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Barnyard Buddies:  Farm Koi  |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 10:35:41 AM
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Do you have a successful pond? How do I keep the herons and racoons from eating my koi? I'm in the planning phase for a large pond.
We make a difference. |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 10:54:00 AM
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I had to put a grid of wire over mine. I don't know how big a pond you are thinking of, but this has worked for my small backyard one. It has also come in handy for safety issues with toddlers who are fascinated with water and what's in it! The plants still grow up through it and mine is anchored by the rocks surrounding the pond. An almost 100 lb dog has not moved it.It blends in fairly well and when the little fountain spray is on it is undetectable. We knew we were in trouble when one day there was one blue heron and the next day 5! (Pretty cool but there is a lake at the end of our street they could "feed" from!)
with a happy heart |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 11:30:33 AM
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Thank you Bramble.
Yes, I have a 300 gal. pond in my yard at home, and the koi are still young, only 8 inches. I hope to have a much larger farm pond on our 33 acres. I'm afraid any mesh fine enough to keep heron beaks out would be so fine the koi wouldn't be able to surface as they grow. I certainly have considered the mesh idea...I thought about some sort of submereged log grid the fish could hide under. The location is remote and fenced, so toddlers are less of a concern. Perhaps if the pond is large and deep enough, the fish can take refuge in the center?
We make a difference. |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 1:09:19 PM
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I have two koi ponds, the biggest is 1900 gallon. Herons have been a problem, particularly with the more shallow of the two ponds as their beaks can make holes in your liner! Our biggest problem has been with mink. One brazen little so-and-so took eleven fish before I finally sent it off to...well nevermind about that.
I put a net over the pond, it's strong, black plastic netting that is anchored about 6" off the surface of the water, and made specifically for fish ponds. I hated to put it on, but really the look of it isn't so bad and it's sure better than losing valuable fish. It sits on the edge of the pond with decorative rock around the edges holding it in place.
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 3:36:07 PM
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Well, sounds like mesh is my best bet. Thank you very much. I know ponds are a labor of love. Love of wet, muck, all sorts of critters, and your best problem-solving skills. We have mink here too. I'm sorry to hear that they liked your fish so well.
What depth is your more heron-beak-proof pond?
We make a difference. |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2007 : 3:53:14 PM
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It's really not so bad. If you stretch it tight, it's nearly invisible.
You are so right, the ponds sure are a labor of love...and expensive! I had to replace the big UV light last year...$350...and the tell me the bulbs are generally only good for one season. Ouch!
My largest pond is roughly 5' deep and slopes gently up to about 3' deep. So far the heron have only sat on the garage roof and looked at it! The shallow pond is only about 2' deep and about 15x20. We use it mostly for plants and raising baby koi. We've intentionally left muck on the bottom of it and filter from the spillway. This one is a heron's banquet, but with lots of water lilies and floating plants, there's lots of hiding places. I like this one as far as maintenance goes...the "balance" of the pond rights itself right away in the spring with no help.
Di
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Barnyard Buddies: Farm Koi |
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Farm Koi
