koi disappearing!!!

[GIO590]

How big is your pond?
What part of Florida do you live in?

Depending on the region you will get different types of predators and different types of flukes. In south Florida the tropical weather encourages alot of parasites and infections.

If your pond is small you could net it off, or you could do like my uncle did and put a mesh canopy, like they type used in orchid gardens

I suggest you leave a video camera pointed at the pond so you can see what is raiding it.
If its a raccoon your probably going to have to eliminate it, since coons are very persistent creatures (sorry if it sounds cold, but its true)
If its birds the motion sprayer, or motion alarm may do.

Hope this helps, and above all don't give up!

[Lia]

I am in Miami we have herons here my pond is one of those black plastic home depot 180 gallon ponds.
Initially not many fish (platies,swordtails) We had herons start to come after few weeks and pick off the adult fish thus we put up a net over the pond and they stopped coming . We are about a block from a big canal so lots herons . After the fish bred in numbers and plants took off we removed it .
They come back now and than but they dont see in the water due to lilies,duckweed,etc and for the most part rarely come . They are fairly smart birds and dont like getting squirted with the hose they remember this and wont return for months Without the cover they take a fish here and there .If they can see in your pond you need some type screen ,netting,etc.

[Lia]

Originally Posted by GIO590

How big is your pond?
What part of Florida do you live in?

Depending on the region you will get different types of predators and different types of flukes. In south Florida the tropical weather encourages alot of parasites and infections.

If your pond is small you could net it off, or you could do like my uncle did and put a mesh canopy, like they type used in orchid gardens

I suggest you leave a video camera pointed at the pond so you can see what is raiding it.
If its a raccoon your probably going to have to eliminate it, since coons are very persistent creatures (sorry if it sounds cold, but its true)
If its birds the motion sprayer, or motion alarm may do.

Hope this helps, and above all don't give up!

isnt it against the law to eliminate a racoon ?

[Lia]

Originally Posted by Koi_Luver

We got a pond a couple years ago and slowly, one by one, a koi went missing. I don't know if it's a heron or a raccoon or whatever, but my dad said he's seen a heron a couple times. He put up strings all above the pond, thinking it would solve the problem so we finally replaced all 6 missing koi yesterday, and today I found out two more are gone! it's a horrible waste of money and anyone who knows me knows when i lose a fish it's like losing a family member. If anyone has had a similar problem and knows how to fix it, please help!

If your having trouble with Koi what about cichlids lots types or platies,mollies,swordtails ?

The cheaper zebra cichlids are red.orange,white,yellow

Plus its hot here in Florida plus my pond is small its like 180 gallons great for smallish fish but not koi .

I have platies,swordtails the few days we had last week in low 50s didnt phase them at all

[danakin]

Originally Posted by Lia

isnt it against the law to eliminate a racoon ?

You can always get a Have-A-Heart trap and drive the sucker miles away from your property. Then again, if it doesn't faze you, you could also use a pellet gun (though I would rather trap it).

[Lia]

Originally Posted by danakin

You can always get a Have-A-Heart trap and drive the sucker miles away from your property. Then again, if it doesn't faze you, you could also use a pellet gun (though I would rather trap it).

Ouch . I think they sell fox urine at sporting good stores and internet that are suppossed to get rid of racoon. I never used it dont know just read about it.
I would think lots racoons around here as big canals but never saw one yet have seen lots of armidillos which I love

[GIO590]

Originally Posted by Lia

isnt it against the law to eliminate a racoon ?

Raccoons are considered pests in most states, and their removal or termination (as long as there on your property) is allowed in these states. I am not certain if Florida is such a state, you would have to inquire more.

Basically its is legal in most of the country.

[GIO590]

Originally Posted by danakin

You can always get a Have-A-Heart trap and drive the sucker miles away from your property. Then again, if it doesn't faze you, you could also use a pellet gun (though I would rather trap it).

You could do option A but if you decide on it, it would probably be better to hire a professional, caged animal are dangerous and coons can carry rabies.

A word of warning, most pellet guns aren't strong enough to humanely kill an animal as large as a raccoon. If you really want to do that approach you would have to get a pretty strong pellet gun.

[fshfanatic]

Get a Bow an blast them with a wicked arrow head. I dont know of a single state where you cant fire a bow in city limits as it is not considered a firearm. We have cats that tear up our garbage cans.. That is how we get rid of them.

[ValorG]

Originally Posted by fshfanatic

Get a Bow an blast them with a wicked arrow head. I dont know of a single state where you cant fire a bow in city limits as it is not considered a firearm. We have cats that tear up our garbage cans.. That is how we get rid of them.

But what if its someones cat... :x

[fshfanatic]

Originally Posted by ValorG

But what if its someones cat... :x

Someones cat ate my $1200 parrot a few yrs ago. According to most local laws they are not responsible for my loss. So I am not responsible for theirs.

[Lia]

Originally Posted by fshfanatic

Someones cat ate my $1200 parrot a few yrs ago. According to most local laws they are not responsible for my loss. So I am not responsible for theirs.

I just saw 2 African grey parrots few days ago perched on a big tree in my neighbors house the noise they made you could hear them mile away.
They ate something in that tree some type fruit than they flew away.

[GIO590]

Parrots are awesome pets they just cost so much. For 1200 you could set up a nice sized reef tank, or a massive planted tank

[gotcheaprice]

Originally Posted by GIO590

Parrots are awesome pets they just cost so much. For 1200 you could set up a nice sized reef tank, or a massive planted tank

But they're awesome none the less.
You could say the same for a dog can't you? Awesome pet, but you could set up nice tank and reef, but it just won't be the same.

[Koi_Luver]

here's my next update as of now: so far, my fish have been doing great. these 6 fish left have lasted months now. not sure why the animal hasn't come back lately but i hope it stays like this. the electric fence's been broken for like two months now, btw. thanks for all the help guys, i probably couldn't have done it without all the advice!