I have left a couple of catfish (black) in my pond. Yesterday, after nearly two months, I sighted one of them four times in 15 minutes. At other times, I had only seen quick movements disturbing the water occasionally but the fella was not seen. When I bought them, they were about 4-5 inches long. But now, they seem to have grown to more than 6 inches. It raises a doubt in my mind: Does these creatures come up to the surface in a quick motion to catch other little fish? I have left a couple of Wail tail Koi Carp too. These are about 4-5 inches long in black/yellow marbled design and they rarely show up too. The aquarium fella told that they would grow to the size of 'bigger edible fish'.
Catfish sightings-Qn?
My catfish is about 12 inches. He comes up to the top with his mouth open and just sucks in the koi food. Have never seen him eat any fish.
I have Blue catfish and Channel catfish in my large pond, the largest being about 36 inches long and 25 pounds or so. They eat a lot of string algae and other kinds also, and will eat other fish they can catch. The fish they can catch are usually sick or injured. This prevents sickness spreading to other fish. Since they will multiply rapidly, some must be removed each year for survival of the rest. They eat a lot of floating plants. My water stays clear down to 5 feet. (can see the bottom at 5 feet depth) This allows bottom growing plants around the shallow areas which provides shelter for small fish. Baby Koi continue to show up in the pond, but the bass eat them when they reach about 3 inches long. Our neighbors have a very large Koi pond and Herrons bring eggs on their legs. They seldom see their Koi because Koi stir the mud all the time. They do come for food. Their water visability is about 4 inches.
Trois
In the last couple of days, I changed the water and removed some silt. Kept filling water from one end and removed the muddy water from the other. But the lighter particles still float around.Visibility is better now and hope they stay longer.
The catfish, dark grey and with some visible scales, came up last evening and we could get a clear glimpse of them for the first time.
My two Kois are now used to us and they can show themselves up more often.
Catfish vanished?
For the last ten days or so, I am slowly removing the bottom silt and now water is clearer now. The bottom is seen today. But to my amazement, the two catfish I had were not there. I wonder how they are missing? My little D says they are 'flying fish'! LOL. There is a little cat that waits near the pond. It's a youngster. Too small for the 7" catfish. If that is the suspect. I have not seen long-billed birds too. Another fish I had isolated in a bucket too is missing today. The bucket is half full with water. Now where could the catfish have gone - those black ones. If they were dead, where are the corpses? They are not among the plants - I have removed all of them for cleaning.
I had wanted them out, anyway. Because they were making all the bottom sediments to continuously afloat in the water.
This message was edited Jul 26, 2004 4:36 PM