Population Shrinking

[PallasAthena]

Well, my pond population is shrinking in a big way. I started out with Rambo + 5 feeders. A cat got the first one and then the other feeders started dying as well. I've tested the water, but the numbers come back great. The only thing I can think of is that Rambo is killing the smaller feeder fish. He certainly chases them a lot. Could this be an explanation? All the little bodies have patches on their sides where it looks like the scales have been picked at, but that could have happened post mortem.

I am currently down to Rambo, Haku, and Jackie Chan Fish. Haku and Jackie Chan seem to be holding their own. I bought another plant to put in there to give them more places to hide and that seems to be helping. Poor little guys. Rambo is just a tough fish. I certainly do not plan on adding any more fish to the 3 that are in there now. I am hoping we've struck a balance. But I know that if I DID want to add fish I would need to get bigger fish who can stand up a little more to Rambo.

In other news, we're talking about re-landscaping the yard. Know what this means? A bigger and deeper pond! YAY!

 

[Jennie Beth]

Rat farts!!! Lost my whole message and have to type it over...grrrrr

Anyway, do you think the other feeders might be cat victims too, just not right away? Might have been swiped at but not dragged out of the pond, and died from the scratches? I know just a scratch from a cat can kill a bird...and it might explain the damages scales.

Sorry to hear you're losing them, though. I hate that going out to count noses and coming up short feeling. Especially when you don't know the why of it.

Funny how that first "not planned" pond can effect you, huh? I remember when you first posted about finding Rambo....and here you are planning bigger and better ponds! You go, girl!!!

Jen

 

[PallasAthena]

You know, I really don't think they're all cat victims. We have a big dog and I really have only seen the cat around that one time. I think with the first one, he might have gotten a little scratch that the others just picked on. It's pretty sad when you come up one short. Oddly enough, I also found a dead sparrow in the pond the other day, so who knows. Maybe it's just a cursed pond. Maybe Rambo is a shark in disguise.
:shark:


Yeah, you're right about the pond thing. I remember when I first posted that I originally wanted to fill the thing in and only decided not to because of Rambo. Now I'm thinking that I want to make it deeper, build the sides up so it's not such a fall hazard, and change the waterfall so it's not up against the fence and not leaking. If I had lots of $$$, I'd get an external pump and all of that. But we'll see. DH is still not hip to the pond thing.