I just received (Saturday) some lovely plants to put in my little pond which is approx. 88 gal triangular shape in the corner of a walled garden with raised beds on either side. I got a nice Lemon Bacopa, Mosiac plant (which I love), 4 leaf clover, a Red Bog Lily and a Black Game Cock Louisiana Iris. I was a happy camper!
I've read and read here and in books and felt I had finally figured out how to have success with fish and plants. I bought 6 little goldfish at Walmart and have had them over a month now and they are thriving. Also have Parrot's Feather, almost forgot. I worked all day over the weekend to plant (correctly) my plants, the fish have bricks and large rocks to hide in and I cleaned the pump and set it up to gently stir the water which by now was very clear. I was so proud of everything - I thought it was beautiful until........this morning as I got, no before, I got my first cup of coffee, I looked outside and noticed no tall plants were visible (I had also already had a small black taro and before I forget my first water lily had recently broken thru the water & I was excited about that) anyway you can guess the rest.
Only 2 fish are left, ALL the plants were knocked over and SHREDDED! I could only salvage just a little Parrot's Feather, the Bog Lily and the Iris, all damaged except the Bacopa. The Clover is gone, the Water Lily was eaten down to the corm and everything else torn or gone.
I'm so discouraged. The clear water's black, everything's a mess. I guess I got hit by a raccoon but I'm not sure what it was.
Just need some sympathy and advice - where do I go from here?
I want to cry - I guess I need some sympathy
Oh, I am sorry. It seems all new ponders have to suffer a little before they get the in's and out's of ponds, plants and fish. I know, I lost over $1000.00 worth of fish last year (my first year) and spent far more on medicines trying to cure them of what ails them. Don't worry about the plants (for now), first make it hard on the animal by either stringing some fishing line around and over the pond (a few times across the pond) to make whatever did the damage last night a little more challenged tonight (yes, they will return to their last good meal . . .) Even better-put something over the pond and fit it tightly with clamps over something similar. Make sure it is breathable. It can be a bed sheet over the edges with a rubber band holding all the gathers together on one side very tightly. Use bricks and similar to hold it down. Figure something out for tonight-even if it isn't "pretty".
Consider a "scare crow" (it squirts water at anything that triggers it's motion detector). Look around at different koi stores and aquatic stores and see if there is anything that they sell that might solve your problem. In the end you will probably install a deeper pond without edges to keep your fish safe. If you can't figure out a solution, post a picture here with a new heading to "look at your pond and help solve preditor problem". A lot of people will try to help you because we have all experienced problems and know the frustration and heartache.
Thanks for the suggestions Mothermole - especially the string (fishing line) also I might try a sheet - as you can see, there's not much room to secure anything, but I'll try - should I put what's left of the plants back or keep them in a bucket in the garage until this attack is over? I want to remove the 2 fish too and put them in the house.
Here's one more - this was last fall when almost finished - no fish, little water movement, few plants.
I am very sorry to hear what happened. Keep plugging away at it. We have raccoons and skunks even great herons. Gave up on the big fish after two years and now we go to the pet store and keep 'feeder' comets and minnows at $.12 a piece.. they grow to a decent size and look pretty but seem too small for the critters to bother with them other than the frogs and crawfish. The animals still come to drink (we ofthen find the poop). but it seems a nice balance.. keep trying a little at a time and you will surely find the balance.
good luck
-joe-
If the "visitor" comes at night, build a triangular frame to go over the pond. Cover it with netting of your choice. You know those dumb motion activated toys that make horrible sounds and can have lights flashing all over the place? Well get a couple as a lot cheaper than scarecrow. Place one on the ground in front facing out and the other higher. All the commotion will make them somewhat leary. After a few times they'll look elsewhere. I like your stone but if you used lattice or something pleasant to the eye, I'd put it up every night just incase their uncle Harry visits and wants a treat. Good Luck Lynn
Some of the fish could still be in there, and be hiding. They are masters at hiding. after a few days they *could* come out. I guess what I am saying is, don't drain it and then think, oh, I will fill it back up tomorrow after I get it cleaned up. You should put some rocks, ect in the bottom for the fish to hide from predators. Could it have been a dog? If the fish ARE really gone, of course not, but I had a small pond a few years ago and my neighbors rotweiler mix would come at night and get in it. Not during the day, because it knew it wasn't supposed to be over here. ERRR! totally ruined stuff.
If the fish are gone, I would suspect a raccoon.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Joe, do you think it could possibly have been a skunk? I didn't know their behavior was as destructive as raccoons nor that they eat or go after fish - just never thought about it. I still suspect a raccoon.
Lynn, what a coincidence - after talking to my daughter last night I logged on and saw your post - she had just suggested getting a triangular frame built to cover the pond. Her idea was to have a decorative wrought iron frame built and leave it on there (probably couldn't move it easily anyway). Shouldn't cost too much as the size is small. In the meantime I will look for those toys you mentioned with motion detectors. Thanks too FrillyLily, but I took all the plants and plant fragments out and the rocks and only two fish survived which I put in a bucket with plenty of plant cover. I put a pot holder - the kind that is hard plastic, black and holds a dozen plants and put that over the bucket and secured that with 3 large bricks. Plenty of holes in the bottom for air so it seemed to work for the time being. I forgot to mention I've been quasi-bed ridden the last 3 days as I'm pre-surgery on my lower back. The pain is severe and the pond destruction was especially disheartening. It helps to have DG 'friends' who understand the pain of the destruction and loss of fish and plants after working so hard to set it up.
O.K. whining off/
A skunk would explain the damage, I don't know for certain that they will chase fish like a 'coon but they are very clumsy and I often catch them trying to take nibbles off some pond plants. I caught one running off with a bud from my water lilly, all the pots were tipped like a drunk waltzed through. kinda funny and a little cute. I put pots toward the middle with heavier rocks in them. The destruction you describe - could something have fallen in? i trap the skunks an move them when they stert bothering my hens... they shred the canvass i use to disguise the trap trying to escape.. shred. the canvass often looks like part of the dirt
-joe-
I've been there. My goldfish pond got cleaned out. I had to buy all new fish. I have fishing line strung over the pond now and I have no more trouble. Before that I tried to loosely net the pond and the raccoon pulled the net off!! This spring I put four gorgeous marginals in my big koi pond and they didn't last one night. Raccoon. Dumped every plant to the bottom of the pond. I was hours vacuuming up the mess from the pond bottom ( 2500 gal). I gave up on marginals in that pond because there is just too much surface area to protect. You have my understanding and my sympathy. Believe me, you certainly do. Fishing line is excellent. They won't get in it.
A sad event and I just had the same experience about 2 weeks ago, so I know how you feel. My "pond" is small and I just had some Mosquito fish, but I liked them. Something, I suspect the neighbor's big, fat cat, came over the wall and attacked everything in the middle of the night. It knocked over plants and fish got crushed when rocks were shoved around and knocked over. Then the fish hid and I only saw one until a couple of days ago when another one came out of hiding. I am on the lookout for critters now. Pretty sure it was a cat because of being in a very urban area and high walls. Fish line is a good idea. Hope you are feeling better, Txdoodlebug.
Thanks Roybird - but I doubt it was a cat. I admit to being a cat lover (have 3 & 1/2 -kitten) and they NEVER go outside. My pond is also surrounded by high walls if you look at the picture I took last fall. In their defense, cats absolutely hate water and would not splash around or even touch water if they can help it. I'm 99% sure it was a raccoon. Raccoons love water and will sit or swim in it - my daughter found one swimming around in her swimming pool one night. Cats will likely drink the water but they don't stick a paw in to "fish". Another likely suspect is an opossom - also no fear of water and are omnivirous. You'd be surprised how many critters live in an urban environment. Thanks for the comment though but don't blame the neighbor's kitty - a very unlikely suspect.
I put all the fragments of plants left back in but there is only one fish left - bless it's little heart - I'm going to try to get him some pond mates today as the wrought iron I placed over the water is working. Doesn't look great, but I don't care - I think some of my plants will re-sprout and one was not touched - the Lemon Bacopa. Still have a few sprigs of Parrot Feather so hopefully that will grow and I'll try to repot my Bog Lily (just two leaves left but good roots) and the same with the iris. Thanks so much for your concern and I'm sorry you had a similar experience.
P.S. - I found an excellent hiding place my little guy has already found. It's a tissue holder that looks like rough natural stone that I bought at a garage sale for $1.00. I turned it on the side and wedged it (open side) against a wall - so the small side - the hole is where he or she or they can go and hide. Feel real smug about that - ha ha - @@#&**#! raccoon!
roybird - I absolutely 100% guarantee you that was no cat. You had a visit from a raccoon. That's their MO. If it was successful in obtaining a meal it will be back to try again.
Exactly Snapple - Thanks for helping make my case. Even non cat lovers know cats HATE water with few exceptions. Even if they learn as kittens to tolerate an occassional bath - they won't go new water intentionally. Thanks also for your encouragement in your previous post. Sounds like you've been there too. I'm hoping after encountering my barrier he'll go elsewhere.
By the way, I live in San Antonio, the 7th largest city in the country and I live almost in the center of the city, yet coyotes have been spotted in my subdivision and recently........a bobcat. Yes, a bobcat, but raccoons, opossums, squirrels & deer are very common. I've also seen red foxes so If you love your pets, keep them in at night.
I have a chihuahua and we have hawks at our bird feeders. I always have to keep an eye on the chihuahua! LOL Besides the known MO of raccoons I've actually seen ours several times and they leave footprints in the mud when it's wet. There's no doubt. They raid our bird feeders at night too. One has a metal lid that clangs loudly. If my dogs hear the clang tat night they go nuts. Me and the DH get the spotlight and catch the masked bandits in the act. I don't live in the city center, but it's a densely populated suburb. We too have all the animals you mention, including the bobcat. We also have herons. They have hunted our ponds. The bobcat sightings were huge news. There was video. Boy, was that something.
Last winter we had an opposum under our deck. He/she was hunkered down in the vicinity of the nearby dryer vent, for warmth we supposed. The dogs had it cornered once. Luckily we managed to get the dogs inside before there was any harm done. The only wildlife I don't like are the raccoons because they have cost me so much. I could do without the heron too.
Honestly, I think it was the cat and I think he did it by accident! He likes to travel along the top of the wall and he jumps down whenever he sees something interesting in my yard. I think he didn't realize there was water, just saw the rocks and plants, jumped and was highly surprised! Things were more knocked over than deliberately moved. I think a racoon would've done much worse. This cat is outdoors a lot and is about the size of a racoon. Probably not as smart. I guess we'll see.
Raccoons don't deliberately move anything. They topple, dump and trash. Whatver the culprit, I hope it doesn't happen again. But if it was a raccoon it'll likely be back.
Racoons will ransack anything they can to get something to eat. And they are excellent climbers.
But I would argue against them not doing anything deliberately. They are smart little rats and are quite deliberate when they want to be.
When I was growing up, we had raccoons around alot where we lived. On several occasions we planted shrubs, and the next morning the whole plant was sitting on the ground *next* to the hole. We figured out that the raccoon was lifting the new plantings out of the freshly disturbed dirt to get grubs or something ?
Also, they loved to attack our corn patch, but now mind you they *know* when it is 'ready'.
I declare those little rats will get it the night before you plan to pick!
house cats on the other hand..................
Most of my plants were eaten, not just shredded & pots were dumped- cats don't do that. Raccoons do. I've seen the little buggers at work in the past; one huge one woke me up opening a metal trash can with a tight lid hard for me to open to get at birdseed and when I turned on the light on the porch, he just looked at me and went back to eating. They're very bold and unafraid of people.
This is my first pond, so I was unsure of the marauder but it makes sense it was a black masked bandit, would bet money on it. Hope I'm outwitting him this time, I love my little pond so it's all out war.
FrillyLilly, your raccoons are better mannered and smarter than mine. Mine leave a trail of devastation.