Culling the herd...

[Marlee Clark]

does anyone remove some of the fry mutts to control the numbers in your pond? Right now my small rectangle pond has two koi, two shebunkins, four orange comets about two years old, three one year old mutt (one is orange and white, two are grey/brown) and I have no clue how many fry from this summer. There are some pretty colored fry, but the faster growing ones are grayish brown. I have a much bigger pump and filter than I need for this size pond since I reduced the size this spring...and I have never tested my water...I plan to get a kit soon. Mostly I just add plants and have water flowing (have to re do the water fountain hose, because of pinhole leak). I am trying to work on a bog area/stream as well....sigh. I am thankful for finding this sight...I haven't really found a local ponding group to ask noob questions....

 

[addy1]

I know of breeders that cull their fry, feed them to chickens, use as plant fertilizer etc. Others try to sale unwanted ones.

Ask away we are always glad to help

 

[Marlee Clark]

Thanks Addy1. Today's main task is to take the GoPro out for an attempt at fish pics! Lol...anything to put off hauling dirt and blocks and rocks.

 

[Tula]

Luckily I have a friend with a huge pond, that takes my fry. I try to not have anything in the pond for eggs/ fry, to hide in...encouraging my koi to gorge themselves on "caviar" for a few days post spawning.

We are happy to help with any questions

 

[CometKeith]

Hmmm... I have found that fish naturally find the right number appropriate for a pond all by themselves. The more fish you have the more hungry mouths and the fewer number of fry survive. If you want to reduce fry in the future you can feed less so it will be more likely your fish will eat the eggs and fry, and remove good hiding places for fry like hornwort. Some of my prettiest fish started out black and a few years later they turned to amazing colors. The black fry tend to hide better so you have natural selection going on with the best hiders surviving where others don't. Good luck but you may want to watch what goes on a little before making any decisions. I wanted to cull two fish a year ago and my wife talked me out of it and I'm glad she did. One was a bad swimmer and stayed more on the bottom. She pointed out I wasn't a great swimmer either and the fish still lives on now and is doing fine despite being "special".

 

[Marlee Clark]

I would prefer the prettier fry survive...but the plain ones are kinda hard to catch...lol. And I hate scaring the others anyway...I may have to wait till late fall...and then re evaluate the situation. Lots of beautiful fry so far.

 

[addy1]

I would prefer the prettier fry survive...but the plain ones are kinda hard to catch...lol. And I hate scaring the others anyway...I may have to wait till late fall...and then re evaluate the situation. Lots of beautiful fry so far.

They are all hard to catch. They know when you have a net!

 

[Tula]

Well, this morning we drained our pond down very low, to catch the fry who've been in the pond over a year. Honestly, you should have seen them jump.....they are like acrobats!!! I know there are one or two remaining, but we managed to catch 13, that our neighbor put in his 20,000 gallon pond.

I really try to watch my pond near spawning time, to lift any floating basket and stop feedings, to encourage my koi to eat the eggs. My pond is just too small for more than 4-5 koi.

I'm exhausted and ready for a nap, but dare not rest, as the pond is refilling!!

 

[Dave 54]

I always thought the right wording for fish was shoaling together and not herding together

Dave

 

[Marlee Clark]

I think you are correct Dave...but I like the sound of a 'herd of fish'. i will tuck away the correct terminology for a future post!

 

[Tula]

Well drats......I have some koi fry! After all my efforts to lift floating baskets, when they spawned and lowering the pond in August to catch the fry....I found some more! I was picking some algae from a floating net and found three, then found about 10 more in the pond. They are very small,maybe 1/8 inch, at most. My neighbor took them, but said he's now at his limit.

What to you folks do, when your pond friends don't want anymore, the pet stores won't take them.....I'm a little leery of Craigslist. Does anyone ever decide to humanely euthanize with oil of clove? The thought of doing that makes me so un easy, but I also know I can't let my pond get over populated. Sigh......at least I have till next Spring before they spawn again.

 

[addy1]

I had tons of fry this year, after grooming the lilies, leaving very few places for fish to hide, I don't see that many growing fry. I was out looking at the fish, doing an eyeball count yesterday. I guess the other critters of the pond have been snacking on them.

 

[mrsclem]

I have been using Craigslist as well as ads in the local paper to sell my extras. Never had a problem with any of my customers except I did find out some of the larger koi I sold ended up in aquariums. I currently have over 100 fry that will go in the spring and I have a list of previous customers lined up to take them.

 

[Tula]

Well, it sounds like @addy1 natural pond environment, controls her population and @mrsclem , you manage to sell yours. My pond isn't really a natural setting for wild life, although I get birds and a couple frogs, so I guess I'll have to try and place them through ads. We also have a neighborhood Face Book group that might work too.

I'm just curious how koi keepers that keep their numbers fixed, manage it?

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Just to be controversial I'll post this.