Dead fish

[David Gears]

I have lost a three or four fish this winter. Should I add

a pond water additive to combat this. A friend said add pond salt 3grams per litre not sure about this and would welcome any advise

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

What kind of fish died? How big where they, how many gallons in the pond?

I would not add any additive or salt until you have a idea on why they died.

 

[David Gears]

Hi addy1
Thanks for reply
They are gold fish about 5 to 6 inch long.
I inherited the pond with fish when buying house 6 years ago.
I have calculated the pond roughly at 500 gallons using the widest points as it is a figure 8 shape. Not sure to exact amount. It has an hoselock easyclear 9000 all in uv filter and the water is gin clear it pumps into a plastic barrel situated at one end of pond and the water rises up through filter stones in net bags and down a water fall feature back in to pond.

 

[addy1]

How many fish are in the pond?, sometimes fish just die. Did they look strange, lumps, red or just like normal but dead.

Have you done any water tests? The best is a liquid test kit, check for ammonia, etc

 

[JamieB]

I would say start by getting a test kit, test the water for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite. Ph, gh, kh are worth testing, but unless there has been a big change, they shouldn’t be a factor. Testing of those give you an idea of what is normal, and compare with source water, to see if it has developed a big difference.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome. So sorry to hear about your fish! Your picture is lovely, but it doesn’t really help us. We normally advocate the addition of lots of plants, but looks like you have already done this. Most of the time, when fish mysteriously die, it’s due to water quality issues, overcrowding, etc. “Gin clear” water doesn’t mean “healthy” water.

No, you shouldn’t blindly add anything to “combat” the death of the fish. You need to find out what caused the fish to die. Please get a water test kit and test for ammonia, pH, nitrites, nitrates, and KH (a liquid test, not test strips). Get back with us and report the actual numbers of those tests. Test kits are very easy to obtain.

 

[yorkshire pudding]

hi david, welcome to the forum ! you have had some great advice and suggestions from very knowledgeable people , but what you need to take into account is we in the uk have just had our coldest winter for 30 years with temps in the last 2weeks of minus 5-10 degrees so that could have a massive effect on your pond and fish,temps of 2 degrees c and lower for continued time can effect fish in ponds internally, swim bladder,kidneys,liver just a thought, i know my fish have struggled with the temps so much that i have added a pond heater for the first time ever. like everybody else has said defintley hold off adding any treatments/magic solves all till you find out what you are dealing with. and once again welcome to the forum. cheers mark

 

[David Gears]

Thanks all for the feedback
I have test strips but will invest a more accurate kit any suggestions which is best test kit?

 

[Mmathis]

Thanks all for the feedback
I have test strips but will invest a more accurate kit any suggestions which is best test kit?

API master freshwater is what most of us use. For now, use your strips and get back to us with the results.

 

[David Gears]

Hi
There are 8 fish left. I shoul also mention 1 of the fish was heavily bloated and swimming on its side and face down for a day or two on researching this is it dropsy?
I have used the test strip with the following results
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 0.5
Ph: 7 - 7.5
Kh: 40
Gh: 30

:

 

[Mmathis]

What is the ammonia?

 

[David Gears]

Hi
The strip test kit doesn't measure ammonia from what I can see. Does the nitrate and nitrite level not determines this?
Obviously only using this until I have proper kit.

 

[JamieB]

Ammonia breaks down into nitrite, which breaks down into nitrate. ( someone correct me if I have the two nitrogen’s mixed) and the speed it breaks down is based on amount of bacteria and temperature. The plants pull the final product up as food, fueling growth. A nitrite of 20? I’m guessing 20 ppm?

 

[j.w]

@David Gears
Not sure what is going on but I would get another test kit that tells the ammonia levels. API make a good one and you can order it online. Liquid test kind.