I have a small fish pond about 500 gallons. I had about 10 big goldfish that were fat. Yesterday morning I fed them as I usually do. All were there. This morning I went out to feed them and not one fish is there! I have a neighbors cat who is lurking and have had trouble with a Heron in the past. But I put several large window screens on there to protect them. About 2 weeks ago I saw a large black snake near the pond. Screens are not moved. I could picture a snake picking the fish off one are two at a time.......but all of them overnight???

Sounds very frustrating. I agree that one snake couldn't have done that, but I'm not a good enough detective to figure it out from the information provided.

I'm with psa. Not clear about these large screens. Were these loose screening material, or screens in frames? I can't imagine finding framed screens unmoved the next day unless it was a human who put hem back, as found, or there were gaps large enough for a critter to get through.

Carol... my best guess would be raccoons... it's devastating to loose all our fish over night. Don't be discouraged. It could have been the heron too. I put a motion camera out at night by my pond help to identify what critters are visiting the pond. But usually raccoons are the marauders that come in the middle of the night and raid ponds . I had fish in mine for over ten years. A cat fish 8'' and koi raised from babies. I also had a clapper by the pond to discourage pond raiders and the clapper broke and the next night all my fish were gone. Only raccoons can catch and eat that many. They hang out in gangs usually mom and her kids .Tightly place screens over pond at night weigh down with heavy rocks.

Now they don't come near my pond fixed the clappers and motion sprinklers usually catch them and a camera only shows a few hummers and other birds drinking from the water falls. Also added hiding places in caves so the raccoons can't reach them and water plants over top so our resident heron does not see them. Put out live traps with tuna to catch raccoons. Once they find food they come back.

Have caught many around here and one attacked my poor kitty. He's fine now but was really touch and go. So I set out live traps around my property helps keep the population down. Never leave any cat, dog fish food out.

That's rough, Carol. Sorry to hear this. I would tend to agree with bumplbea and guess raccoons since they all disappeared in one night.

How deep is your pond? What is your plant coverage?

Personally, I never feed fish in a pond, causes too many problems, like getting they willing to come to the surface when someone approaches looking for a hand out.

And yes, raccoons are the number one suspect for over night raids. They'll leave a pond alone for decades, then swoop in all at once. Not sure why. Dietary need I suspect.