Can I cry here?

Went out this morning and my only koi was about 4 ft from the pond. It was too late:( Looks like something got him, it had to have, but whatever it was didn't eat him, there was just one puncture wound on him. Can't figure out what it could have been. Feel real down, I loved him a lot, we'd had him for about 4 years.
I guess you'd have to have fish to understand:(

Sorry to hear about your koi. They like to jump I have lost a few that way now I stick to fan tails they dont jump out.
Jacki

tiG, I'm right here with you - what a bummer. Sounds like maybe a raccoon? They're pretty good at fishing. Not only do the fish become pets and have sentimental value, but DH recently went on a Koi scouting trip to our local pet store - over $100 for a baby Koi. Yikes!

We think we have a turtle in the pond. Hubby has thought so, and now he's convinced. Try Petsmart for Koi though, they have babies at 2.99 and we're going to replace ours with the medium size at 6.99. Nice fish, but we're waiting til we clean the pond out to make sure we don't have unwanted guests. Thanks for sharing my misery:)

I know how you feel.Last year for fathersday I bought my husband 2 butterfly koi. I know they made thru the winter 'cause I saw them in the spring when the ice first melted.Then POOF they were gone.I found my shubunkin, dead ,mangled, about 4 feet from the pond but no sign of the butterfly koi.Turns out my neighbors had the same problem and they saw who was doing it.It was a heron.And he doesent even eat all of them.He just grabs the fish and throws them up on shore.Then picks which one he wants to eat.My other 3 koi are fine but they are huge so they were probably to big for him to pull out. They also caught a FROG eating their small goldfish.They saw him with a fish in his mouth with the tail sticking out of his mouth.Between these guys and my web footed plant preditors I can't win!! Karyn

We have lost some fish to Raccoons... they love fish.. but Koi don't taste good. Though pretty smart, Raccoons still don't always know how bad a Koi tastes until they get one out of the pond and give it a good sniff. Our neighbors have Koi-tossing raccoons and lose a lot to them.. now the pond is screened in and no more problems.

tiG, where in zone 7 do you live?

T

I live in GA, and then to make things worse, my dear doggie died this weekend. It's been a hard week.

Well tiG I'm very sorry to hear of all your troubles! I thought maybe I could help you out if you lived close by. I'm in Maryland and will be moving to Florida this Fall. I will be borading my wet pets until I can get setup in Florida.

How did you doggie die?

T

She ran out into the road. We live deep in the country, and another dog just taught her that the road is there. I had my head down deep into pond cleaning. I did manage to get to her while she was still alive and reassure her how much I loved her. And there were no external marks. For both of those, I'd deeply thankful. Thanks for asking:) She was a sweet Scottie.

:-( Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your dog, tiG! Our collie was hit when I was a little girl and I remember how terrible it was. I'm so sorry....

Thank you gw, it's been very hard knowing that I'm the one that let her out to play with me. Sticking to fish for a while. They don't like the road.

tiG,
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your koi and your dear dog. I know they were very special to you.
Trish

sorry tiG.i been there.its very hard.

Dear tiG: As i write this short note to you I think of all the good times that my wife & I have had in the past with our dogs & cats that have come to our home. From the very bottom of my heart I wish you peace & happiness. Hope that tomorrow brings you joy. My wife & I have a special place in our backyard for are dog, and we think of her often. Your friend Cash & Noreena

Hi TiG, I am new here and trying to learn all I can, boy ya'll really know your stuff here :-) Hope to one day have just a tad of your knowledge...Am sorry to hear about your Koi but I can about bet you since you live in Georgia you may very well have the same problem as we do here in North Carolina and those are Blue Herrings....these birds as prehistoric as they look love to fish, but if they come upon a fish too large for them to swallow in one gulp they will actually flail it on the bank to let it die or either poke it through and through with its long long beak..I know sounds horrid but that is what they do....They are also to my knowledge a protected species so the best we have been able to do is to scare them off the best we can, but they get braver every year..We have a catfish pond and have lost several to these monsters...Good luck but keep an eye to the sky, you can't miss these huge birds...

A frind told me about an owl getting his fish. He was out in the yard and saw the owl and called his wife out for a look see and while they were admiring the owl the owl was admiring the koi. Swooped down and got it right out of the pond. Also I had a neighbor's dog going fishing in my pond. Actually saw him get a fish out before I could stop it. Carried to their yard and played with it before actually eating.

I'm so sorry about your koi and your dog. Our koi's are so tame they eat out of our hands. They are so trusting. We have 3 cats and they just look at them - Thank God! We have 2 dogs that are our very best friends. Losing a pet is so very hard. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your losses...I know how you feel...this past spring I lost a beautiful yellow butterfly koi about 12-15 inches long...we have large oak trees by the pond and cover with birdnetting in fall to catch the leaves and spring arrives we take off netting and pond is bare because no plants...

I noticed a couple of Red Tailed Hawks in woods behind pond looking around and a few days later I went out back door and saw one of them swoop over the pond...

I believe they got my fish and noticed a few days later that the crows were chasing them away and haven't lost another fish since...plus the pond is full of plants now!

Just thought I would let you all know about the Hawks and they will eat them too!

Happy Ponding!

Aww Tig, So very sorry to hear about your losses! I'm sure it was hard enough losing your fish, But Jeeze, The dog too! I feel so bad for you! I hope God helps speed your healing!

thanks all. It's been a while now, but seems everytime I turn on the tv, there's a Scottie. :( got 6 new koi to help ease that pain, but I think I'm going to go without a dog for a while.

Hi Tig
Sorry about the dog, do you know the names of the new koi you have bought, ie sanke, showa etc ?, how big are they.

no, I don't know that much about koi, and they were the dheaper ones at Petsmart, so I figure they are culls. That's okay, they're very pretty.

There is an old saying in the Koi carp keepers fraternity, if you like it buy it, doesnt matter if its a champion or not, it your fish, so i hope they grow to give you pleasure.

TiG,
I am sitting here typing this and crying for you and remembering the loss of my dear friends a few years ago. They were 16 and 17 years old. I am so sorry about your baby. (((((HUGS))))

thanks honibee! it's hard, very hard. My daughter is here almost everyday with her dog, so it's easier than without anyone, and I have a beautiful 5 month old granddaughter that fills a lot of voids.

HI Tig,
I too am sorry to hear of your losses. I will never forget losing my prized koi collection to a great blue heron. In just a few days, it consumed a collection of koi I had spent 4 years gathering, some of the very best that used to come into the garden center where I worked. I tell you, it broke my heart. Losing your dog that way I'm sure was much worse. Sorry to hear of it. I too have also lost a cat and a dog that escaped outside to cars. It's heartbreaking. I hope you feel better soon. I've always found collecting and gardening to be theraputic. Guess that's why I have more than I can take care of. LOL The collecting is more fun.
Enjoy your new koi. Robin

Tig,
I am so sorry to hear about your losses. My heart really goes out to you because I know your pain. We loss our little doggie in May,also.
Sending prayers & hugs your way.
Colie

sorry to hear about your fish ,i know how you feel i have koi and would hate to lose them. they are about 4in. now 'and are waiting for me every morning when i get off work. i also had a green frog i raised from a baby but a snake got him and i liked him a lot. i have heard that birds will sometimes try and get fish so i got lots of plants for them to get under.