New Pond, One Missing Fish?

[DenniMac]

We used a 150 rubber stock trough, to make an above ground outdoor pond, and bought some nice, medium sized shubinkins. We let the pond cycle for about two weeks before adding the fish, and they seemed very happy & healthy. (We also have some tiny mosquito fish also).
The goldfish fish acclimated well, & the only extra thing we added was a UV Light, which cleared up the algae in a few days. The fish were friendly and playful even, until one morning where we saw the pond 2/3 drained, & water all over the patio. The spout on the bucket water feature above had backup up, & put the water outside the pond. My first thought was a predator, but there was nothing in or around the pond disturbed, & the fish came out again in two-three days. They have a very heavy, solid rock double ledge that gives them protection & hiding space, & a few large rocks they hide under and between as well.

We had the same issue happen again a week later, but when the fish came out of hiding, there’s one we haven’t seen again. There’s no sign of predators or any disturbance in or around the pond, & the pond has 3”, thick, angled out, slick walled sides. We also have three large dogs who monitor the yard well at night. Its been 5 days, so we moved & looked everywhere that a fish could have died, to no avail.
Would raccoons, possums, etc. go for
just one fish, of 5, (plus 6 mosquito fish), with no noise, or signs of any disturbance to plants, rocks, etc, around the pond? We’re baffled at this point.

 

[Mmathis]

How many fish did you add?

 

[mrsclem]

Bullfrog, snake or bird could have gotten it.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Yes, sometimes one just disappears.

 

[TheFishGuy]

or unlike all these negative grumpy's, it could be hiding! I had a goldfish hide for two weeks, tore up the pond and couldnt find it, then one day it was just sorta there again

as for your water loss, what are the possible causes, I would personally rule out a predator, because it doesn't seem like they could displace that much water, I am almost in favor of a loose drain plug? those containers do have drain plugs, so definitely check that at the least.

 

[bburnrover]

or unlike all these negative grumpy's, it could be hiding! I had a goldfish hide for two weeks, tore up the pond and couldnt find it, then one day it was just sorta there again

as for your water loss, what are the possible causes, I would personally rule out a predator, because it doesn't seem like they could displace that much water, I am almost in favor of a loose drain plug? those containers do have drain plugs, so definitely check that at the least.

I agree as my fish all disappeared for 9 months? I thought wrongly they had gone over the overflow as the pond is fairly large, new and stream fed but they all started bombing around on a warm sunny day the year after, I could not believe it! Lucky I have an automatic fish feeder or they may have starved to death.

 

[DenniMac]

How many fish did you add?

Five, (now four), shubunkin goldfish, & some tiny mosquito fish.
Our once playful, friendly fish now hide under a deep ledge all day, & we’ve found smallish, dark brown scat on tables & pond eye level surfaces, where a small mammal appears to be scouting, & hunting.

 

[DenniMac]

Five, (now four), shubunkin goldfish, & some tiny mosquito fish.
Our once playful, friendly fish now hide under a deep ledge all day, & we’ve found smallish, dark brown scat on tables & pond eye level surfaces, where a small mammal appears to be scouting, & hunting.

 

[DenniMac]

How many fish did you add?

Five Shubs and 7 very tiny mosquito fish, (now four Shubs).