Lookin for goldfish population control

[Tula]

I actually found a bull frog with a dead bird between it's front legs....apparently the bird was too big to swallow.

 

[brokensword]

I actually found a bull frog with a dead bird between it's front legs....apparently the bird was too big to swallow.

TULA!!! Where ya been? On hiatus?

 

[Jhn]

Agree with @Lenae98, I have many species of frogs residing in my ponds. Bullfrogs are the only ones that I have seen go after fish, now never saw them actually catch one but try yes. The other frogs, like green frogs or pickerel frogs, no they ignore the fish and are more focused on things moving around above the water line.

Either way, doesn’t matter to me, I have so many little fish in the pond, population control is fine. Even introduce bluespotted and black banded sunfish into my pond this year, to help control the koi/orfe/goldfish fry.

 

[brokensword]

Agree with @Lenae98, I have many species of frogs residing in my ponds. Bullfrogs are the only ones that I have seen go after fish, now never saw them actually catch one but try yes. The other frogs, like green frogs or pickerel frogs, no they ignore the fish and are more focused on things moving around above the water line.

Either way, doesn’t matter to me, I have so many little fish in the pond, population control is fine. Even introduce bluespotted and black banded sunfish into my pond this year, to help control the koi/orfe/goldfish fry.

can you actually see them if looking, jhn? I may have to go this route in the near future. Though, I don't feed heavily at all so am hoping the smaller gf and koi do some of this for me as a matter of course.

 

[Jhn]

can you actually see them if looking, jhn? I may have to go this route in the near future. Though, I don't feed heavily at all so am hoping the smaller gf and koi do some of this for me as a matter of course.

Not really, just added them a month or so ago. plus they are secretive and prefer to hide in the plants, but figure that is where the fry like to hide too, so if they are also there they will eat them.

The ones I got about 12 total are like 1”-2” so they arent going to come out in the open any time soon, I imagine.

 

[Tula]

TULA!!! Where ya been? On hiatus?

Ha ha, my absence has been noted . I'm in New Jersey helping care for my very first grandchild ! She was born prematurely so my help is greatly appreciated.

Mr. P has been on his own with our pond with me giving directions via texts and Face Time !

We're headed back to Ohio ( my daughter, granddaughter and myself ) Oct. 13th for several weeks !

 

[GBBUDD]

@Tula of course your absence was noted. But Covid has everything in a mess along with everything else, lets just hope this country is 1/3 as strong as we thin we are and get past aLL this crap

 

[Tula]

Well ,I'm home and wondered out to look at the pond and bog. I can't believe how tall the pickerel grew while I was away! Mr. P did a good job taking care of things

 

[Tula]

Well, the biggest bull frog I've had at our pond has taken up residence in my absence......or rather, GREW in my absence Also saw several smaller frogs so there is some balance. Think I saw a snake slither away too. I filled half a garbage tote with over grown plants.

 

[brokensword]

I filled half a garbage tote with over grown plants.

...and the fun is just beginning!

 

[Doctor mcboy]

i do think that the frogs have gotten larger and the fry population have gone down. nature has a way i suppose.

 

[Doctor mcboy]

i do think that the frogs have gotten larger and more numerous and the fry population have gone down. nature has a way i suppose.

also i bought 2 small koi at petsmart for 20 bucks. it will be interesting to see if they grow as fast as goldfish.

 

[Wayfarin]

Koi and goldfish might eat the eggs but would probably ignore the fry (preferring to beg excessively for fish food). When they aren't begging, cyprinids prefer to feed on the pond bottom (sometimes making a mess of plants rooted in the substrate).
Bass would ignore fish food and eggs in favor of other fish, and they can grow large enough to devastate goldfish and chase away frogs. They are considered by some to be apex predators, attaining a size of over two feet (large enough to eat all but the largest goldfish).

Sunfish would be much better, but they can be surprisingly aggressive, even if they are too small to eat adult goldfish. And some states prohibit the possession and release of wild game fish without a proper permit.

Bullfrogs don't often eat eggs or fry, but will attempt to choke down goldfish up to 6" in length! They will show up on their own if the pond is vegetated. Ducks, which eat eggs and fry, will also show up on their own if there is sufficient dense cover around the pond.

But the best goldfish pond predator is the great blue heron.
Are there any shallow areas for them to hunt?

 

[Wayfarin]

Overpopulated goldfish?
Obviously, otters aren't foraging for food in your pond yet.

They can deplete even pond of that size almost as fast as a raccoon can deplete a tiny, shallow pond.

If there was ever a problem with a pond of that size, it would be its attractiveness to river otters, which may not find smaller ponds but usually show up in larger ones.

 

[GBBUDD]

Koi and goldfish might eat the eggs but would probably ignore the fry (preferring to beg excessively for fish food). When they aren't begging, cyprinids prefer to feed on the pond bottom (sometimes making a mess of plants rooted in the substrate).
Bass would ignore fish food and eggs in favor of other fish, and they can grow large enough to devastate goldfish and chase away frogs. They are considered by some to be apex predators, attaining a size of over two feet (large enough to eat all but the largest goldfish).

Sunfish would be much better, but they can be surprisingly aggressive, even if they are too small to eat adult goldfish. And some states prohibit the possession and release of wild game fish without a proper permit.

Bullfrogs don't often eat eggs or fry, but will attempt to choke down goldfish up to 6" in length! They will show up on their own if the pond is vegetated. Ducks, which eat eggs and fry, will also show up on their own if there is sufficient dense cover around the pond.

But the best goldfish pond predator is the great blue heron.
Are there any shallow areas for them to hunt?

THIS POST IS FROM 3 YEARS AGO