Thanks Glenda, I guess I will have to get a net. It seems like it will interfere with plants, both floating and potted, as well as my floating solar globe, but what choice do I have?
the few fish that I have left, are still completely freaked out! they won't budge from their hiding spots around the edge of the lily pots.
What is the most invisible type? I did a search and found people mention bird netting, deer netting, and pond netting. Is it all pretty much the same?
thanks

I ordered my Laguna pond net from azponds.com It floats if it falls down on the water. Some people build a frame out of pvc pipes to hold it high off the plants. It might be more expensive than bird or deer netting, but it is very sturdy and lasts a very long time. Glenda

I decided if I have to have a net I will at least make it look decent if not good. I took the legs off of a gazebo frame and replaced them with 1' sections of PVC tubing. The net stays off of the plants and off of the water and the waterfall just falls right through it. I have to admit I have other deterents such as a pair of heron decoys, a water cannon and anything else I can think of, so the heron hasn't made a meal out of my fishies for some time.
I try to keep the net a few inches off of the ground since I found a chipper choking to death after sticking its head through three separate holes then turning around. It took forever, it seemed, to cut it off. Sandy

Jeff!
I'm surprised they bothered with your little pond!! Put a net up for the time being. Goto Home Depot and get a deer net and just use stakes to hold it up. I put cup hooks on the end of the stakes to hold the net. It really doesn't look to bad!

BTW no tadpoles at the park yet. However I have had a big dragon fly in my yard since spring! Wonder where he was hiding all winter.

--Heather.

It is true that if you build it they will come. Even if you live in a city. I had an Internet pond friend who had major raccoon problems in the heart of New York City, can't get more urban than that. It takes work but you can make nets or electric fences look more attractive and you can make hiding places for your fishies too.

Hi neighbor. I live in Fairport, near the Erie Canal, so I guess it shouldn't have surprised me to get a few herons. But you never get used to an enormous bird 10 feet from your house. It's amazing what a pond will attract, and where. Yes, you will have to use a net. As someone else mentioned, you can configure poles or a hoop so the plants have room to grow. We resisted the net for a long time, but it's the only thing that has worked. We lost about 10 fish before I caught the teradactyl (good analogy!) striding into the pond for his morning treat. I've seen them periodically since, so I know they're still coming around. Keep that net on, don't get lazy.

Thanks Nancy for the support, I have a net now, but I wish I had done it faster, because there was a return visit from mr Heron, and now there are only 3 fish! And none of them will show themselves. They are cowering under the lip of the lily pot on the bottom of the pond.
Do you think it's ok to buy more fish now?
How high can I place my net? Right now, there won't be any room for my potted plant to grow, so I would prefer to raise it.
Also, I have a 6 inch gap on one side of the pond near the waterfall, but I wouldnt think a large bird like that could get underneath it.
The hoop suggestion sounds interesting. Is there something I could use to make a large hoop to wrap the net around?
Jeffrey

jeffrey
i had a heron take some fish a week or two ago. i put my net back on. one day i worked on the pond and forgot to put it back on. sure enough he came back and took a few more. right now im trying fish line criss crossed over the pond and so far so good. i dont notice it to much. the plants are starting to grow up through it. im not saying it works perfect but so far so good.

i feel your pain

jbuda

I get Herrons every year at my pond. I found the best way to deter them is to string fishing line around the entire pond on small poles. I used arrow blanks. You can also string back and forth over the pond between the poles. It will not interfere with the plants and does not look as unsightly as a net.

I had 4 large goldfish that was kept in an indoor aquarium for the past 5 years. When we finally built our pond, we started putting them outside until winter. A couple of weeks ago I decided to buy a few shubunkins. They weren't as tame, and spent much time hiding in the deeper water and under plants. In the evenings after work, we would hunt them down until finally satisfied they were all fine. Then, one came up missing... then, another... then the last one... gone! The only thing left were the 4 goldfish we've had so long. All of a sudden, we came home from work and found one of the goldfish dead and couldn't find any of the others. It took hours, but finally we found the 3 of them hiding in the corner of the liner. Brought the 3 inside, back in the aquarium but they died within the day. I had once written a post here about my yellow bellied slider turtle living for years in harmony with his goldfish buddies. Well, all it took was an introduction to a new temptation. So sad. :(

Jeffrey - Sorry for the delay in responding. Been busy gardening you know. Our pond is 2,500 gallons and approximately 15 x 15 feet in diameter. We use birdnetting held up by regular 4 foot green metal fence stakes/posts that you can buy at any hardware store. We keep it about 6 inches from the ground to allow frogs and toads access and the occasional dragonfly. Being four feet high means we can still use tall plants and dragonflies actually don't mind - although we sometimes have to rescue them from the net. It's virtually invisible from a distance. It's the only thing that works for us and we've tried it all. In fact, I just saw a heron this morning sitting by the pond so they don't give up. The netting works. Hope yours has done the trick.

I don't know what is eating my goldfish! I have a small pond (100+/-gals) with small 'feeder fish' and a couple of leopard frogs. I am finding my fish on the pavers next to the pond with their necks bitten/eaten and their eyes gone. Sometimes the tail is torn off. I have not caught anything at the pond yet. What could it be?!

I am not sure if this actually works, but have heard it does...Apparently if you put a fake heron around the pond it will keep the live ones away as they are territorial and won't come if there is another one there....

adams403, I don't have any personal experience with this, but from what other have described, it could possibly be a cat that is getting your fish.

Sherry

Doubtful, cats might like to watch them swim about but fishing is not natural cat activity. Catfood made of fish is actually harmful over time and fish has been given to cats because they weren't deemed worthy of other meats. The link between cats and fish is cultural, not biological.

Raccoons are the most likely suspect especially if plants in the pond are disturbed. They are everywhere in the US even in big cities and you rarely see them as they are nocturnal. Build a pond and they will come....

Do you have a dog/dogs? I have trained mine to chase the bird. When I hear or see the heron I shout to my dogs "get the bird" or I clap and they come running around looking for the heron. The heron hates them and flies away squawking annoyed. Now the heron sometimes comes at night since the dogs are indoors, that I know cause I have startled it when am out looking for toads.

Here is a link that might be useful: my rustic bajan garden

I drive past a red tailed hawk area every day and right now, the babies in the nest are about as big and mom and dad and HUNG-RY! So all hawks are desperate, moms and dads, cruising for food all day long. And they too will get fish; I've seen them do it out of the local lagoons.

Recently I've seen a couple of residential backyards put up "kites" of fake hawks or eagles flying in the breeze on strings from large poles. My guess, as a brand new ponder, is that these homes, within the hawk territory, have koi or fish ponds in their yards! It's the only reason I can think of for flying these fake birds of prey over their yards.

MY FISH CAME OUT IN MY POUND ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND NOW THEY ARE MISSING FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS.WHAT HAPPENED????

A RACCOON, HERON OR KINGFISHER ATE THEM

Herons are patrolling the skies looking for ponds to check out. I had one eat my goldfish. A neighbor saw a heron eat his young koi while sitting on a branch, and a kingfisher diving in the length of his pond coming out with goldfish. I also had a half eaten goldfish between perennials, probably by a raccoon. I have now a net over the pond for years, never lost any by predators since then. Good Luck!

dmackenzie: I saw a youtube video once of a real heron pecking away at the decoy heron.

MY POND!
MY FISH!
YOU GO AWAY YOU PLASTIC IMPOSTOR!

I have seen a Belted Kingfisher swoop down and grab a six inch shubunkin out of my pond and fly away with it. I didn't think they could take a fish that big but it had no problem. I had to net the pond for months after that because he kept coming back. He made a very distinct call like a cross between a jay and a crow.

I live in the city but the Great Blue Heron is the "official city bird" of Portland OR.....a neighbor has seen a heron perched on my roof and several years ago almost every fish was taken from my pond one winter when plant cover is low.

I have raccoons in my ponds without electric fences almost nightly. They leave destruction in their wake and their wet footprints too....

I had a suspicion that a heron was eating my fish when I went to feed them and for a few days they would not come out. One morning I sat and watched and sure enough I heard a splash and there were two. They seemed to come at the same time each day. Early in the morning and about two o'clock. So I waited with a hose and shot at them a few times, once causing the bird to drop a fish. I then put two decoy ducks or geese in my pond and they float around slowly. I haven't had a problem since I added the decoys. My pond is about 5000 gallons with a waterfall and small bridge about four feet to walk across. I live in a suburb area so I also get quite a few raccoon's and possums but since I am the only one in my neighbor hood with a water feature I guess it's to be expected. They never go after my fish just drink a little water. Try decoy's they work very well. It has been three months and I have not lost nay more of my Koi or goldfish, and I am proud to say I have a little over 125 now ranging from 8 inches to brand new babies.