Koi

[One Bad Pig]

The hawks and falcons around here don't come straight down.

Then you could put up barriers around the pond instead, using the same material.

[rogue06]

Then you could put up barriers around the pond instead, using the same material.

They seem to be pretty good at maneuvering. At the "Bird of Prey Show" at the local Renaissance Fest they have a hawk that swoops in and grab something on the end of a long, thick cord that the handler swings rapidly in a circle over his head. In fact one of the highlights is when it plunges between a member of the audience's slightly spread legs.

The point is that you would have to completely enclose it which would likely take a lot of the joy of having the koi pond in the first place.

[One Bad Pig]

They seem to be pretty good at maneuvering. At the "Bird of Prey Show" at the local Renaissance Fest they have a hawk that swoops in and grab something on the end of a long, thick cord that the handler swings rapidly in a circle over his head. In fact one of the highlights is when it plunges between a member of the audience's slightly spread legs.

The point is that you would have to completely enclose it which would likely take a lot of the joy of having the koi pond in the first place.

If it were chicken coop wire it wouldn't feel all that enclosed, IMO.

[rogue06]

If it were chicken coop wire it wouldn't feel all that enclosed, IMO.

That was the only thing I could come up with as well.

[Jedidiah]

Why begrudge the birds their food? You can always add more koi.

[rogue06]

Why begrudge the birds their food? You can always add more koi.

Some people get attached to them much like any pet, especially considering that some varieties can live well over a hundred years.

[Cow Poke]

Why begrudge the birds their food? You can always add more koi.

Reminds me of the story of the "Bible Museum" where they had a room behind a glass wall where a Lion* and a lamb lay together on the straw covered floor. Visitors would ask, "how do you get that to work"?

The curator says, "oh, it's easy, every couple days, we put in a new lamb".




*In Isaiah 11:6, it's a wolf

[Carrikature]

Why begrudge the birds their food? You can always add more koi.

If I wanted to feed birds, I would build a bird feeder. Small koi can cost $20-40 (from what I've seen), and they go up quite a bit from there depending on size and type.



They do sell netting designed to protect against birds of prey. It's a lot more aesthetically pleasing than chicken wire (which isn't saying much). My experience with predators is that you only ever hinder them. It's always a question of how determined/hungry they are. That said, I know that a properly designed pond should account for protection against predators. It might be a question of depth, overhangs, hiding places, width, or whatever else. A lot of the pictures I've seen online are of small, shallow ponds with no place for fish to go. They're basically buffet lines for anything hungry.

[Carrikature]

Some people get attached to them much like any pet, especially considering that some varieties can live well over a hundred years.

Yeah. There's amateur 'fish look neat' sorts while others turn it into a full hobby. The level of care for the latter is a lot more involved, and obviously isn't something to spend lightly.

ETA: There are actually koi shows and breeding programs.

[Jedidiah]

If I wanted to feed birds, I would build a bird feeder. Small koi can cost $20-40 (from what I've seen), and they go up quite a bit from there depending on size and type.

I agree. I was not being serious with that comment. You may have noticed and responded any way.

[Carrikature]

I agree. I was not being serious with that comment. You may have noticed and responded any way.

I figured it was tongue and cheek.

[Sparko]

Obviously the answer is to get Rogue06 to create RoboKoi with retractable Wolverine claws on their back to fight off the birds of prey.

[Cow Poke]

I figured it was tongue and cheek.

Or, perhaps, tongue in cheek.

[rogue06]

Obviously the answer is to get Rogue06 to create RoboKoi with retractable Wolverine claws on their back to fight off the birds of prey.

Once again you had to go and spill the beans

We're only in the early prototype stage
300x300.jpg

[Sparko]

Once again you had to go and spill the beans

We're only in the early prototype stage
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Is that a mortar for a mouth?