Koi attack--any ideas as to culprit please.

[DannyK]

Just found headless koi on other side of garden from pond.

Likely culprits-- fox, badger, cat. We get herons too.

Very puzzled as fish usually on bottom at this time of year. I purposely left duckweed due to herons being about.

There was a fox trotting up garden but it looked dry.

Your thoughts please.

[Guest]

Otter and fox are usually the culprits when headless, but as you say if they are at the bottom it is unlikely for a fox to bother. Either way it is horrible and annoying sorry to hear what has happened.

[lottie dolly]

Ohhhh poor fish,how horrible for you to find,sorry to see and hear about it.

[Jungle Jane]

Is the head somewhere nearby? My cat doesn’t like to touch frogs which are similar textured,he really wanted to poke one once but he didn’t touch it,like it was alien. It was probably the fox,I think a heron would carry the whole fish away,I don’t know though this is terrible I hope you’re alright! Bury it next to your favourite tree/shrub good source of BFB,but put stones over it incase of wildlife. Ive had to do that here when our fish died over the years. Is there something you can put in the pond to keep foxes away?

[DannyK]

Not otter as nowhere near river or lake. No sign of head.

Not upset, just puzzled. Don't think it was fox as would expect it to have taken away and cached it.

[Lardman]

Could it have been fished out by a heron and then chewed by a fox ? We have lost 40% of ours to the wretched things.

[veggiechicken]

Sorry to see that Danny.
Could it be mink? Apparently, they're messy eaters, leaving bits uneaten

[Bren In Pots]

When we had our pond an Heron came ate two fish and left 3 others with stab wounds to die on the bank we filled in the pond soon after that to make more veg beds.

[Snadger]

Sorry to see that Danny.
Could it be mink? Apparently, they're messy eaters, leaving bits uneaten

I agree, evil little gits that they are!

[4Shoes]

One winter 3 times I got in in the middle of the night and stood on a dead fish.

2 month later, house 4 doors down went up for sale with ornamental pond in garden

It was this time of year. Perhaps the moon attracts them to surface

[burnie]

Herons tend to swallow prey whole

[DannyK]

Sorry to see that Danny.
Could it be mink? Apparently, they're messy eaters, leaving bits uneaten

We're not near water so mink unlikely.

[lottie dolly]

what ever it was,could come back now it's had a taste.

[DannyK]

what ever it was,could come back now it's had a taste.

Thanks! Actually it did happen previously over a year ago but all that was left then was a few scales.

[Kirk]

I would have said mink. They are not as aquatic an amimal like otter, classed as semiaquatic", but will range over a wide area and will take anything they can.

Herons would either eat or stab anything but cannot see why they would seperate head from body. They spear and eat fish.

Likely going to need a wildlife camera to find out what or a PC+webcam running all night.