# How did these fish get in my pond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 13, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565 "2006-06-13T13:43:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jombi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jombi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jombi)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/1 "2006-06-13T13:43:56Z")
I have a small backyard pond, well established and home to a handful of goldfish that I put in plus a few frogs that found the pond on their own. But I recently noticed that there are some fish that I did not put in, and I’m trying to figure out how they got there. They’re the small, inch or two, sort of grey or silver fish. The kind that you frequently see by the hundreds in lakes or ponds. Here are the facts: I didn’t put them in and neither did anyone else. There is a river and other wild water sources nearby but no way for them to feed into my pond. I haven’t collected any wild plants, etc., from a wild source and moved them to my pond. So how did these fish get in my pond??? ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/2 "2006-06-13T13:47:15Z")
Someone once explained to me that a pond can get stocked when a bird or frog is in a pond and somehow gets fish eggs on their feet. The frog/bird then goes to the “empty” pond, and the fish eggs get released into the water. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/3 "2006-06-13T13:47:35Z")
Sticky eggs. They stick to the feet of water fowl and get transported from one pond to another. ---
**Author:** ![Jombi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jombi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jombi)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/4 "2006-06-13T14:15:21Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Sticky eggs. They stick to the feet of water fowl and get transported from one pond to another. Ahhh, ain’t nature amazin’. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/5 "2006-06-13T14:30:37Z")
I’ve read that the eggs of certain animals (including fish and frogs) are small and light enough that they can be carried into the atmosphere when the water in which they are laid evaporates. They then fall back down when it rains. So maybe your fish hitched a ride on a raindrop. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/6 "2006-06-13T15:03:17Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I’ve read that the eggs of certain animals (including fish and frogs) are small and light enough that they can be carried into the atmosphere when the water in which they are laid evaporates. They then fall back down when it rains. So maybe your fish hitched a ride on a raindrop. I’d love a cite on this. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/7 "2006-06-13T15:08:33Z")
Perhaps [THIS](http://www.gotfuturama.com/Multimedia/FrameGrabs/1ACV08/Grabs/pic00111.jpg) will provide a clue. Oh, my! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/8 "2006-06-13T15:49:41Z")
I don’t believe fish eggs can evaporate into the atmosphere with water, but on the other hand, it does sometimes rain fish. And frogs. But not cats and dogs.[/url=“[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a901207a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a901207a.html)”]The Master speaks. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/9 "2006-06-13T15:51:49Z")
Aw, dammit. [The Master speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a901207a.html) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/10 "2006-06-13T15:54:53Z")
Also, if the OP’s pond has any outlet at all (and I’m presuming it does; otherwise it would be stagnant and inhospitable to fish), you’d be surprised how well fish can find their way upstream, even a very tiny stream. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/11 "2006-06-13T15:58:15Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Sticky eggs. They stick to the feet of water fowl and get transported from one pond to another. I’ve heard this too, but I would like a legitimate citation…something doesn’t seem quite right that this actually happens. It sounds more like an educated guess ---
**Author:** ![Jombi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jombi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jombi)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/12 "2006-06-13T17:03:16Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Also, if the OP’s pond has any outlet at all (and I’m presuming it does; otherwise it would be stagnant and inhospitable to fish), you’d be surprised how well fish can find their way upstream, even a very tiny stream. For the record, no outlet at all. Artificial, self-contained pond with waterfall circulating, etc., but no outlet. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/13 "2006-06-13T19:44:53Z")
> [@Jombi](#): > > For the record, no outlet at all. Artificial, self-contained pond with waterfall circulating, etc., but no outlet. Are they Gambusia (mosquitofish)? [http://images.google.com/images?q=Gambusia&oe=UTF-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi](http://images.google.com/images?q=Gambusia&oe=UTF-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) It is possible that the eggs may have come in via purchased plant material from an aquatics/garden store. It’s also not unusual for a neighbor to stock a nearby pond b/c of mosquito concerns. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/14 "2006-06-13T20:16:51Z")
Uh, maybe tadpoles? That’s be my first guess. The water may make them appear larger than they really are. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/15 "2006-06-13T20:20:18Z")
They might have hitched in somehow, but might they just be the immature offspring of the goldfish with which you stocked the pond? I understand that it’s possible for them to fail to develop their bright colours when bred in a pond (if indeed they are not just going to develop it later as they grow) ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/16 "2006-06-13T21:00:46Z")
I once found minnows in puddles 2 inches deep the middle of a cow field that was half a mile from the nearest source of water. I guess it was birds carrying them? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/17 "2006-06-13T21:29:11Z")
Similarly, I used to fish at a pond that was stocked with shiners. I say “stocked,” but the owners said the pond had never really been stocked. It was just a watering hole for their cattle, and they had no idea how the fish had ever gotten there (but they did relate the story about having heard that birds carrry them on their feet). ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/18 "2006-06-14T00:49:23Z")
When the goldfish in my small, outdoor pond had offspring, they were a nondescript grey-brown for several months while they were growing up. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/19 "2006-06-14T01:55:32Z")
I know that any body of water bigger than a bathtub in my neck of North Texas will self-stock with perch. I have been told (no cite) that the hatchlings swim there (!) during heavy rains. I have also been told that perch hatchlings can “swim” through a heavy dew on the grass. It might be true, but it raises my eyebrows. I think I’ll go googling for a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565/20 "2006-06-14T04:55:20Z")
> [@bluethree](#): > > When the goldfish in my small, outdoor pond had offspring, they were a nondescript grey-brown for several months while they were growing up. That would be my guess. Goldfish fry don’t turn gold until later in life. But if Jombi’s fish are two inches, they should be going gold by now (or at least gold with a brown “mohawk”) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-fish-get-in-my-pond/360565.md?page=2)