"Chicken Golfish"

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I don't know what else to call my goldfish. My fish constantly stay underneath my lily pads in my pond. They even dart back into the pads when i try to feed them or get close to the pond. The only things that I can can think of is that they like the cooler water that is underneath the pads,my pond is only about 18" deep. Or they are scared of my "killer bullfrog"I mentioned my ordeal that I am having with it in one of my earlier posts . My pond is in almost full day sun. Does anybody have any ideas on how I can get my fish to swim more freely in my pond ? My lily pads are growing fairly close to my waterfall. Would a aerator persuade the goldfish to come out more? I also have 2 spitters in my pond. I have them shut off for now. Would it help if I turn them back on?
 
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How big is your pond?
How many fish do you have?


My fish were real scared all the time when they were small. I have had them for a year now and they will come up and eat out of my hand. I have also noticed that after adding more fish to my pond ( I just built a larger one) they have to fight eachother for food and make themselves more available when I come to them.

Only add more fish if your pond can support the larger load though... :surfing:
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
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Mine hang out under plants, but do also hang out at the waterfall. Sometimes pond looks fishless, but they come out now when they see me. I usually have food in my hand lol.
 

j.w

I Love my Goldies
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Just takes time and food. They will do pretty much anything for food when they get used to seeing you w/ it. The little ones are more skittish.........haven't learned the ropes yet I guess.
Now mine all come flying over to me w/ their little mouths wide open..........feed me, feed me, feed me :twisted:
 

stroppy

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how hot is it there ? if its only 18 inches deep the water could be getting very warm, perhaps you could put some shade up above the pond, as for them being shy maybe they have been spooked by something, the frog perhaps ? or something else how long have they been in the pond for
 
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Thank you everybody. My pond is about 1000 gallons. I have about 15 goldfish and 12 rosy reds in the pond. I would say the majority I added to the pond this year. It has been actually fairly cool here so far this summer. I am also now running 1 aerator in the pond and I turned on the 2 spitters this afternoon. Hopefully the combination of the waterfall and the 3 that were mentioned above will keep the pond oxygenated . My goldfish swam very freely in my pond 3 years when I had few lily pads . I thought this hobby was going to be easy. Little did I know what would happen next. I still won't give up my pond.
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
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Once you get a nice established pond it gets a little easier ... sort of
 

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