Last week I finally bought an aquarium big enough to hold the goldfish and koi over the winter. I decided this year I would bring the fish in before I had to go ice-fishing. We haven’t had a serious frost yet, or any snow, but I’m pretty sure it’s coming.

My new fish pond makes catching the fish a little tricky. The fish have lots of room to get away, and if you reach too far, you will fall in. (No, I didn’t – but close)

First of all, I didn’t have a net big enough. And the only pet store in town was closed. I made my own out of some netting, a wire clothes hanger, a broom handle and some duct tape. It actually worked, though I admit it was kinda crude looking.

There was also the babies I wanted to save. There was only about six survivors. They’re only about a half inch long, and hard to find, and even harder to catch. As soon as you get positioned so that you can catch one, they hide under something, scoot off to the other end of the pond, or simply vanish.

I had to set up two tanks because I was afraid the babies would become fish food.

In any event, they all are inside, and of course, I got some pictures to share.

Koi 01

Shubunkin

Butterfly koi

Comet

For anyone interested, the first photo is a koi, the second is a shubunkin, the third one is a butterfly koi, and the last one is a comet. I think the shubunkin is one of the parents (probably the mother) of the babies.

And naturally, a baby photo:

baby goldfish

another baby goldfish