Topic: Pond Cleanout

[Doris_Pinks]

I spent today cleaning out my mothers pond. It has not been touched in years, so removed about a third of the water, scraped alot of stinky goop from the bottom, and got rid of her overgrown waterlily.  :) It is probably the wrong time of the year, but as I had to go in up to my nether regions, bare footed, it had to be done whilst the water is still fairly warm! :o My shower awaits! hope I have not freaked the poor fish out too much.

[Hugh_Jones]

I`ll bet the stinky goop was full of wildlife.  Hope you left it all on the side of the pond so that all the various nymphs, larvae, etc could get back in.

[Doris_Pinks]

Of course! I am a nice person!!  :) Saw loads of nymphs, and found at the bottom the most enormous black fish, has goldy bits on it, but looked rather like a trout in shape! Any ideas what it could be? I have a funny feeling my Dad put tench in 15 years or so ago because someone was getting rid of them...I wonder could it be that? I was as shocked as it when I scooped it up in my net!! He/she was huge! :o

[teresa]

Hi Doris,
So you had a nice surprise when you cleaned the pool out? Normaly it is done in the spring but as you said if you have to wade in the water must still have been chilly.  :o
no idea what you have perhaps leggless or margaret can help there. ;)
Teresa

[Margaret]

Hi Doris and Teresa.(must swap holiday stories,Teresa,but still getting over mine !!)

Anyway,the fish could be a goldfish that has never fully changed colour.I cannot think of any other fish it could be.Tench are either golden or green.Rudd are varying shades of red to brown,and orfe are also golden.Unless it was a type of Koi.Teresa,you would know on that score.

You did right to clean up the pond.Does it have a filter/pump,or is that the only fish in there? If it is a big pond it should be O.K.but if only small perhaps it would be kinder to give it a decent,proper fish pond.

[teresa]

Hi Doris and Maggie

What ever you have Doris feed it is there other fish in the pool?
Could be a koi but  ;) In japan they are breed in mud pools so one could surive in a pool on the grubs insects etc.
I have heard strange stories of herons catching a fish in the beek and seeing another pool goes down for more fish and dropping the one out of its beek. ::)
Another was hubbys sister found a koi on her lawn she has not got a pond/pool but is on a heron flight path must have lost control in flight. She put it in her washing up bowl but the fish died. :'(
Just goes to show herons are not so cleaver after all but it could have been feeding young. :-/
Interesting let us know how he/she gets on
Teresa

[Doris_Pinks]

I built the pond for me Dad 18years ago and it is now teeming with fish of all sorts shapes and sizes! They breed like rabbits(?!) Regular goldfish and golden orf.
2 of them, lovingly called the king and queen due to their age, which my Mum reackons must be at least 12 years, are large enough for a dinner!
 Mum feeds them with loving care all through the summer months, when you throw the food in it is like a pirahna attack! Loads of babies this year, I often wonder how many more fish can she get in this pond! (and we give loads away to good homes, when we can catch them, tehy have a 6th sense!)
Anyhow it is always teeming with wildlife, loads of frogs, nymphs, etc.
It has always had a pump, and last year I put in an ultra violet filter. Have to look for a smaller lily for her next year as the one she has got pretty rampant! Also got blackfly which was weird! (mine at home too) Now I am rambling, so time to go
Dotty P.

[teresa]

Oh Doris

I wish I could grow water lillies the Koi just eat them and nearly everything else that goes in and yes they get feed.
I do have a marsh marigold they have a go at but only a nibble and a pink flower 5ft tall they leave that alone and one of the oxygen plants not keen on that.
They even killed off the water solider oh the floating hyacinth they cannot catch that as it goes round the pool. I have a mint on the edge and if that goes into the water they have that as well.
I am safer with plastic water plants ::)
Funny the water lilly getting black fly but as I said mine never got that far as soon as they grew they had them for dinner. ::)
Teresa