Deaths in the pond...

[JohnHuff]

Hi:
It took quite a while, maybe 3 weeks before they started coming towards me again. I think they're still a little skittish.
Thanks for letting me about those. I had thought of them before, but now I'll definitely get something like that.
Do you know if they have a function where it's only triggered by movement, as I'd hate to have to look at hours of video to find one thing.

Have the fish the fish started coming to the surface to feed again?
You need to get yourself a inexpensive Digital Surveillance system so you can keep and eye on your pond (and house) while your away, and review recorded video files and find out if anything was lurking around your pond. For less than a $200 it's a cheap investment. I don't know anybody who has installed one who thinks they were a waste of money. Modern electronic technology has made these things so affordable, they should be standard features on every home.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Hi:
It took quite a while, maybe 3 weeks before they started coming towards me again. I think they're still a little skittish.
Thanks for letting me about those. I had thought of them before, but now I'll definitely get something like that.
Do you know if they have a function where it's only triggered by movement, as I'd hate to have to look at hours of video to find one thing.

Yep, all of them, as far as I know, can be set up to either video constantly, or motion activated. Also you can set the sensitivity of the motion detection, and each camera can be set up to block out certain areas of the camera view so that they are not activated by motion detection. This last feature is very handy if you have your camera facing an area where there is a tree or bush in it's view that is prone to movement in the wind and could set off the motion detection constantly on a windy day.
You still often get lots of video files to sort through, but each video file is saved by date, specific camera number and time stamped, so it's relatively easy to pick out which videos you want to review. Most of the time anything interesting you are looking for is at the beginning of the video, because generally that's what caused the motion that started the recording. Also the videos can be played back at high speed while reviewing them so you don't have to watch it in real time.
There is a bit of a learning curve figuring out how all works, but most people find it to be an interesting and fun learning experience. The toughest part for most people is setting it up so you can access it remotely via the internet, but that it not something everybody needs or wants anyway.

 

[addy1]

Mine does motion, continous, masking areas, our problem is we have a ton of plants blowing around everywhere. If you set it up for the net, I ended up using a dns server, supplied by q-see, comcast kept changing our ip address. I love watching our pond via the net, when we are gone. The mobile ap works great.

 

[JohnHuff]

OK, thanks for the info!

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Sorry to hear of your loss John.....sad. I also today found my Placostoma dead. He seemed fine up until now. We had a big storm here over the last few days but he was doing fine. It did look like perhaps one of his fins is missing now though.....
I test the pond water weekly and this is the last reading:
pH= > 7.6
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=0

The Reds are ok along with the goldfish eating and swimming. Any ideas?

 

[dieselplower]

Sorry to hear of your loss John.....sad. I also today found my Placostoma dead. He seemed fine up until now. We had a big storm here over the last few days but he was doing fine. It did look like perhaps one of his fins is missing now though.....
I test the pond water weekly and this is the last reading:
pH= > 7.6
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=0

The Reds are ok along with the goldfish eating and swimming. Any ideas?

What is the water temperature? A pleco can not live in cold water.

 

[Kristi Kelty]

I need a thermometer....it probably was that. It got very cold over the last few days with the storm. So sad cause he was doing fine until then.

 

[JohnHuff]

Sorry to hear of your loss John.....sad. I also today found my Placostoma dead. He seemed fine up until now. We had a big storm here over the last few days but he was doing fine. It did look like perhaps one of his fins is missing now though.....
I test the pond water weekly and this is the last reading:
pH= > 7.6
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=0

The Reds are ok along with the goldfish eating and swimming. Any ideas?

Sorry to hear of your loss.
There is an algae eater who can live in the cold. Can't remember its name. Will have to ask my son because he suggested it.

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Thanks John~ I can't believe that the local pet store owner did not tell me this....she had the Placostoma inside and she knows I have an outdoor pond! (Plus she charged $20.....) Guess I won't be going back to her.......(I know I should have done the research but sheesh!-- you hope the pet store owners can give you honest business.) Thanks for finding the name of the colder water algae eater~

 

[JohnHuff]

The cold water bottom feeder guy is a dojo loach.
This says they only go down to 50F, but my son say they can live in WA ponds. Let me check that up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pond_loach
$20 for a pleco is expensive. They go for about $7 at the big box store.

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Thanks again! I will try to find one.....

 

[JohnHuff]

What does your temperature go down to? Also, everything I've read says that they should be kept in groups of at least 3. Single loaches will just hide.

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Oh thanks for finding this out! It has been 37 today but need to get a thermometer for the pond.....I have two deeper areas each about 2 feet diameter, that are 19" deep, so I thought the fish would be ok.......