Ponds provide an appealing environment for many types of plants and animals. Besides your fish, other animals may pay a visit to your pond.
Some may want to make it their home, others may want to have a drink, and others are there to prey on your fish.
Whether you have small, medium, or large fish in your pond, they are in danger of being preyed on by predators.
While foxes may not be big animals, they are omnivorous, and they will go after something smaller than themselves. Foxes enjoy eating vegetables, berry seeds, and small mammals such as birds, reptiles, and fish.
Good News – Foxes are not as fast as fish in the water, and they are not the best hunters of marine wildlife. As such, they will only eat fish when hungry, and no other options are available.
They’d rather pillage the garbage for food than get wet. However, having a shallow pond in your garden makes it easier for foxes to hunt for fish.
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Can A Fox Catch a Fish from A Pond?
Foxes are omnivorous, and they eat a great variety of foods, but their diet is predominantly meat-based foods.
They eat small mammals such as:
- birds
- reptiles
- eggs
- insects
- fish
- and crabs
A fox can catch a fish, especially if the pond is shallow; they will wade the water to catch a fish.
However, they are less likely to steal fish from a pond unless they are starving and there are no other options.
How to Protect Your Fish from Foxes?
Foxes raiding your pond can be a problem.
Fortunately, there are ways that you can prevent them from eating your fish pond. It may take a combination of these steps to protect your fish.
Fencing
Fencing your pond is a great way to prevent foxes from penetrating your pond.
You can do this by lifting the pond’s edges above ground level.
An electric fence would be a great option since foxes can jump up to six feet.
The electric fence will give them a small and quick zap to scare them and not return.
Add Decoys
Decoys work well to keep the foxes away.
They can either be made out of plastic or ceramic material.
However, the ones that work best are those that are fitted with a large motion detector to scare off foxes.
These movement detection decoys are automated and activate when a fox approaches the pond.
They make noises as soon as a fox comes near the fish pond scaring them away.
Netting
Covering your pond with a net can prevent foxes from raiding your pond.
Try to go for a sturdy and durable net for added protection.
The best way is to install a dome-shaped net that is too high that foxes cannot access the fish.
Place Motion Detectors
Motion sensors use either water or sound to scare away foxes.
Foxes are afraid of loud noises and getting hosed down with water.
There are two types of motion sensors:
- A scarecrow motion detector– this is different from the garden scarecrows. This type sprays water when they detect motion and scares away the foxes.
- Radio motion detector– this type produces a loud sound that spooks the foxes away. The device is connected to power, and once the foxes approach, the loud sound will scare them away.
Guard Dogs
Keeping a guard dog close to the fish pond is an excellent deterrent against foxes.
Please make sure the dog doesn’t go after the fish or place them on a leash. Hearing a dog’s bark will keep the foxes away from your pond.
If you have no dog, you can mark the area around the pond with an artificial dog fragrance.
Dog fragrance creates an illusion that there is the presence of a dog, and the foxes will stay away from the pond.
Fish Shelters and Tunnels
Building fish shelters and tunnels in your pond is the best defense against predators such as foxes.
These shelters and tunnels provide fish with hiding places when attacked by foxes.
The covers must be placed deep in the pond where foxes cannot reach. You can build the shelters at least 3 feet deep in the pond.
Traps
If foxes keep returning to your pond, you can put live traps near the fish pond to catch them.
Live baits are not harmful and can be placed to draw animals inside the live trap.
Once the animals are trapped, you can transport them somewhere far or hand them over to animal control.
Final Thoughts
Foxes can take fish from garden ponds but only do it when they are starving, and no other options are available.
Foxes are not the best when it comes to hunting marine wildlife.
Instead, they would rather scavenge for leftovers in the garbage or hunts birds.
