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And I thought only cats had 9 lives

kathie51dkathie51d Posts: 100
in Wildlife gardening
"Big Boy" a 9" koi with 6 other smaller fish we unexpectedly inherited when we moved to the cottage 3 years ago ( of which 5 of the small ones were taken by a visiting Heron whilst we were away) that we have replaced by 3 more "friends" for "Big Boy" One frozen morning the pond half ice I noticed "Big Boy" laying sideways attached to the ice, managed to get him free but lost some scales and had an ice burn on his side. Watched him struggle with the cold the next day so filled a large container with pond and warmer tap water and put him in the green house. Nurtured him for 2 days during the coldest weather where his new home remained just above freezing, he perked up with the warmer environment. Near the end of "the freeze" I decided he might as well return to his pond home the next day and as I was closing up for the night decided to check "Big Boy" for one last time. To my amazement, he was not in the container, in panic I looked all around- not on the floor not on the sand and grit draining area, had something got in and taken him? No it was then that I saw him, laying some distance from the container looking like a breadcrumbed fish ready to fry! Covered in sand and gravel. He must be dead, then I saw him gasp, I spent the next 20 minutes gently cleaning him and swishing him about in the water. I returned him to his friends that night after a time of floating in a bin liner to adjust to the change in water temp. He then gets an infection, so doctored him up ( and his friends) where he still swans around, not quite out of the woods yet but having used up so many lives I am not sure how many he has left?🦈

Posts

  • raisingirlraisingirl East Devon, on the Edge of Exmoor.Posts: 3,766
    Goodness. That's quite a fish 
    You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
    Know when to walk away and know when to run
  • ObelixxObelixx Vendée, Western FrancePosts: 19,333
    Can you put a grid across the pond to keep the heron out?   Seems to me that fish merits the extra protection.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • Valley GardenerValley Gardener Posts: 1,644
    Your story reminded me of the time one of our cats brought back a large live Koi and put it in the pond!! We had no idea where it came from,but two more followed! All alive and well! They were all the cat ever caught in her 16 years!🐟



    The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
  • kathie51dkathie51d Posts: 100
    Obelixx said:
    Can you put a grid across the pond to keep the heron out?   Seems to me that fish merits the extra protection.
    Yes, when my car is parked next to the pond it protects it, as we were away, car was as well. the pond also has an overhang area where the fish can hide.  Heron not been back since but will provide extra protection next time away. " What a generous cat Cagzo Koi seem to be blessed with good luck.
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