# How did a fish get into my pond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980 "2012-03-06T22:35:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![joeynucc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4af34b/32.png) [@joeynucc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joeynucc)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/21 "2014-10-26T00:58:23Z")
I’m in cali covered patio and don’t usually have birds around but sometimes I quess . I have 3 baby fish in my artificial pond with waterfall that I didn’t put there . Used to have coi but the raccoons got them over three months ago and now there are 3 baby fish and a krazy looking tadpole .??? Have no answers . Closest lake is miles away and live in a saburban area . It happens . ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/22 "2014-10-26T01:29:26Z")
There is research that shows dispersal of both shrimp and crayfish by waterbirds, so it isn’t much of a leap to believe that fish eggs could get the same treatment. And they would most likely be clinging to feathers, not feet. In the case of bluegill, who spawn in very shallow water, one can easily imagine a duck doing that whole fluff up and splash water on themselves deal and stirring up some eggs in the process and having one stick to a feather… [Waterbird-mediated passive dispersal of river shrimp Athyaephyra desmaresti](http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10750-012-1160-7) [Waterbird-mediated passive dispersal is a viable process for crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)](http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10452-013-9461-0) ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/23 "2014-10-26T11:47:50Z")
As a child I used to fish in a stock pond behind my grandparents house. It dried out every summer but I could always cache bluegill in it in the spring. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/24 "2014-10-26T12:33:24Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > Ah, clever kid paid attention to the fairytales. Soon you will have a 20 month old prince/princess on your hands as well 😃 Probably not - you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/25 "2014-10-26T16:39:06Z")
What’s the consensus on fish falls? Do they actually happen? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/26 "2014-10-26T23:49:25Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > What’s the consensus on fish falls? Do they actually happen? No. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/27 "2014-10-27T00:11:29Z")
Well, at least we have gotten this far with only a hint of a Fortean reply. ---
**Author:** ![Geezer1948](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Geezer1948](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geezer1948)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/28 "2014-11-08T23:13:54Z")
Two observations: Fish fall? Many documented cases of tornadoes picking up a variety of pond life are dropping them elsewhere (“raining frogs”). Also, flying fish predators (Eagles, Osprey, some hawks) etc., have been seen to drop their catch over the water they snagged it from…why not over another body of water? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/29 "2014-11-08T23:55:19Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Well, at least we have gotten this far with only a hint of a Fortean reply. What would that be, that they spontaneously generate from mud or something? ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/30 "2014-11-09T00:54:29Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I have to fall into the “I don’t believe this…yet” catagory. > > I’d like to see more evidence than conjecture that this does happen on regular basis. > > In this case I can accept that there is a bluegill in the pool that mysteriously got there, but it is a bit of a leap to say eggs attached to duck feet brought it there. Is there any evidence that demonstrates this mechanism? It is what I was taught in about 5th grade. ---
**Author:** ![whc.03grady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@whc.03grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whc.03grady)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/31 "2014-11-09T08:19:47Z")
A fish got into the OP’s backyard bathtub 7 years after installation by some common natural means, the same common natural means which somehow failed to populate the somewhat larger [Crater Lake](http://www.nps.gov/crla/faqs.htm) with fish for thousands of years? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/32 "2014-11-10T03:00:14Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#): > > It is what I was taught in about 5th grade. Me too. I’ve become considerably more skeptical since fifth grade. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/33 "2014-11-10T04:44:18Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > iPhone app. Those things are amazing. #iFish #iPond #Bluegill ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/34 "2014-11-10T06:59:09Z")
> [@whc.03grady](#): > > A fish got into the OP’s backyard bathtub 7 years after installation by some common natural means, the same common natural means which somehow failed to populate the somewhat larger [Crater Lake](http://www.nps.gov/crla/faqs.htm) with fish for thousands of years? That’s interesting, if true. If I were the type to be dubious and skeptical, I’d be skeptical about the claim there were no fish prior to the six or so species that were later introduced. Also, only two of those species survived so I’d guess the lake just doesn’t have the right conditions for the types of fish likely to be introduced by migrating birds, etc. The water is described as being very clear and “pure.” That implies it’s fairly low in nutrient. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/35 "2014-11-10T12:45:41Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > That’s interesting, if true. If I were the type to be dubious and skeptical, I’d be skeptical about the claim there were no fish prior to the six or so species that were later introduced. Also, only two of those species survived so I’d guess the lake just doesn’t have the right conditions for the types of fish likely to be introduced by migrating birds, etc. The water is described as being very clear and “pure.” That implies it’s fairly low in nutrient. ``` This is exactly what I was thinking after following the link. It just sounds like a lake lacking in nutrients. The lake is also very deep and may have presented some challenges to newcomers in finding each other to breed. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/36 "2014-11-10T16:55:56Z")
It is also very cold (average temperature at depth is 38°), being the deepest lake in North America. As such, it would have (I think??) relatively low oxygen. That combined with low nutrients could explain why no “naturally” introduced fish species survived, and only two of the “six or so” introduced by people. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980/37 "2014-11-10T17:04:16Z")
Thousands of years ago, Aristotle observed fish in ponds FAR from oceans or rivers, and posited that they must have gotten there by spontaneous generation. Well, if Aristotle said so, that’s good enough for me! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-a-fish-get-into-my-pond/614980.md?page=1)