2 of my goldfish died last night

[Mmathis]

Did you do a complete (100%) water change? If so, this may be the source of your problems. Water changes can abruptly alter the pond's chemical parameters. The larger the change, the greater the change in parameters especially if there is a great difference between parameters of the source water and the pond water, This can impart a great amount of stress to fish weakening their immune system.
In addition, if your source water is municipal, did you add dechlorinator when you changes the water? If you did not, this would account for the fish piping. The Chlorine in the water will have burned their gills.

Also, if the pond isn't completely cycled...... I know the water tests look good, but... Isn't there some interaction between ammonia, pH, water temps, etc., etc........ Maybe even a pH crash?!?!

 

[MK3]

Thank you! I know that was hard for you to take pictures of them to post.

But (for future reference) what is more helpful is close-up shots that give an over-all view of the fish [easier for koi people to do since their fish are bigger -- goldies, not always as easy as it sounds]. These are some pics I took of a fish I'm watching now. My fish-photography skills aren't great, but you can sorta see here. I need to get a picture of the gills, but almost need a 2nd person to help with that. P.S. The one of the whole fish, I edited the eye area to show bulging areas -- in case you're wondering about the funny contours.

Yeah I know the picture sucks but when I went back to take more the fish were even more decomposed.
It wasn't too hard to take the pictures, more just gross. I'm not as much emotionally attached but concerned about the rest of the fish.

 

[MK3]

Did you do a complete (100%) water change? If so, this may be the source of your problems. Water changes can abruptly alter the pond's chemical parameters. The larger the change, the greater the change in parameters especially if there is a great difference between parameters of the source water and the pond water, This can impart a great amount of stress to fish weakening their immune system.
In addition, if your source water is municipal, did you add dechlorinator when you changed the water? If you did not, this would account for the fish piping. The Chlorine in the water will have burned their gills.

No, but it was more than half. The water we get is well water and my dad is certain that there is no chlorine in it

 

[MK3]

Also, if the pond isn't completely cycled...... I know the water tests look good, but... Isn't there some interaction between ammonia, pH, water temps, etc., etc........ Maybe even a pH crash?!?!

Sorry I don't understand what everyone means by cycling. Can you explain?

 

[Mmathis]

Sorry I don't understand what everyone means by cycling. Can you explain?

That was going to be my next question, and I can only answer in very simple terms. You hear us talk about the "good bacteria." If you have ammonia from fish waste, the ammonia is toxic to fish. So there are bacteria that consume the ammonia and convert it to nitrites. Nitrites are also toxic to fish, so there are bacteria that consume and convert the nitrites to nitrates. Nitrates are better, but in very large amts. and over time can also harm fish. Plants like nitrates, so plants along with water changes will eliminate the nitrates.

These "good bacteria" are already present in the water, but for a new pond, there aren't enough of them to do much good, so you add a fish for an ammonia starter. It will take many weeks, but as the ammonia-eating bacteria are doing their job of eliminating ammonia, the nitrites are starting to build up. By now, the nitrite-eating bacteria are kicking in. Do you see where this going?

Eventually, as long as you aren't over-stocked, there will be a balance where your ammonia & nitrites will test negative. You may always show some nitrates. This initial process is called "cycling" the pond (or tank....).

So, what you do is start out with a low fish-load -- test water parameters once or twice a week and you'll see when there is an ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike, followed by a nitrate spike. When you get nitrates and the other 2 tests are negative, your pond is cycled. Then you can slowly add more fish while continuing to monitor parameters.

 

[addy1]

No, but it was more than half. The water we get is well water and my dad is certain that there is no chlorine in it

Test the ph of your well water, mine is real acidic, I can not do any large water changes without killing the fish Our well ph is 5.4

 

[MK3]

So I just went outside to check on the fish. The one that hasn't been doing well was at the surface again and on its side, but still living. I moved it back by the aerator. I noticed a white "string" hanging from it. I think it's probably poop from stress, but could it be a sign of parasites or something? And actually, I've seen this white stringy poop before in the pond (on the ground and sides). I thought it was normal...but now I'm wondering.

 

[Mmathis]

So I just went outside to check on the fish. The one that hasn't been doing well was at the surface again and on its side, but still living. I moved it back by the aerator. I noticed a white "string" hanging from it. I think it's probably poop from stress, but could it be a sign of parasites or something? And actually, I've seen this white stringy poop before in the pond (on the ground and sides). I thought it was normal...but now I'm wondering.

From what I've read, this can be caused by stress or by an internal infection (either bacterial or parasitic). Are you sure it's coming out as "poop" and not as little "strings" stuck randomly on the fish?

I'm not even going to try to tell you what to do for this, since the fish is so obviously sick that at this point, I think this is more just a symptom to help us figure out what's wrong. I think your fish are too sick at this point, to worry about correcting bowel function issues. But THANK YOU so much for noticing this and letting us know! These are the little observations that a fish owner should be taking note of!!

And, some things, like changes in the stool ("poop") are things you can look up on the internet. What I do is start my search with the keyword "veterinary" -- that seems to get more valid, medically oriented information instead of just reading about what everyone else did for their fish.

And BTW, @MK3, did my lame explanation of "cycling" help at all -- help you to understand what might be going on with your pond? Sorry, I'm not good at explaining things. But getting the nitrogen cycle going is imperative for any body of water that will house fish!

 

[MK3]

Here is a picture of the fish that isn't doing well. It keeps coming over to this one shallow, still corner of the pond. Where I found 2 of the other dead fish. I'm not sure if I should leave it there to die or keep moving it back.

I'm posting the picture because I was researching parasites and stuff and one symptom can be a sunken belly. Does this fish appear to have that?

 

[MK3]

From what I've read, this can be caused by stress or by an internal infection (either bacterial or parasitic). Are you sure it's coming out as "poop" and not as little "strings" stuck randomly on the fish?

I'm not even going to try to tell you what to do for this, since the fish is so obviously sick that at this point, I think this is more just a symptom to help us figure out what's wrong. I think your fish are too sick at this point, to worry about correcting bowel function issues. But THANK YOU so much for noticing this and letting us know! These are the little observations that a fish owner should be taking note of!!

And, some things, like changes in the stool ("poop") are things you can look up on the internet. What I do is start my search with the keyword "veterinary" -- that seems to get more valid, medically oriented information instead of just reading about what everyone else did for their fish.

And BTW, @MK3, did my lame explanation of "cycling" help at all -- help you to understand what might be going on with your pond? Sorry, I'm not good at explaining things. But getting the nitrogen cycle going is imperative for any body of water that will house fish!

Yes it was helpful thank you very much

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Here is a picture of the fish that isn't doing well. It keeps coming over to this one shallow, still corner of the pond. Where I found 2 of the other dead fish. I'm not sure if I should leave it there to die or keep moving it back.

I'm posting the picture because I was researching parasites and stuff and one symptom can be a sunken belly. Does this fish appear to have that?

View attachment 86441

Can you inspect the gill color on this fish? Are the gills red, pink, dark red, reddish brown etc?

 

[MK3]

Can you inspect the gill color on this fish? Are the gills red, pink, dark red, reddish brown etc?

i can try. i'm about to go to bed. and it's pitch black out. but i'll go down and see.

 

[MK3]

i wasn't really sure what i was supposed to do. the gills look fine from the outside. whitish, i think i spotted a little bit of pink on the inside part. i couldn't bring myself to touch them with a stick, i don't know if you wanted me to pull the gills back or just observe from the outside. i can probably pull the gills back in the morning when the fish will very likely be dead.

this fish has been acting weird all day. when it wasn't at the surface, it was on the bottom of the pond not moving at all or kinda sideways. sometimes it would float vertically. not sure what all that means. i guess it's on its last legs.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

i wasn't really sure what i was supposed to do. the gills look fine. whitish, i think i spotted a little bit of pink on the inside part. i couldn't bring myself to touch them with a stick, i don't know if you wanted me to pull the gills back or just observe from the outside. i can probably do that in the morning when the fish will very likely be dead.

Sorry that I was not more specific. The gill case needs to be held open so the color of the actual gills can be observed. This needs to be done while the fish is still alive. If this fish is still alive in the morning, OK. If not then if one of the remaining fish is in trouble try to catch and inspect the gill color on that one.

 

[MK3]

Sorry that I was not more specific. The gill case needs to be held open so the color of the actual gills can be observed. This needs to be done while the fish is still alive. If this fish is still alive in the morning, OK. If not then if one of the remaining fish is in trouble try to catch and inspect the gill color on that one.

ohh okay...that's what i figured. but it really freaks me out to do that. what will the color of the gills tell you?

sorry i have to keep editing my replies because they're not making sense. my brain has enough trouble when it's fully awake.