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Goldfish disappearing

BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
in Wildlife gardening
So, we lost two quite large goldfish earlier this year to what we suspect was a heron. Last week I got bored with an empty pond and we bought 3 2-3 inch comets.

Since then our frog returned - he had not been seen for a couple of weeks. Now I cannot see the fish at all, I've used a net etc but not even a glimpse of them. The frog us not a really large one, i think 2 years growth on it approx. Could it have eaten the fish? Is this likely? 

Thanks 


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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    New fish will often hide for a while until they feel safe and they're very good at hiding.
    Of course the heron may have returned - I have lost so many to herons over the years.
    I've heard that frogs may 'ride' goldfish causing harm (but no idea if that is true) I doubt the frog would have eaten all 3 of them as they are much faster than a frog.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    No he won’t have eaten them.  New fish often hide down in bottom mud and weeds until they get used to their new home. It’s either that ... or a heron again ... hopefully the former as they’d have been very wary in a new home. 🤞 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I think it is much more likely that the heron has returned. My parents had a pond right by the back door with about 30 goldfish and the heron had the lot over about a week.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    edited July 2020
    Thanks both. We have a net contraption that Mr B made, removable and side room for the frog but not big enough for herons so I'm thinking not heron. I hope it's that I missed them on my search.

    Also, if I cant see them then I doubt a heron has clocked them lol

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    If you've netted the pond (my parents didn't) then I expect they are hiding, as Dove says.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Do watch out tho ... herons have very good memories ... we regularly see one perching on our neighbour’s roof peering into the ‘raised bed’ which used to be their fishpond ... over a couple of years he/she took over 20 koi ... the neighbours gave up replacing them and turned it into a flower bed over ten years ago ... but the heron keeps checking that they’ve not turned it back into a pond 🐟 🐟 🐟 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
     My kitchen looks out over the area and I'm always potting in the garden ot in the shed if it rains. Haven't seen anything of a heron yet but I bet they're keeping their eye out after getting my last ones.

    Update: Mr B claims he just saw one of the goldfish. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    We watch the herons just after dawn ... what time do you do the washing up? 😉 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Herons arrive at the crack of dawn and seem to have almost unlimited patience.
    Glad Mr B has spotted one of them, hopefully the others will be tempted out.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    edited July 2020
    The anti heron measures stay on until I'm in the kitchen with a cup of tea at any thing between 7.30  to 9am. Mr B is up at the crack of dawn, well, 5.30 so I asked him to keep his eyes peeled lol. 
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