You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
I have a small 6 x 9 pond. Last year I had 5 fish (4 comet and 1 Shubunkin). Last summer we had babies, so the number was up to probably 11 or 12. In the winter I shut off the stream and add a tank deicer to keep the water open.
The problem for the past couple of years is that the fish seem to make it through the harsh winter fine. But when spring cleanout comes, I'm always missing a few. When the melting starts and water starts to go brown from runoff, I can't keep count of them, so I never know when they are missing. This year I added a grid of PVC and fishing line to deter any predators, though I have never seen any predators or tracks of predators.
I have just found the shubunkin floating. Thus begins my overwinter loss of fish. I'm wondering if the runoff and decay is too much for them. Perhaps I should start filtering earlier. I usually start the pump mid march to get the water cleared, though I bypass the stream and underground hose so I don't break it (ahem, as I did one year).
So does anyone have any ideas of what is going on?
This thread has 3 replies. This forum is accessible only to subscribing members of Dave's Garden. There are many free features here, and about half of our forums are completely open to all members. Take a tour of our site and learn more about Dave's Garden, and explore the benefits of becoming a subscribing member.
