Looking great mate! There's a DIY koi pond in my future sometime.....I'm sure of it 
It’s finally happening, but it’s actually happening
- Thread starter The Masked Shadow
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There are motion activated sprinklers available…like this one. https://www.champkoi.com/products/abcosport-water-jet-animal-repeller
Heard they are hit or miss with raccoons since they’re smart and can get used to them. If you’re pond is deep enough, your koi are probably safe from raccoons so the sprinkler might work well for birds
You can also try a blue heron decoy…they’re territorial so they discourage others from landing.
-1 koi, the platinum ogon. I believe it is from a bobcat, as i live in the vicinity of a canyon, there were only a couple scales and blood left at the scene, and there are these claw marks on the lilypads. also the claws had to be long enough to sever some lily stems. Here are the claw marks on the lilypad.
On the bright side, I set up a motion-activated sprinkler today, which will hopefully discourage predators…until they figure it out. I did not have the net over it as of recent because the lilys are doing so well, 100% my bad.
I also planned to go koi shopping today, even though one of my fish was eaten yesterday (could be stupid, i dont know). These were the fish picked:
Asagi, larger one, probably ~10” and fat. (really bad photo)
Gin Rin Ki Matsuba (i think, but the ID’s don’t matter to me too much, to me its a pretty fish lol)
Gin Rin Platinum Ogon Butterfly (looks a little red in this picture, but he is completely white)
Doitsu Hariwake Long Fin(?) (again, ID doesn’t matter, it’s a pretty fish)
From now on I will put the net on, and hope the sprinkler keeps the predators away
On the bright side, I set up a motion-activated sprinkler today, which will hopefully discourage predators…until they figure it out. I did not have the net over it as of recent because the lilys are doing so well, 100% my bad.
I also planned to go koi shopping today, even though one of my fish was eaten yesterday (could be stupid, i dont know). These were the fish picked:
Asagi, larger one, probably ~10” and fat. (really bad photo)
Gin Rin Ki Matsuba (i think, but the ID’s don’t matter to me too much, to me its a pretty fish lol)
Gin Rin Platinum Ogon Butterfly (looks a little red in this picture, but he is completely white)
Doitsu Hariwake Long Fin(?) (again, ID doesn’t matter, it’s a pretty fish)
From now on I will put the net on, and hope the sprinkler keeps the predators away
Nice fish! You could try sinking some large flowerpots into your pond so they can get away from predators. That cut down my losses by a lot. Nets never worked for me as the critters would get under it eventually
They have had a hide; fist time I saw them use it was yesterday, the day after one got taken.
I lost some of my goldfish this summer to a heron, and have had the odd visit from a kingfisher as well although I dont think it actually tried a dive-bombing mission. I used one of the motion-activated sprinklers with great success, but it was tough to set it up such that the sensor covered the whole pond. The only place that produced that result also set the sprinkler off every time I stepped onto the little deck alongside the pond, and Duke kept setting it off as well. I had simply run the hose across the grass to the pond, thinking that I would bury it after proving that I liked the sprinkler system...but although it works I'm not in love with it.
Near the end of the season, I placed four of those little multi-coloured mylar windmill gizmos around the pond. They will move with even the slightest breath of a breeze, and they worked like a charm, keeping away not only diurnal predators like the heron but also deer. They didn't eat any fish but they insisted upon drinking from the pond, trampling the terrestrial vegetation around it and also knocking the edging stones into the water. Simple, cheap and effective.
I have a bunch of black ABS pipe sections scattered across the bottom for hides. After each heron attack, the fish would disappear for the rest of the day or even for several days into those shelters. I actually lost far fewer goldies than I originally thought because they were so well concealed I didn't see them for some time.
Black ABS looks like hell, but in a dark-bottomed pond like yours it will be largely invisible...maybe not quite as invisible as the Gymnogeophagus you insist upon adding will be, but still pretty hard to see.
Near the end of the season, I placed four of those little multi-coloured mylar windmill gizmos around the pond. They will move with even the slightest breath of a breeze, and they worked like a charm, keeping away not only diurnal predators like the heron but also deer. They didn't eat any fish but they insisted upon drinking from the pond, trampling the terrestrial vegetation around it and also knocking the edging stones into the water. Simple, cheap and effective.
I have a bunch of black ABS pipe sections scattered across the bottom for hides. After each heron attack, the fish would disappear for the rest of the day or even for several days into those shelters. I actually lost far fewer goldies than I originally thought because they were so well concealed I didn't see them for some time.
Black ABS looks like hell, but in a dark-bottomed pond like yours it will be largely invisible...maybe not quite as invisible as the Gymnogeophagus you insist upon adding will be, but still pretty hard to see.
Even with the blood & scales? It was at night too. Also, there are those marks on the lily pads.
Yeah, I do have a large cave for them, and they did stay at the deepest parts.Black ABS looks like hell, but in a dark-bottomed pond like yours it will be largely invisible...maybe not quite as invisible as the Gymnogeophagus you insist upon adding will be, but still pretty hard to see.
I have bobcats in my area too but every time I found half eaten koi along with lots of damage, I always found raccoon prints. Can’t stand those things. They’re cute but ornery and super smart. They’re also relentless and come back every damn night once they’ve found a food source.
