Author Topic: Woke up to a pond of dead fish (Read 3941 times)

Zoe · « **on:** March 10, 2010, 02:01:02 PM »

I noticed a couple of days ago that I had one or two fish sort of laying on their sides. Then yesterday I noticed I had many just sitting on the bottom of my lily pond. It is an above ground lily pond with comets and shubunkin. Not over stocked. I had planned on working on cleaning out this pond today after my parts for my pondovac 3 arrived. Anyway when I went outside I had almost all of my fish dead. The air stones had been disconnected by accident and I thought maybe that could have been it. I have cleaned out the pond today and cleaned the bio filters. The air stones are up and running. I went ahead and salted to 1 percent. Do any of you jave any suggestions as to what causes fish to lay on their sides like that?

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2010, 03:10:28 PM »

Oh no! I'm sorry you lost your fish! I am dreading that exact scenario right now with the low ph of the water i my koi pond. It is possible the air stone helped aerate the water and without it the fish basically suffocate (there is a better terms for it). Sorry!

Zoe · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2010, 03:15:28 PM »

I think it is swimmer bladder. What information can any of you give on swim bladder? I am really starting to panic.

tranquility · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2010, 04:45:16 PM »

any heavy rain falls lately...if so--it could have dropped the ph in the pond....I can't imagine it being low oxygen levels this time of the year...that ususally happens during the summer...also would check and see if it may have been a short in a pump...mine shocked the crap out of me last year--I didn't know I had a problem till I stuck my hand in the water near the pump and it hit me...
Lawanna

Kittyzee · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:15:32 PM »

Zoe--what zone are you in? If you are in a cold zone like me or maybe had a cold snap and you are cleaning the pond bottom this early, it can stir up a lot of things before your fish are healthy enough to withstand more stress from the "stirring up".

My pond has just thawed out last week and we have been having a warm snap and my fish were actually at the top of the water today swimming actively for the first time in months. Yes, the bottom is leafy and things need done, but it's too early to do anything yet. Last year, my fish layed on their sides some when the weather went to winter, to warm, back to cold and warm again.

Julles · « **Reply #5 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:17:43 PM »

On no, Zoe, that is really terrible. I am so sorry for you!

A swim bladder problem would not effect all your fish at one time - it's not contagious, but a malfunction of the air bladder inside the fish. I have a betta (Siamese fighting fish) with that problem, and he can swim, but irradically, and usually with his head end up and tail end down, which is very tiring for him, and so he spends most of his time hanging out in his floating "house." But not lying on the bottom.

Could there be fertilizer or a chemical run-off from somewhere near your pond, that got into the water?

I think the really cold winter, and late spring, has been tough on our outdoor pets. I had a mud turtle come out of hibertnation, and the last days has been acting unusually - lying on the bank of the pond in plain view, when usually, this species would be deep in the water, hiding. I thought he was seeking out the sun's rays for warmth. Because his behavior was so atypical, the other day I brought him inside, to a warmer tub of water. But this morning he was dead. I consider him a victim of the freeze.

Zoe · « **Reply #6 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:18:14 PM »

No shocks with the pump. The weather has been goofy but getting better. We are in zone 9 south Texas on the gulf. It is in the high 70's during the day. I am not going to look at the pond till the morning. I have done alll I can do for today. Thanks for the replies. I will check in later.

Zoe · « **Reply #7 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:21:18 PM »

You are right I think our fish have been so abused this season. They are not used to the weather we had. So swim bladder does not affect all the fish? We had that crazy rain the other day. I am hoping with the water change and treatment of the salt things will look beter in the morning.

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #8 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:37:46 PM »

I had to go buy a new air pump for my fish this past week end but they didn't suffer any the few days that they were without it. The cool water temps would allow the water to hold more air but there are no plants in with my fish.

Esther · « **Reply #9 on:** March 10, 2010, 05:53:13 PM »

The swim bladder thing is more that the fish don't seem to be able to get rid of air inside their body because like was described, they stay at the top, like they have too much air. In other words, they get bloated. It is a malfunction in their body, not a contagious disease. I had one in our 55 gal aquarium with that problem but now I don't remember if he just died or what.

Zoe · « **Reply #10 on:** March 10, 2010, 07:13:53 PM »

So what do you think would make fish just lay on the bottom and not move or just lay on their side on the bottom. Some are also just sitting in the lily pots like they are just resting. No one is swimming around.

Julles · « **Reply #11 on:** March 10, 2010, 08:49:11 PM »

Zoe, my guess is there is something toxic in the water, or the ph is really off, or lack of oxygen.

It would be a shock to the fish and quite stressful, but if you fear they are on the brink of dying anyway, could you net them out and transfer to clean water, like in a deep (covered) Rubbermaid tub, with aeration? Or is it possible to do a partial water change, to get rid of as many contaminates as possible?

Zoe · « **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2010, 04:23:27 AM »

I did do a clean out on the pond. Could the fish be so sued to have the extra aeration that when it failed it caused this? It is this dark so I have not been outside yet.

Kittyzee · « **Reply #13 on:** March 11, 2010, 05:23:26 AM »

It sounds that after stirring things up (dead matter, fish poop) like what happened to my daughter with her aquarium. Too much dead matter (ammonia spike) and no oxygen to breathe. I don't think anything kills fish faster. I'd add fresh water but only partially. Remember if you are in the city, about the chlorine.

barb · « **Reply #14 on:** March 11, 2010, 05:26:02 AM »

Quote from: Kittyzee on March 11, 2010, 05:23:26 AM

It sounds that after stirring things up (dead matter, fish poop) like what happened to my daughter with her aquarium. Too much dead matter (ammonia spike) and no oxygen to breathe. I don't think anything kills fish faster. I'd add fresh water but only partially. Remember if you are in the city, about the chlorine.

As I was typing out my response, this one posted. This is exactly what I was going to say. I am so sorry about your loss, Zoe. I hope you can correct the problem.

Zoe · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2010, 05:36:27 AM »

It is a mystery because we did not do a clean out until after we found the dead fish. The only thing different was the air stones had been knocked of.

I have two more dead fish today I think they were going to die since yesterday. I tested the water and all is fine. So only time will tell now.

Kat · « **Reply #16 on:** March 11, 2010, 05:41:47 AM »

Sorry about the fish. Sounds like the lack of oxygen & maybe something changed in the water chemistry because of the lack of oxygen.

Kittyzee · « **Reply #17 on:** March 11, 2010, 09:14:23 AM »

Zoe, I am sorry about your fish. I would still add fresh water since an ammonia spike burns their gills and they can be listless and lay around for a few days before dying; and some die immediately. I also have goldfish, longfinned comets that have survived harsh winters and hot summers. I always keep my pump running 24/7 even in the winter--although I disconnect hoses from the waterfall in the winter.

PondJoy · « **Reply #18 on:** March 11, 2010, 12:51:56 PM »

I have lost all mine before.....but I watched it happen....not sure how it feels to wake up to it...how awful for you. :'(

So, so sorry.....keep posting......we care.

tlc · « **Reply #19 on:** March 11, 2010, 02:22:41 PM »

Have you tested your pond water yet? You need to see where your levels are at to see if there is something there causing you so much trouble.
It does sound like a problem with O2 but checking your levels is also a good idea...

Hope you figure it out and can get the problem correct.

Zoe · « **Reply #20 on:** March 11, 2010, 02:43:38 PM »

Yes I tested again this morning. All good

Johns · « **Reply #21 on:** March 11, 2010, 08:36:09 PM »

zoe,

You indicated that you salted to 1 percent. People who keep koi and salt their water generally keep salt levels between 1.25 and 2.5 parts parts per THOUSAND. A 1 percent solution would amount to 10 parts per thousand, and could result in irritation and ill health for koi. Koi have a tissue concentration of about 15 ppt (parts per thousand.) If they are kept in water in which the salinity is close to this amount they could die. For more information on salt in ponnds and a salt calculator see my webpage on salt at http://www.gardenendeavors.com/rack/web15.html

Zoe · « **Reply #22 on:** March 12, 2010, 04:03:52 AM »

I did 1 pound per hundred gallons

Zoe · « **Reply #23 on:** March 12, 2010, 04:11:45 AM »

I read your information and we close to your calculations. I am going to bookmark it for future reference

Than you

Zoe · « **Reply #24 on:** March 12, 2010, 05:15:09 AM »

Three more fish this morning They have been struggling along since the day before yesterday. Last night my husband wanted to remove the fish and put them in a stock tank and start all over with the clean out. I almost did it at 8:00 at night. Patience!

Zoe · « **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2010, 07:20:46 PM »

I have three struggling fish left. I moved them to a stock tank with an air pump hooked to it. The fish I took out today all looked "mushy"on their scales. I am ready to call it andget rid of this pond. It is my lily pond but I am just too weary from this week. How do you start over from this.

Johns · « **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2010, 11:16:40 PM »

zoe,

A couple of questions..May have been asked before, but asking anyway:

1. Have you recently added any new fish or plants to the pond? If so, there might have been a pathogen that infected your fish. It is obvious to me that something spread among your fish, either a pathogen, a sudden drop in ph or chemicals such as weed and feed fertilizer washing into the pond from heavy rains.

2. Have you had any "green" water recently, and have you added any chemicals to the pond to clear the water recently? And is it possible that anyone in the neighborhood might have introduced anything to the pond, and do you have municipal water and if so have you added any water without dechlor??

3. Finally, do you regularly test your water for ph, ammonia, and nitrates?.

How to start over: First sterilize your pond with potassium permangenate, then treat with hydrogen peroxide until clear. Then restock with a few goldfish "feeders" and watch them for several weeks to see if they thrive. If they do, you can restock, but follow a three to five week quarantine policy befor introducing new fish into the pond and follow a sterilization procedure for any new plants. Continue that quarantining policy for any new livestock from now on. And be sure that surface water cannot overflow into your pond.

Zoe · « **Reply #27 on:** March 13, 2010, 04:32:56 AM »

Johns

No new fish or plants
No green water just some string algae
I had not tested the water in a couple of weeks.
This pond is an above ground pond so nothing reallycan flow into it.

Thanks for trying to help.

reddad35 · « **Reply #28 on:** March 13, 2010, 10:50:04 AM »

I lost a few fish last year and noticed others were on the way. This was the last week of February in southern Indiana. I went ahead and did a full clean of the pond. I placed all my fish in a kiddie pool with a pump. I removed all water and cleaned the pond with oxy clean, hose and a shop vac. after 4 days I replaced all my fish. Happy as larks. The water was too cold, as ponders say, but did it anyway. This happened after my first year of winter ponding. I had an airpump going all winter. This is not what people will tell you to do but it saved my fish.

Julles · « **Reply #29 on:** March 14, 2010, 05:22:08 AM »

Zoe, this sounds so horrible. I'm sorry for the loss.

How are things today? Did the remaining three fish survive?