catch the babies

[Sushi Prohibited]

I have 19 baby koi (my first time with survivors) that are a year old and range from 2-5 inches.
I'm going to give them to friends but I can't catch them.
They are too fast and my net is too slow.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Mmathis]

How big is your pond? Have you tried lowering the water level? Sometimes it’s easier to catch them if they don’t have any place to “run” and hide.

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

4,500 gallons, 4 feet deep and sadly, there are places to hide.

 

[Tula]

I do this task once a year and I always have to lower my pond level

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

How much should I lower it?
Having never done this, can I add water from the faucet or how do I need to dechlorinate it?
Thanks.

 

[Mmathis]

How much should I lower it?
Having never done this, can I add water from the faucet or how do I need to dechlorinate it?
Thanks.

Lower it as low as you need to — you’ll have to judge that yourself. Get a few bottles of dechlorinator/Prime, something like that. To fill it back up, I usually hook up a water sprinkler and add the chlorinator as it fills. Sometimes it takes hours, but I like to add water back gradually.

 

[Angel]

make or buy minnow traps? i made my traps for minnows / shinners out of a 16 oz gatorade bottle

 

[Tula]

How low I need toolbar the water varies year by year. Last year, I practically drained it to get the 47 youngsters out !!! I'm really hoping there are less this year!

 

[mrsclem]

I lowered mine to under a foot. I had help, the bog overflowed and almost emptied the pond so the round up was a week early. I made a trap out of pvc pipe and netting. Basically a box, open on one side. put food in and then tip it up.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Depends how much patience you have. Using big swimming pool size nets works but takes lots of patience. If you find yourself rapidly chasing them around it is time to stop. Trapping them in a minnow trap works for some of them but there will always be a few that won't 'take the bait' and confound your best efforts. Traps must be monitored frequently. Agree, lowering the water level helps tremendously. Perhaps try lowering the water level as you would do for a partial water exchange and see if you can net a good portion of them. You can catch any fish with patience.
Stephen

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

Got the minnow trap. What food do I put in the middle to attract the koi that won't float up and out?
Thanks!

 

[mrsclem]

I use Cheerios

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

But won't they float to the top of the cage where the fish can eat them from the outside?

 

[mrsclem]

What size is the mesh on the trap?

 

[Sushi Prohibited]

the openings are half an from north to south and quarter of an inch east to west.