Predator Controls
As we get un-welcome visitors to our pond, our fish magically dissapear. These products will help control these Pond Predators either by scaring them off with a blast of water, a decoy to confuse them, or netting to fustrate them.
Fish Decoys are fake fish which you float just under the surface of the water so the predators will go after them first giving your real fish time to take cover and hide. They work best in ponds with a surface current which causes the fish decoy to look like it is swimming making them a prime target for the predators. They can still be used in stagnet ponds but are more efficient when wiggling.
Pond Netting is sort of a last resort. By spreading the netting over the pond surface, the predator will get fustrated, possibly tangled, and then want to leave. Note: Blue Herons & Egrets can still strike your fish through the holes in the netting. Your fish may die from the stab wounds, but the bird will not be able to eat the fish because it will be unable to lift it past the netting. If possible, install the netting so it is 1'-2' off the pond surface. It will not look preety, but your fish will be safer.
Alligator Decoys work well with Migratory Predator Birds. Herons & Egrets are eaten by alligators in the southern states. As these birds migrate to the north in the summer months, they are very wary of being attacked by an alligator so alligator decoys will have some sucess with these birds.
Blue Herons are very large birds (see photo below left) & territorial by nature. They will not feed if another heron is present. The Blue Heron is capable of killing and eating very large fish (see photo below right). An adult Heron can remove & eat 1 ten inch fish per minute out of your pond. Our Heron Decoy when installed by your pond, will confuses an overflying heron into beliving that another heron is feeding on your pond and will fly on to where there is no competitor to fight with.
Snapping Turtles are a major predator in larger liner and earth bottom type ponds. There favorite meal is your fish. If fish, ducks and frogs are disappearing without any evidence of predatory birds, then Snapping Turtles might be your problem. Snapping Turtles are capable of eating anything they can fit into their mouths including aquatic life, pets and small children. ShopTJB offers a Wire Trap for catching and relocating these major aquatic predators.
TJB-INC INSTALLATION TIP:
When using the Heron Decoy, make sure to move it different locations around your pond every few days otherwise the smart real heron will relize your heron is a fake and poses no harm. The real heron will soon land and feed next to your decoy. (This happened to us in our TJB-INC Display Gardens). A hungry heron, can clean your pond of your prized fish in very short order. We have found that a combination of decoy products has been successful most of the times.
NOTE: There are times when you will get a brave and determined predator who decides your fish taste good and nothing is going to stop it short of killing it! (Sorry, but it's the truth)
