breeding

Question
Please can you help. I have had a pond with 8 small goldfish for about a year. For over a month 7 of the fish are chasing one around I believe she is female but do not know for sure.I spoke to the shop where I purchased the fish and they told me that this is normal breeding behavior and it will keep happening until they breed or the males kill her. Today I could not handle watching anymore and removed the female. It had gone from just chasing to all of them banging her against pots, stones pushing her out the water and even up the soft pebbles I have so she was right out the water and not moving. Almost as if she is just giving up - her face is all pink and looks bruised. What do I do please do I put her back and let nature take its course or do I divide pond in to two. Or she I put a male in with her. I just do not know what to do. Its really upsetting me watching it happen its like a brutal gang rape. I don't even know if she is old enough to breed. All the information I find on the net say the males push her in to weeds and plants my fish seem to avoid anything soft! If you can help I will be so grateful , kind regards Sarah

Answer
Sarah,

I think you've answered your own question.  Any of the solutions you mention are acceptable.  If you have a pond or tank where you could put her with just one male, it will keep her from getting beat up quite as much until they spawn.  Unfortunately this is nature's way whether we like it or not.

Good luck,

John