Vanished!

[Philly Bill]

My favorite fish and the most admired, Bumpkin, a lovely midnight blue shubunkin, has disappeared from my pond!

Yesterday afternoon, I took a break from the rain to photograph a new wakin for my blog. When I prepared the pictures for the net, I noticed that Bumpkin appeared in not a one. I ran outside in the dark and could not see him anywhere. I checked the few hiding places as well as possible with a flashlight and my hand.

In the past, I have thought a fish was gone only to find it later. Not this time. In the morning light, I looked again - no Bumpkin. There is no carcass in the pond. No odor in the yard, and I can't find remains there either, though I have not moved every chair and trash can.

Possibilities:

1. He jumped, and I will find the body eventually if a cat or possum hasn't already.

2. A predator. But why just him? He is not the easiest to spot with his blue black color, and he was the fastest swimmer of the lot.

3. A thief. But I have a ten foot fence and only the UPS and FedEx guys have the key to the gate. They don't steal, and only as afishanado would be able to spot my prize fish.

I am heartbroken.

[Sunbeam56]

Its rare for a fish to truly vanish. I'd wait and remain observant.

Just a thought - was B also the most tame? Do you have neighborhood kids?

[small fish]

That truly is a rare gem of a fish. I know you are heartbroken. But I have had koi just disappear  never to be found. It is very uncomfortable.  I have put a total of 5 koi in my pond.  I currently have 2 koi and a bunch of goldfish. The koi that remain are ugly really.  It is alway the pretty ones that have disappear.  I am planning on adding some fancier goldfish but I am resisting buying koi at any price.


Myra

[Philly Bill]

Mystery solved - I found the corpse behind a roll of solar cover. He jumped!

Bumpkin leapt quite a bit when he was young, but never managed to vault out of a small 125 gallon pond. I hadn't ever seen him break the surface in the new pond.

Yes, it is always the pretty ones that die young!

RIP   

[miguynmkoi]

That is so tragic.  Bumpkin sure was a beautiful shub.  Why would it jump?  That in itself is a mystery to me.

[Reedman]

So sorry to hear about that, especially since it was a midnight - my personal favorites.  I have about 20 midnight shubunkins.  A few years ago I lost about 2/3 of my fish in the spring to a parasite outbreak.  Losing about a half-dozen of the midnights made it much worse.

The only breeder of midnight blue shubunkins doesn't have any to sell this year.  They lost some of their breeder fish and had to keep all of their fish to get some for breeders for next year.

Again - sorry.  That fish had very nice coloration.

[Philly Bill]

So sorry to hear about that, especially since it was a midnight - my personal favorites.  I have about 20 midnight shubunkins.  A few years ago I lost about 2/3 of my fish in the spring to a parasite outbreak.  Losing about a half-dozen of the midnights made it much worse.

The only breeder of midnight blue shubunkins doesn't have any to sell this year.  They lost some of their breeder fish and had to keep all of their fish to get some for breeders for next year.

Again - sorry.  That fish had very nice coloration.

Thanks for your condolences. Midnight blues are very special.

Where are you located in PA?

Bill

[Reedman]

Philly Bill,

I live in Lemoyne, just west of Harrisburg - about 100 miles east of Philly.

[Philly Bill]

I did some research on jumping and found four reasons that fish jump: 1. bad water 2. harassment, especially during netting, spawning, or a predator attack 3. parasite irritation 4. a loud noise.

Bumpkin jumped during a thunder storm. Mystery solved. Maybe I should net every time it rains.

[Cedric]

Poor bumpkin, he was very special.
Personally I have found that fish also jump for joy. And its always the fittest most active fish, usually also the nicest looking. I often find these Alfa fish jump out of the water. Even during feeding they can get very excited and leap over lily pads and into trouble. During the rain its worse because often things are submerged at the surface so they go into obstacle course over drive. Even my fry do this. Also during spawning.

What a shock for you.

[LeeAnne151]

I'm very sorry for your loss. That was one gorgeous fishie.