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HOW TO PROTECT KOI CARP FROM PREDATORS
Any fish that live in outdoor ponds are vulnerable to attack from would-be predators and the Koi Carp are, unfortunately, no exception.
To Koi enthusiasts, these fish are adored as beautiful living jewels but to feathered or furry admirers, they are FOOD. This article explains what you can do to protect Koi from various predators that range from birds of prey such as the blue heron to raccoons and domestic cats.
Firstly, make sure that you design your pond with Koi’s safety in mind. Instead of opting for ledges around the sides of the pond, build the sides so that they are vertically steep and smooth. This is so that if a Koi senses a predator around, it can quickly dive into deeper waters and be safely out of harm’s way.
Fish like to hid when danger lurks nearby so build some hiding places such as caverns in the pond for them. Ensure the cavern walls are totally submerged in the water though.
Avoid creating a shallow area in your pond as shallow waters make fish easy prey. Koi may be trapped in this shallow end with little chance of reaching safety if a predator should appear out of nowhere at that moment.
Besides careful pond design, another effective way to protect Koi is to use a fake Koi fish as a decoy where the fake Koi is placed near the side of the pond to lure the heron. The idea is that when the bird dips its beak into the water to catch the fake fish, it will alert the real Koi who will swim to safer waters as quickly as possible.
In combination, you may consider installing a motion-activated sprinkler to scare herons away. There have been mixed reviews about using these sprinklers; one downside being that pond owners have, on occasion, been known to be drenched by these things!
Raccoons are shy creatures that feed mainly at night. They will try to catch Koi of any size to eat. Any fish that manage to escape from them would be lucky not to be injured. Raccoons can be a real problem in suburban areas but luckily, they can be kept at bay with an electric fence. The voltage is set low so it will only give them a mild electric shock – nothing that will harm the creature but it will definitely feel unpleasant.
Last but not least, you can protect Koi by placing netting over the pond. This should keep predators out including bullfrogs. Most frogs do not pose a problem in a Koi pond but bullfrogs are larger in size and capable of eating smaller Koi. Cover the pond, especially at night, when predators are most active. In the fall, netting will have the added benefit of keeping leaves out of the pond.
If you are fortunate to have a pond association in your area, make sure you take advantage of this by learning as much information as you can from its members. They will know a great deal about the types of local predators to look out for and can recommend further methods for keeping your beloved Koi safe.
If there are ledges around the sides of the pond, the Koi will not be able to reach safety so quickly. Inadvertently, these ledges would be providing the perfect opportunity for a raccoon to help them wade into the water and steal dinner for themselves. If you do have any rock ledges, make sure they are well above the water line.
Fish like to hid when danger lurks nearby so build some hiding places such as caverns in the pond for them. Ensure the cavern walls are totally submerged in the water though.
Avoid creating a shallow area in your pond as shallow waters make fish easy prey. Koi may be trapped in this shallow end with little chance of reaching safety if a predator should appear out of nowhere at that moment.
Besides careful pond design, another effective way to protect Koi is to use a fake Koi fish as a decoy where the fake Koi is placed near the side of the pond to lure the heron. The idea is that when the bird dips its beak into the water to catch the fake fish, it will alert the real Koi who will swim to safer waters as quickly as possible.
Visual scare objects like a fake floating alligator or planting fake owls and snakes near the pond are useful in warding off predators too. Sculptures of heron can be used to protect Koi as herons are territorial birds and if they see another ‘heron’ at the pond, they will think the territory is already taken and fly off. Just remember to move all the sculptures/objects around regularly, otherwise herons will come to realise that they present no threat and thus take no further notice of them.
In combination, you may consider installing a motion-activated sprinkler to scare herons away. There have been mixed reviews about using these sprinklers; one downside being that pond owners have, on occasion, been known to be drenched by these things!
Raccoons are shy creatures that feed mainly at night. They will try to catch Koi of any size to eat. Any fish that manage to escape from them would be lucky not to be injured. Raccoons can be a real problem in suburban areas but luckily, they can be kept at bay with an electric fence. The voltage is set low so it will only give them a mild electric shock – nothing that will harm the creature but it will definitely feel unpleasant.
Last but not least, you can protect Koi by placing netting over the pond. This should keep predators out including bullfrogs. Most frogs do not pose a problem in a Koi pond but bullfrogs are larger in size and capable of eating smaller Koi. Cover the pond, especially at night, when predators are most active. In the fall, netting will have the added benefit of keeping leaves out of the pond.
If you are fortunate to have a pond association in your area, make sure you take advantage of this by learning as much information as you can from its members. They will know a great deal about the types of local predators to look out for and can recommend further methods for keeping your beloved Koi safe.
Happy Koi-keeping!
