For the past few days I have had something tearing up all my plants that are on the ledge. Whatever it is I haven't seen it, but now it has made a nest in some of the pond grass on the ledge and has been chewing baskets and roots. This morning I have gotten up to a muddy mess. I can't even see the bottom or the fish. I dont know if they are still there or not. Any suggestions on what it could be and how do I get rid of this unwanted vistor. My pond is almost 3 ft deep and it is made with a liner. Whatever it is, it is going in the water.

Where do you live? If you're in the US, it could be a raccoon. They are the most likely to do something like that. It could also be a member of the dog family (dog, fox, coyote), skunk, muskrat, otter, whatever mammals you have there, etc.

You might want to net the pond.

Hi Mch0992!
I copied below my reply to a different post on the board with a sort of simular problem.

---Copy---
When I first set up my pond and added my fish, I had a four legged visitor. I figured it was a racoon but hubby thought maybe a coyote. At first I thought that it got my brand new fish that was put in the pond a couple of days before. After searching in the pond we finally did see them. They were hiding like heck.
This is what I did to "retrain" the visitor: I pounded 4 bamboo sticks in the ground, then strung some electric fence wire and hooked up an electric fence charger that I had leftover from my horse days. After a few weeks I took the whole works down and haven't had any visitors so far. Now, some of you might think that this is mean but the way I see it, these critters are really smart (maybe smarter than me), once they get/got into the fence one time they wouldn't like the end result from the fence and learn a lesson. They have a survival instinct and that would tell them to stay the heck away b/c there is some sort of monster that they can't see and that's why I say retrain them. I have been shocked by the fence myself (more than once) and it does get your attention but does not physically damage. This is only to scare them off and NOT to cause them damage or kill them.
---End Copy---
Good luck!

The nest might be a good clue. What does it look like?, what is it made of?

I found this site -> http://www.urban-wildlife.com/adc.htm <- which is an animal damage page with photos.

Here is an image of a :o rat's nest in Tennessee...I hope your nest doesn't look like that one ;) http://www.cumberlandadventures.com/cave/c.../crit/nest1.jpg


try google images, and search for critters in your area + nest.

I found both of these links because I googled raccoon nest under images... I have an ongoing battle with local raccoons and possums, but they prefer my attic... Predator urine seems to work, but it also scares off friendly wildlife like birds (usually friendly to me anyway). You can get dehydrated urine of coyote, fox, wolf etc. My most recent batch is called "PredatorPee Yard Cover". The container, which looks like a large can of spices (don't keep it near the kitchen warns the maintenance man), says:

"In the wild, Coyotes prey on deer, raccoons, groundhogs, and woodchucks. Foxes prey on rabbits, skunks, chipmunks, squirrels and other small mammals. Wolves prey on moose, elk, mule deer, bear, and other large mammals. Bobcats prey on mice, moles, voles, rats and other rodents. Mt. Lions prey on javelina, wild boar, armadillos and other mammals."

I hope this helps, good luck
-Drumbokas
locrianmetal.com
Drumbokas' Critter page

At our big pond 1/3 acre we have muskrats outside of a drink of water I have never seen a koon skunk possum in the water. BUT THE MUSRATS they swim and swim and swim all over the place. We used our HUGE backhoe to get out the cattails last year and the musktrats would scoop up in the bucket get dumped out and run right back for the water. I know they eat fish and well our pond is stocked with game fish and only a couple Koi so I dont worry to much so is life at the big pond. But if they were at my small Koi pond by the house well I have to agree with a little fire under there but is not a bad idea. Or maybe even a auto sprinkler system or to start cheap hang some light strips of fabric that will move and make noise on a garden pole close to the nest and move it around from time to time so "IT" will not get used to it.

Well, whatever it is in my pond really did some damage. I took out all the shelf plants and backwashed 1/2 the water out yesterday and that critter had eaten through my liner and made a den through the outer dirt. So now I have 2 large holes to try and repair. Does anyone have any ideas of how to clean the water? My ground here in Virginia Beach, Va(USA) is mostly a grey clay with sand. I still cant see the bottom due to his mess. I still haven't seen many of the fish so I still dont know about them.

The one of the nest in the baskets does look like that rat nest picture in Tenn. I really think I have a muskrat. I have large cattails in the pond and from what I have read they like them.

Ut oh, eating through the liner, making straw nests, making a den in the dirt? That sure sounds like a muskrat. You might be able to corner him in the den and trap or net him but expect him to put up a fight. I hope you can relocate him without harming him or you.

As for the messy pond, since you've already cleaned some of it out, I assume you're mostly wanting to clear up the suspended dirt/sand that's in the water column itself? I suggest AccuClear by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It's a polymer coagulant that will cause the particles to clump together and sink or be sucked into the filter. Your filter material (assuming you have that) will need to be cleaned frequently. Be sure to aerate very well while using AccuClear as it does lower the oxygen levels in the water. Also, be sure not to overdose it or dump the concentrate on anything (premix in a bucket to dilute it). Otherwise, it's pretty safe for the pond life.