Predators

Even if you live in a city, don't assume that your fishpond is safe from natural predators! Herons and raccoons have been removed from city dwelling ponds. You can discourage or slow down terrestrial predators such as raccoons with dense planting of grasses around the pond edge. Don't fret too much about cats, which love to watch fish but rarely catch them. Retrievers and other water loving dogs don't harm fish but make themselves a nuisance by knocking over planters and puncturing liners with their sharp nails.

If predators are a problem, please contact Reflections in the Garden for advice.

heron

Herons

These entertaining birds are plentiful along the coast as well as inland waterways. The great blue heron can grow as long as 6 feet tall; the green heron and related egret are smaller but equally skilled fishers. Because they like to walk to the water, rather than swooping down like seagulls, they can be discouraged with fishing line strung around the pond about 6 inches off the ground.

belted kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

This is another great bird to watch. Kingfishers kill fish by beating them against their perch, tossing them in the air and swallowing them head first. Since you don't want this to happen, avoid any tall perch located near your pond to discourage vertical diving.

Gulls

Compared to herons, gulls rarely fish in ponds. They are happier hanging around larger bodies of water or scavenging.
racoon fishing

Raccoon

Of all the pond predators, raccoons can be a serious problem. But while they love water and washing their food fastidiously, they like to enter the water at their own pace and won't appreciate the sheer drop off at the sides of the pond. Planting dense grasses along the sides of the pond will put a real dent in their fishing efforts. Call your local animal control agency if raccoons continue to be a problem. If you do see a raccoon out during the day, this may mean it has rabies.