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Pond fish


walshie
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I've got a decent size pond that contained stunted rudd, a few small tench and some fair-size koi carp. I stocked it with rainbow trout to thin out the rudd (and eat). This seems to have worked as the rudd are now much less plentiful and the average size has increased from an inch long, to 4" or more.

I was sitting watching them earlier and there was a group of 5 or 6 sunning themselves. I could see a black shape in the water near them and moved closer for a better look. It was a fish, about the same length as the rudd, but it definitely wasn't a rudd. It was slowly swimming away from me and I got a good view of it for a few seconds. It was much wider at the head end, tapering off to its tail, like a giant tadpole.

The only fish I can think off that fits the description would be a small Wels catfish. It can't have been in there that long to only be that size. Is it possible a bird could have picked one up and dropped it into the pond?

Any other ideas what it could be? I hope it isn't a catfish. 

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On 24/08/2019 at 19:20, walshie said:

I've got a decent size pond that contained stunted rudd, a few small tench and some fair-size koi carp. I stocked it with rainbow trout to thin out the rudd (and eat). This seems to have worked as the rudd are now much less plentiful and the average size has increased from an inch long, to 4" or more.

I was sitting watching them earlier and there was a group of 5 or 6 sunning themselves. I could see a black shape in the water near them and moved closer for a better look. It was a fish, about the same length as the rudd, but it definitely wasn't a rudd. It was slowly swimming away from me and I got a good view of it for a few seconds. It was much wider at the head end, tapering off to its tail, like a giant tadpole.

The only fish I can think off that fits the description would be a small Wels catfish. It can't have been in there that long to only be that size. Is it possible a bird could have picked one up and dropped it into the pond?

Any other ideas what it could be? I hope it isn't a catfish. 

A jack pike viewed from above could fit your description

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1 hour ago, islandgun said:

A jack pike viewed from above could fit your description

Don't think it was a pike. I've seen plenty of them and this was different. 

42 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said:

how about a bullhead?

image.png.6738287e7502fc85e6be9e90137e3f71.png

Yes, that's the right shape, but it was black. I just read they go black during spawning, but this was too big to be one. Unless I have the British record in there. :D

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7 hours ago, chrisjpainter said:

How long was it? You've really run out of options once you've discounted the bullhead and Wels - unless it's a burbot and you're about to make national news!

Somewhere between 4 and 6 inches i'd guess. I'm still not discounting Wels. There's a fishery within 20 miles of me that has large stocks of them

7 hours ago, islandgun said:

unless its one of these 

_85365430_pflampreyhead.jpg.e2dd217baf4eb4fc8e74fce292660bd4.jpg

Lamprey are making a come back to a above a chipshop near you

Not a lamprey. :lol:

5 hours ago, Penelope said:

That;s the nearest thing so far.

Edited by walshie
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20 hours ago, walshie said:

Somewhere between 4 and 6 inches i'd guess. I'm still not discounting Wels. There's a fishery within 20 miles of me that has large stocks of them

Not a lamprey. 

That;s the nearest thing so far.

You, know, I wonder if it could be an anorexic tench? Poisson Chat are very common in France, but I've not heard of them being over here. 

26 minutes ago, old'un said:

Remember reading they can move across land on damp nights looking for a better food source, looks like they have found one in your pond.

Wels? No.

Clarias catfish, or African walking catfish, yes, most certainly

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I recently got a permit to stock some carp, tench and silverfish. I think I'll hold off till I get to the bottom of this.

As an aside, next door has a pond too and he caught a grass carp in there even though he has never put any in, only commons and mirrors.

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