I'm sure the neighbors would love that one.

We won't tell the city that you have an illegal pond.

[MC]

Ever see the movie Aliens? (The second in the series)

If you have, then one of these could be useful





Say goodbye to all your raccoon and fishy predator problems

(This is supposed to be a light hearted attempt at humor)

[MollieA]

MC-- loved your post!!! That's exactly the way I feel right now with that damn raccoon!!!

Actually, my neighbour (who happens to be a pond-building contractor) gave me a rig so I can set up an electrified fence around the pond. Actually it won't be very noticeable because the wires will be right next to the flagstones I have surrounding the pond. I'm going to further hide the wires with plants by enlarging the perimeter of the pond area with a planting bed.

I've looked at these motion-detector sprinklers-- the problem is: my pond is in the front yard. Can't have people walking down the sidewalk getting shot at, LOL. Also the beeper/light thing won't work either. It'll drive my neighbours mad. I've looked through the Foster and Smith catalog and the only really good option was the electrical zapper system (although their system is really expensive). The rig my neighbour gave me allows me to customize it so it won't be an eyesore, but will do the job. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'm going to make an attempt to get it up and running this weekend by recruiting hubby to help out, LOL. He loves the fish in the pond and he's also very handy DIY-wise.

[Barbie]

Word to the wise, it only takes one time of zapping yourself with that thing to make you very leery of touching it til you've actually seen the plug out of the wall, yourself! LOL! and no, I'm NOT going to tell the story of how I know that

Barbie

[Bob F]

LOL @ MC.

Sounds like a good idea Mollie. I wasn't sure if you wanted something like the hot wire system around the pond, that's why I didn't suggest it. That's why I mentioned the 'fort' comment in my earlier post.

Umm, you aren't getting away that easy Barbie, let's hear it! I've been zapped several times, it's not fun. Probably the main reason I hate electrical work so much.

[Barbie]

As a kid, all of our horse fences were electric. You can KNOW they're electric, but if you get bumped hard you still automatically stick your hands out to break your fall.... My dad was a firm believer in a super charged electric fence to keep in live stock. You wouldn't think that pulsing current could leave welts on you, but yes, oh man can it! You also get allergic to having to open gates in the rain, lemme tell you. That fence dropping to the ground touches a piece of grass that happens to be touching your ankle and WHAP you'll let out a sound that makes your mom come running to see what happened! I got pretty good at setting them up for ease of use, but I don't miss those days at all!

Barbie

[Bob F]

Thank you for the story Barbie, it's one I've never heard.

I too have suffered the fate of the dreaded electric fence. It does not feel good at all.

[Kyrin_01]

racoons are probably the easiest thing to get rid of... growing up in the south i can tell you probably 100 different ways.  I have nice ways and mean ways and even ways so that the racoon never eats another thing again... let me know!

[Ed]

The pond can only be 18 inches deep?  Do they send SWAT teams with yard sticks to wade in there and check?

The sprinkler and spotlight sounds like it would scare a raccoon away once, maybe twice.  I've seen raccoons that wouldn't run away when they were smacked in the backend with a flaming stick though, so I wouldn't count on the water and lights to frighten one off long term.

The only question I have about the electric fence is, how close is the pond to the edge of your property, and how often do you have kids over to visit?  I'd think it would create quite the scandal if someone's toddler got knocked on it's ass by an electric fence when trying to reach for the pretty fishies.

[MollieA]

LOL-- I live in Soviet Monica. The building inspectors are friggin nazis around here. By code, all ponds must be no deeper than 18 inches. If they are deeper they are considered "swimming pools" (which means that I would have to construct a fence around it so that no one can fall in, even if the pond is in my backyard and fenced and gated and on my private property). Stupid law if you ask me.

I've got an electric fence around my pond in the front yard, which is set back from the sidewalk. It's on a timer, so I don't imagine there would be toddlers out after dark mucking about near the pond

I've accidentally zapped myself a few times and it's not bad, just surprises the heck out of ya. Since I've put it on a timer so that it's only electrified at night, getting zapped when I'm out in the yard during the day isn't a problem. Besides, the predators only hit the pond at night.

Anyhoodles, my koi and goldfish are doing splendidly now!

[Kyrin_01]

my grandad used to run a cattle farm and i was running the fences wqith him one day and i accidentally pee'd on one.  i was a kid probably no more than 6-7 years old.  I thought something invisible bit my...uhhh... well you know.  But that was my first lesson in the power of the electric current.

[Doc]

I know several ppl who use the motion sensor sprinklers and they seem to work very well.
Doc

[zippo]

Gwaaaahhh!! Something got through my pond netting and ate half of my koi and goldfish stock What advice do you guys have out there to keep predators from attacking fish... I'm at the point of putting in an electrified fence My neighbour has koi as well and his got decimated that night as well. We think it might be a raccoon.

I have a large cave that they swim into, keeps the cranes and other nasties at bay. Haven't lost a single fish since it was installed 8 yrs ago.

[KDF]

I don't know the diameter of your pond, but this is what I did:

Take a small, or medium size laundry basket depending on the pond and fish size (the ones with the square mesh holes, not the slotted holes ones) and cut a couple cross pieces out to enlarge the holes a bit. Then turn it upside down into the pond, and put a plant on it (or a large rock), to hold it down. That way the fish have an inexpensive hide out. It seems to have saved my fish. I still occasionally lose one, but not like I was.

Good luck little fishies!!

[zippo]

I used the plastic milk crates and added slabs of slate to make the cave.Then again my ponds 3'deep12'long and 6'wide, made a great hidey place.

[muffineatsfish]

nono no u guys r going at it all wrong, ok heres a list of what you need to get rid of the raccoon.
list A.
1. a lot of coffee or anything with caffeine in it.
2. a bb gun
3. no life or a lot of time on your hands,
4. fashlight or nightvision.
ok your going to stay up all night and when you see that darn raccon your gonna shoot it in the but with the bb gun. raccoons have very thick coats of fur, so its not gonna reallly hurt them just annoy them. and hopefully scare them away for good.! Booyah

[Emg]

I know this is an old post, but still relevant to those with ponds.

All that talk about raccoons is fine and good, but........I have a friend with a nice deep hand dug pond in her back yard.....used to be full of goldfish and a couple of nice little kois I had purchased for her as a gift. Until this brown water snake decided to take up residence. There's lots of ways to rid your yard of coons, but what the heck do you do about snakes ? "!" Fences and nets sure won't work to keep them out and you can shoot it I suppose if you want to risk putting a hole in your liner. That would get rid of that one till another slinks it's way in. I had thought about giving all my fisherman friends a heads up to hang onto that monster pike they catch next time out....so I could give it to her for her pond, but....I think that would put an end to any goldfish or koi possibilities.

Anyway, if anyone has any good ideas for ridding a pond of nasty fish eating snakes, please let me know so I can tell my friend. Yard ponds are seriously lacking unless you have fish in them ! (ok, as a hobbiest, water in general is boring without fish )

Oh.....I'm holding on to this pretty pup for her till spring. I hope the snake issue gets resolved before this thing outgrows my son's 20long !

[Dave Rinaldo]

A web search points to capture/ killing as an only remedy.
Here's a (humurous) take on the problem.

[Emg]

Lol.....well I did think of the alligator/monster pike idea before I read that article...

Thanks for the input ! I'll send that page to my friend with the pond.

[Vriesea]

To all:

Well, Here in Northern California we have plenty of racoons, and I still have plenty of racoons coming in my backyard but they have ceased to be a problem.

My pond is 4-5 feet deep so they can not get to the Koi but they do and will make a mess with the floating plants.

I tried everything from sprinklers, nets that covered the pond, and fake alligators. The only thing that did work was an electric fence. It was the best $60 I ever spent. Have not had one single problem with racoons around the pond and the system has been in since last summer. Oh, they still come to the house and in the back yard but they definitely stay away from the pond.

Aside from having a dog in the backyard the fence in my opinion is your best and only solution. Anything else and you will be wasting your money.

Voice of experience.
Vriesea .

[zippo]

C'mon people, build a cave at the bottom of your pond!