Vanishing Orfe (fish)

[blackkitty]

I know they're not quite wildlife but I'm hoping some wise grape has ideas. Before we went on holiday we had four large orfe, the biggest about 12", when we came back two weeks later they were gone as were 2 koi including a reasonable big gold one. Its not a heron as we've got tired of that years ago and have a net, there's no way one go get in, also if its something like that all the other fish panic and hide and the erst of ours are still coming up. I thought it might be that they were spawning and had hidden but I had a big cleanout of overgrown weed etc yesterday and they're completely gone. The net is suspended about 15cm off the ground for the frogs but I don't think a fox could get in and we haven't seen any of ages either.
Any suggestions please.

[TEB]

What about a snake

[Hans Mum]

stolen??? there's money in fish these days

[lynda66]

they went on holiday?

[blackkitty]

I also wondered about stolen, the big orfe would probably sell for over £20 each and the golden koi is about twice that, but we don't live in an area that I would expect people to trade in pond fish and the pond is part of a fairly overgrown wildlife area. I've seen the little boy next door and had a chat with him to see if any neighbourhood kids have suddenly aquired them but it seems not.

[Jeanied]

You don't think it may be a cat? Mine did for the neighbour's goldfish - mind you it was only little (the fish I mean)

[Aileen35]

Dont kid yourself. I had burglars in the back garden on Monday evening, and I have nothing worth nicking! We live in deapest no where. Got woken up at 12.15 by 4 coppers looking for an R reg rover with 4 hoodies.. Sign of the times. If its not cats, its 2 legged vermin

[wilbri]

stealthy robbers for sure

If you've finished your clean-up and the fish are all gone, then you've been robbed. Question is, how many legs to each mouth? Your net appears to leave our feathered friends off the hook- but who's hook claimed your fish? Take a look for spoor- foxes, escaped mongoose, ferret, or equivalent, what do you have in your area? Cats are probably too small and water-fearers to handle large fish. Our cousins, the 2-foot/mouth type could well be to blame! Whatever-> really feel sad for you, after what was hopefully a good break, returned to have a living dream broken........ Don't let the robbers bamboozle you- next time you can, go enjoy that holiday and hopefully, the sun and rain will then have worked for you, to welcome you back happier than this time

Dont kid yourself. I had burglars in the back garden on Monday evening, and I have nothing worth nicking! We live in deapest no where. Got woken up at 12.15 by 4 coppers looking for an R reg rover with 4 hoodies.. Sign of the times. If its not cats, its 2 legged vermin

[Polly Fouracre]

I'm ashamed to say that many years ago, Jim's cat would come home with Koi Carp, some of them quite big!
My cats were kept confined so I could not be blamed, but you probably have a fishing cat visiting!!

[Two_Sheds]

Orfe are renowned for jumping. They aren't really suited to ponds, preferring faster flowing streams.
I've tried to keep Golden Orfe and Blue Orfe, in deep ponds ... they all commit suicide by jumping out. Bodies aren't always discovered, because things like rats take them away.

[WrexTheDragon]

If you live anyware near a canal, my money would be on an otter.

[bobleponge]

Or possibly a mink? There are enough of them loose in the UK now that they have been released into the wilds.
The net is probably high enough to allow a mink/cat/otter underneath.
If the thieves were human there would almost definitely be some sign of disturbance around the pont, even just flattened grass or the net moved in some way.

[blackkitty]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I don't think its a cat as we have five of our own and the neighbours which keep other cats away.
Two sheds, I did wonder about jumping but would all four do it in a two week period when they've never done it before? Also 2 of my koi are gone.
I'm trying to find out if heron's have been known to feed sideways. We are also close to a stream so maybe something like milnk is a possibility.

[factory preset]

I know they're not quite wildlife but I'm hoping some wise grape has ideas. Before we went on holiday we had four large orfe, the biggest about 12", when we came back two weeks later they were gone as were 2 koi including a reasonable big gold one. Its not a heron as we've got tired of that years ago and have a net, there's no way one go get in, also if its something like that all the other fish panic and hide and the erst of ours are still coming up. I thought it might be that they were spawning and had hidden but I had a big cleanout of overgrown weed etc yesterday and they're completely gone. The net is suspended about 15cm off the ground for the frogs but I don't think a fox could get in and we haven't seen any of ages either.
Any suggestions please.

Definitely a mink as we had the same prolem

[WendyC]

Couldn't believe my eyes today when I went into the garden and disturbed a crow with one of my goldfish in it's beak. I thought it had a piece of bacon to start with. I didn't know they ate fish let alone took from a garden pond in the middle of a housing estate. There were 6 fish in the pond but I have only seen three - am still hoping the other 2 are hiding.