Every area of the country has their own group of potential predators, lurking and waiting to snatch your favorite fish. The list of these sly hunters can include:

• Raccoons
• Muskrats
• Opossums
• Foxes
• Beavers
• Otters
• Bears
• Bullfrogs
• Turtles
• Birds

Some of these are deceptively harmless seeming and there are one or two that may make you decide they can just have your fish.  There are, however, a few things that can be done to help your little swimming friends.

The easiest, and many say the most effective, is to give your fish a hiding place.  If predators can’t catch them, they can’t eat them.  The answer is lots of floating plants and something to hide under.  An easy and inexpensive solution is laying a piece of black PVC pipe on the bottom of your pond. ­­­­

Decoys work well for some types of predators.  A few (like this heron) are territorial and if they think an area is already dominated by one of their own, they will not intrude.

Risking an attack by a natural rival like a snake, owl or alligator is another thing many will avoid. Remember, decoys need to be moved around often, animals can be very smart.

Your watergarden can also be covered with a net to keep most predators away.  It can be covered at night when most hunters are out.  A lot of people also cover in the spring and fall, when predators are the most active.

If a bear decides your back yard is where he likes to eat dinner, then I suggest a nice saltwater aquarium : )

What predators visit your pond?  Let us know in the comments.