A Question for Mr. Vernon or anyone

[No. GA. Mt. Man]

I built a small pond several years ago and had crappie,catfish,and bass in it. The pond attracted harmless water snakes but every day or so you'd see a water snake swimming with a fish in it's mouth and the fish would die. How'd did it kill the fish since it wasn't a poisionous snake? The only thing I could come up with was it sucked the blood out of the fish. Anybody know for sure what happened.

[coon dawg]

stress and lack of usable oxygen?? :huh:

[bigswamp]

Scared them to death!! :hair: :bounce:

[No. GA. Mt. Man]

Anybody know?

[Branchminnow]

Couldve been having to look at the same pond owner every day. :bounce:

[Randy]

Most snakes that are not poisonous are constrictors.

[No. GA. Mt. Man]

Most snakes that are not poisonous are constrictors.
That could've been what happened but I never saw one wrapped around a fish just swiming while biting the fish.

[No. GA. Mt. Man]

Watch it Branch!

[Branchminnow]

Watch it Branch!
::ke: ::ke: ::ke:

[rvhoran]

What Coon Dawg said, mostly from the lack of oxygen and then from the stomach acids. Unless I'm forgetting something, none of the water snakes that we have around here are constrictors. Usually they just catch them and haul them up onto the bank or on a tree limp to swallow them down. Sometimes you can see the fish still kicking around a little bit after it goes down. As for how I know, I've worked at a couple of different places where I took care of the snakes (Okefenokee and a nature center). But you know what, having a few snakes around the pond is still nowhere near like having a single heron or otter. They don't eat as much and can't handle the big fish like an otter can.

[Vernon Holt]

I think Branch hit on the real answer.

I have seen snakes that had attempted to swallow a fish tail first. The fins would prevent the snake from completely swallowing the fish. when this happens, both snake and fish expire.

Fish often are injured by turtles, otters, wading birds, and yet not captured and eaten. The fish may later expire from their injuries.

As stated by Coondog, low oxygen levels could account for mortality. In this case it is likely that many dead fish would be noted.

All of this raises the probability that Branch's answer is correct.

Vernon