We stocked the garden pool with some Carp last summer. They survived the worst of the winter despite some seriously cold temepratures. The other day we found one dead on the surface with chunks bitten out of it. The only predator we think we may have is a stoat which we sometimes see around.

I’ve made a wooden frame with chicken wire to try and proctect the remaining fish.

Would a stoat go for carp? The fish only come to the surface to feed. they hang around the bottom of the pool mostly. Its about four or 5 feet deep. Would a stoat dive for fish? or just wait for feeding time?

no idea about stoats but we once had crows going for our carp when they were on the surface.

Heron?

suicide brought on by woodpile envy

I don’t think a stoat would dive for fish.
Any sign of mink ?

Most probably a heron or similar. My Mother in Law has a big pond full of Koi and it has to be kept netted over 100% of the time to stop the heron taking the fish. Once they’ve found you, you’re buggered, netting is the only answer

Heron’s don’t like shotgun rash either (apparently). I doubt a stoat would deliberatly go for one, however if opportunity presented itself it may scavenge a dead or dying one.

Once they’ve found you, you’re buggered, netting is the only answer

+1

PP is stoatally correct there. Herons are weasily deterred though – you’ll need one of those fake jobbies from a garden centre to stick in the ground. Lovely they are.

Doubt a stoat would have a go at anything but the smallest fish, even then, I doubt it.

You shouldn’t be feeding them this time of year though, they can’t digest it.

Mink or Otter would be what my money was on.

Would a heron bite chunks out of a fish?
I’d have thought beak would be the wrong shape.

my money’s on the scuba stoat

Yes, Herons do take chunks out of fish.

Herons tend to land away from a pool then walk in.

But Herons tend to favor large pool and lakes, but have heard of them picking on koi ponds this time of year, my pool was cleared in a month by a Heron.

Nice fine if someone spots you flicking lead pellets at them too, be warned, I know of at least two people who have been caught 😉

I have worked at a lake where I have seen 20-30 Carp scattered dead around the lake & seen more with pecking dammage.

get a metal grid made up to protect them, make sure the grid is clear of the water by a good distance too.

We dont get stoats or mink round here thankfully so not sure if they could be your problem, but could be I guess?

Nice looking pond btw 😉

My dad breads Koi and according to him the best way to stop anything eating them is to have the edges of the pond a minimum of 6 inches above the level of the water. He says having the pond border close to the level of the water may look nice, but it gives any birds or animals looking to catch the fish a good place to get at them, also don’t have any shallow areas a heron can stand in.

MCM have a look here: – Stoat Info

It may be that if the fish was already dead, a Stoat would then eat it. Herons would eat those sized carp in one, no left overs, no chunks, nothing. This time of year they would also have eaten half of the pond if not more.

As Herons are wading birds, the way to protect your pond is to have deep edges (over 2 feet) with some thing like a rope edge fencing close to the edge.

This gives enough of a deterent as it’s sparse and unatural, ponds with wide, open borders that the Heron can access easily are normally the main targets.

If all else fails take the fish to your aqautic centre, they will let you know stright away if their any good.

Thanks for the replies folks, I doubt its a Heron, I’ve never seen one up here. We are on top of a hill with no rivers or lochans around. The pond sits in a walled garden that’s surrounded by trees, buildings and out of control roses. Unless Herons have a vertical take off and landing capability I think I’ll have to rule them out.

Crows however, Woffle may have it, there is a rookery nearby. I hadn’t considered them.

The pool is made from some old Victorian water tanks that used to supply the house, its really deep.

I’ve never seen a mink here but have read that stoats are good swimmers and their habitats include riverbanks and that they will swim for fish, though I doubt they’d chance it in a 5 foot deep pool with steep sides.

I’ll see how the netting works for now.

Work in progress

A little further on