More new additions

A few weeks ago I finished restocking the pond by purchasing 4 small Golden Orfe.

This brings the total number of fish to 6 Golden Orfe (including 2 large Golden Orfe which I have had for over 9 years) and 6 small Koi Carp.

The Koi are now happily coming to feed at the surface I am glad to report!

The Heron will find the pond a less easy target from now on.

New beginnings

Out of the original 6 Goldfish and 6 Orfe there are I believe only 2 Orfe remaining in the pond.

I have now purchased 6 small Koi Carp from our nearest garden centre at a cost of £30. However since putting them in the pond I have barely seen them at all due presumably to a fairly cold water temperature of 15 degrees or less.

The frog population of the pond has also been badly hit. Last year it was normal for me to see 5 or more frogs in the pond at any one time but this year I have only just spotted a frog for the first time.

I will not make the mistake of leaving the pond unguarded this coming winter!

Bad times

The last month or so has been the toughest time the fish have had since being introduced to the pond almost 9 years ago. Firstly, the pond has been frozen over on several occasions after frosty nights which is nothing new as we are situated 600 feet above sea level. Secondly we have had a new and unwelcome visitor to the garden, namely a Grey Heron. I discovered a Goldfish lying in the middle of our back lawn a couple of times and actually witnessed his attempts to swallow another fish which he had taken from the pond. At present I do not know how many fish if any he actually got away with. Thirdly I have lost three large Goldfish and one Orfe but don't know exactly what the problem was. I discovered them floating dead at the surface over the course of 2 or 3 days. One theory is that they have been attacked by insect larvae which are well capable of attaching themselves to large fish and gradually killing them. As I pulled one of the fish from the water there was certainly some form of insect on the body which could have been dragonfly larvae. I do not know if there are any fish left in the pond as any which may remain will be right at the bottom and will not surface until spring. There will have to be a restocking job done this year in any case.

Froglets!

It seems a long time since I took the frog spawn out of our pond but at last I have returned the first of the froglets to the garden pond. They have developed well on a diet of flaked fish food and algae and I'm sure it won't be too long before all the tadpoles have become frogs.

Tadpole situation

I have had to return a load of tadpoles to the pond as there were far too many for the size of the baby bath. The remaining tadpoles now seem to be growing faster and the largest ones have started to develop tiny legs as well as looking more like frogs every day. I have placed an old piece of flowerpot in the bath for them to clamber on to as they develop further. With the poor summer we are experiencing there are few photo opportunities around the pond. The most frogs seen at one time is now 8 but I am certain that there are far more than this.

Busy pond!

I counted no fewer than seven frogs in the pond today including one juvenile who is only a third of the size of the others. I am sure there are more still, they just didn't make themselves visible today. The plants in and around the pond are really growing now and the whole pond area has a summer feel to it.

First Dragonfly of the summer

The pond is really coming to life now with various insects being seen in the vicinity of the water and the odd frog sunbathing on top of the floating plants..