Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

[blacksmith37]

After nearly 10 years, the coons got into a pond. They got 2 Koi about 18" long; can't think of anything else (in my yard) to get such big fish.
I never had a problem with birds because of the trees (one good thing about a pond under trees).  Water snakes have eaten a bunch of young Koi ; in previous years. But that has been the only predator problem.
I was trying to get rid of these 2 fish ,so they were in a 6' X22" deep plastic stock tank ; I thought it would be deep enough so fish could get away from coons.
My main pond is about 38" deep (about 32" of water) from the top of the flagstone coping.

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

You can cover it with chicken wire or old shrimp net to keep the critters out.   Have to get some hardware cloth if you want to keep the snakes out

You can get an outdoor light with motion sensor reasonably cheap.

But my favorite is a puppy  

[Mzungu]

Re: Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

I was trying to get rid of these 2 fish

Well...I guess you did... :(

Sorry about the fish, though. I guess the raccoons were just waiting for the right time.  :(

[Spot86t]

Re: Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

I'm so sorry to hear about your Koi loss  :(.  I've been afraid of similar problems with my babies.  I've grown (too) attached to them, and would hate if something were to happen to them.  Knock on wood, we have more opossums than coons around the house, and the lazya$$ guard cat darn near hands them his food on a silver platter.  I keep one big lily in the pond tho -  the leaves provide both shade and hiding places for the fish.  I also shy away from anything less than 24" deep (and that's really not even deep enough either). 3'6" to 4' is the depth I want my next pond to be.  With hiding caves since over at my house I've seen more coons than opossums.  

Question since you mention it tho - how did you get rid of snakes in your pond??  

Spot

[blacksmith37]

Re: Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

I hate to kill stuff , but I eliminated a yellow belly and one green water snake. They would get into the water so fast I couldn't catch them (live). I co-exist with other snakes, mostly copperheads , because they don't eat fish.
Made the mistake of not killing a few "eastern lubber" grasshoppers ( they are gloss black with red pinstripes and 3" long)a few years ago. This year I had to kill a bunch; they eat amarillis and similar plants to the (and into ) the ground.

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

Last time I drained my livestock pond I found a 4' copperhead with a 8" catfish in his mouth.  He couldn't eat it, but he gave it a good try.

[blacksmith37]

Re: Apparently racoons got a couple Koi

He must have not read the book. Copperheads are supposed to eat only warm blooded/mammels. Hog nose (I have seen them in the pond a couple times) can look like copperheads ,but the book says they eat frogs and toads,not fish. I saw the yellow belly snake in/near the pond every other day for 2 months ( a lot of little Koi).
If it isn't one thing it is another; this afternoon there is a 2 yr old deer sleeping IN THE YARD. I have eletric fence and other stuff to keep them away.

[Tek]

What are some tips on keeping snakes out of your yard?

I heard that snakes don't really like hanging around areas with cats but while digging the pond I have seen 3 little garden snakes so far. My roommate has about 10 cats that seen to never leave the yard.

I try to keep the lawn supper short. I know they recommend having the mower one down from the highest setting in the summer to prevent grass burn but I graze that thing down to the lowest setting.

I also try to eliminate fallen branches and leaves. I do have a utility easement that runs along the back of my property that has a tree lined concreted ditch. During Harvey some of the trees fell. The city came and they cut down some trees but left them in pieces behind my fence. So there are piles of wood which I am scared will provide homes for snakes, Coons and possoms.

I have three dogs. One barks at the possoms but they don't care. I have seen one possom cuddled with my roommate's kittens in the laundry room. The Coons poop in my front and side yard but never seen evidence of them in the back where the dogs are.

I don't really have bushy plants in the back like I do at the front, but I do have some fruit trees.

The drainage ditch behind the house is concreted and never holds water. The only time I have seen water in it was the morning after the first day Harvey hit. I woke up and there was about 15 feet of water in it. By evening the water had give down even though the rain kept coming for days after. I am concerned however that the green belt with the fallen trees serve as a path from the bayou to my house.

[blacksmith37]

Actually I want some snakes in my yard, other than the fish eaters. I mistakenly planted some "running bamboo" and it is invasive. Voles eat it and I want the copperheads to control the voles. Many of my neighbors kill any snake they can ; so this year ( August ) I have only seen one copperhead. Ten years ago , I would see a couple each month. I have found copperheads and other snake avoid people as much as they can. We have 2 small dogs , the only time they found a snake ( copperhead) they wanted nothing to do with it.