What ate my goldfish?

Question

We have a nice little watergarden, well established. Within the last week, something has apparently eaten about 50 good sized goldfish...All that's left are the very large koi. What predators could do this? I think it had to be something IN the water, as we tried catching some of the fish ourselves onces and it was nearly impossible. Thanks! (We have a large private yard backed by a park, and close to river).

Answer 1

ME!

Answer 2

IT SOUNDS LIKE RACCOONS TO ME.  THEY LOVE FISH AND ARE VERY EFFICIENT AT CATCHING THEM IN SHALLOW POOLS, PONDS AND STREAMS.

Answer 3

Racoons will eat your fish,  I also have a pond in my yard.  I have a large snake hanging around..  6 algee eaters are missing out of my pond.  just the algee eaters are gone   i have 6 good size gold fish, and two really big KOI.    I think my algee eaters got eaten by the snake because they would swim up the water fall I have and it would be easy for the snake to get them that way.

I also have two frogs that are still there, and two tadpoles who are still in the pond.

Answer 4

It's a heron - mine went the same way. Got a picture of the thief - lovely bird but very hungry :-)

Answer 5

Could be a Heron

Answer 6

The possibilities are endless, but, since you live near a river it narrows it down some what.....you've got raccoons. muskrats, snakes sometimes even predator birds.  Look for signs around the pond if it appears some of your marginal plants are moved/squashed maybe it's raccoon because it's larger than a muskrat which is too small to make too much mess...plus they go into the water whereas Mr. raccoon sifts by the side.

I feel sorry for your loss....and if you lived near me I would donate some of my goldfish to you....they just keep having babies.  I've been lucky the snakes get into my pond but they've never eaten any of my fish..

Answer 7

most probably a heron.

you can try and stop it by having fishing wire over your pond randomly, so it cannot catch the fish easily.

ive also heard that a CD on a stick works wonders, as they dont like the shininess.

Answer 8

the KOI are most likely the culprits!

especailly if ghost koi they eat all other fish!

Answer 9

it might be a cat ? or maybe even a large bird?

Answer 10

a cat,fox, or coyote.

Answer 11

heron cat duck lots of things will eat fish

Answer 12

A HERON!!!!!       I had a visit from a Heron two years running.   The first time around it ate 13 of my good sized fat goldfish but missed the babies which were black at that time.The following year it came back and ate the rest of the fish...28 in all.   The only safeguard you have is to keep a net over your pond and make sure that the pond is very deep so the Heron cannot see it.    This Heron not only took my fish but also a neighbours who lives three doors away.   Its an enormous bird.  You cant miss it.  It usually comes about 7.30-8 in the morning and in the evening at dusk.

Answer 13

Depending on how large the koi are, they could have done it. I had some large koi who did that before......

Answer 14

Heron - they come early in the morning usually.

Answer 15

Do you by any chance sleepwalk and wake up with fishy breath. !!

Answer 16

Probably raccoons.