Not Your Ordinary Backyard Pond But A Fish Pond Nevertheless An Ordinary Pond

This story was submitted by Vin Quesnel from Trinidad close to Venezuela.

I am a new-comer to ponds ...  I have a large pond or maybe a small lake. It covers about half an acre and has a small island. I built it about a year ago where I live on the edge of the jungle. Its fed by a ravine which dries up in the dry season. Its 8 to 10 feet deep.

Its different from the ponds I am now beginning to read about in your publications which I was led to in my search for a means to clear up the water. I have no koi, just native fish like whabeens, river sardines, scavengers (tetas) and some tilapia. Weve caught a 12 inch whabeen but most of the fish dont get beyond six inches. Our problem there is the alligators (caimans) eat them before they can get big! The last alligator we killed was five feet but we've seen bigger though not recently as all the edges are better kept now.

First the lake was overtaken by hyacinth lilies which we were able to get rid of. Now we have plenty cabbage lilies but they have not flowered yet. The surface is over-run with duck weed. Were taking that out now and putting in some ducks which I am told will eat the duck weed. We have to wait for the ducks to get quite big before we release them otherwise they get attacked by the hawks. I have seen a big black hawk fly off with one of my full grown chickens in its claws!

I live in Trinidad, an island just off Venezuela, so we get Venezuelan wild life washing ashore on clumps of land when the Orinoco floods. My project now is to get the water clean which is why I've "joined the Pond Professor's club".

I face such different problems. While most of you worry about the color of your koi and the lighting of your pond Im fighting alligators and hawks!!

Thanks a lot Vin ..... somehow I don't think my book will help a lot!!!