How to get rid of fish?

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Discussion

Bikesalot

Original Poster:

1,843 posts

165 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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When I moved into my current house it had a very well established pond with quite a few common roach. All was fine (and still is). I left the pond cover off one night and the local heron came and took some, including the only actual goldfish. Since then I’ve built a much larger raised pond, moved all the fish across, much improved filtration system and aeration.

They’ve been in the new pond for two years and spawn every year. I’m now faced with the situation of having too many fish, a mixture of ages and sizes, approx 30 but perhaps more. Some of the roach have a golden tinge and others look as you’d expect.

Where or how can I get rid of some? You can’t sell animals on marketplace so that rules that out, plus I don’t want anything for them! Roach aren’t the most desirable pond fish either.

Short of chucking a load into a bucket and dropping them off into a stream / river so I have any other options?





Edited by Bikesalot on Monday 21st August 09:09


Edited by Bikesalot on Monday 21st August 09:22

DickyC

51,713 posts

205 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Some years ago I started a thread on PH saying something like Free Fish. As I understood it, I couldn't sell them as I wasnt a registered dealer or breeder. A chap responded and turned up a few days later with new plastic dustbins on a pick up. We put pond water in the bins, then the fish. They travelled along the M4 from Newbury to Newport in South Wales and all but the four oldest fish made it.

Don't put them in a nearby stream. That's an offence.

Simpo Two

87,074 posts

272 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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DickyC said:
new plastic dustbins...all but the four oldest fish made it.
Plasticiser leaching into the water maybe?

Bikesalot

Original Poster:

1,843 posts

165 months

Monday 21st August 2023
quotequote all
DickyC said:
Don't put them in a nearby stream. That's an offence.
Didn’t know that, thought I’d be doing them some good.

DickyC

51,713 posts

205 months

Monday 21st August 2023
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
DickyC said:
new plastic dustbins...all but the four oldest fish made it.
Plasticiser leaching into the water maybe?
I wondered if they just too set in their ways to be moved. The younger fish, according to the chap who took them, hardly noticed.

bad company

19,471 posts

273 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Post on your local Facebook group page. Someone will want them.

GliderRider

2,527 posts

88 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Fish can be advertised on Gumtree.

Silvanus

6,041 posts

30 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Are they not rudd, rather than roach?

As has Ben mentioned, don't release them anywhere.

eBay is another place they can be listed.

Bikesalot

Original Poster:

1,843 posts

165 months

Monday 21st August 2023
quotequote all
Silvanus said:
Are they not rudd, rather than roach?
Perhaps?



Red9zero

7,909 posts

64 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Advertise on Plenty of Fish ?

Seriously though, our local pet shop (who specialised in fish) would take in unwanted fish and sell them on. Might be worth asking round locally.

Bikesalot

Original Poster:

1,843 posts

165 months

Monday 21st August 2023
quotequote all
Red9zero said:
Advertise on Plenty of Fish ?

Seriously though, our local pet shop (who specialised in fish) would take in unwanted fish and sell them on. Might be worth asking round locally.
I have a local aquatic centre who said they wouldn’t take them due to risk of disease etc.

Red9zero

7,909 posts

64 months

Monday 21st August 2023
quotequote all
Bikesalot said:
Red9zero said:
Advertise on Plenty of Fish ?

Seriously though, our local pet shop (who specialised in fish) would take in unwanted fish and sell them on. Might be worth asking round locally.
I have a local aquatic centre who said they wouldn’t take them due to risk of disease etc.
I did wonder how they could guarantee they were healthy.

Tyrell Corp

258 posts

27 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Would it be unethical just to leave the Heron net off?

Like World over-population, maybe humans just need some more predators.


Tom8

3,055 posts

161 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Where are you? I have a lake and sometime have people with fish drop them in?

Bikesalot

Original Poster:

1,843 posts

165 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Tom8 said:
Where are you? I have a lake and sometime have people with fish drop them in?
Hertfordshire…

Tom8

3,055 posts

161 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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Bikesalot said:
Tom8 said:
Where are you? I have a lake and sometime have people with fish drop them in?
Hertfordshire…
Ah bit far for me, they would end up car sick

Bikesalot

Original Poster:

1,843 posts

165 months

Monday 21st August 2023
quotequote all
Tyrell Corp said:
Would it be unethical just to leave the Heron net off?

Like World over-population, maybe humans just need some more predators.

The nets been off for about 12 months and the heron hasn’t returned

trixical

1,060 posts

182 months

Monday 21st August 2023
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GliderRider said:
Fish can be advertised on Gumtree.
^ This
I inherited a pond when I bought my house which I didn't want so lined up a few people to come & take a load each on a designated day as I had an unknown quantity (half a dozen or so adults & what turned out to be probably double the number of babies I thought I'd counted initially) & caught them up as I reduced the water level, all done & dusted without too much effort