Had a Koi-tastrophe, need some advice.

[airxsteel]

Ok, so we have citrenella candles around our pond.

We accidently spilled the refill bottle into our pond. We dipped the Koi our and put them in another clean pond.

The question is, will this hurt them? I know that citrenella is a natural mosquito repelant, but not sure about what else is in the mixture, maybe some type of petroleum product??

It has been 24 hours and appear to be ok.

Is there anything I could add to the water they are in now to help them? Peroxide?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ComputerGuy]

If it's pure Citronella oil, it's not harmful to people or animals. It is a mosquito repellent, not a mosquito killer. Pure citronella oil is an essential oil and is flammable so you don't have to add petroleum to it for it to burn. It SHOULDN'T hurt the fish. That being said, I would leave them in the other pond until you drain this one and refill.

 

[koidaddy]

I dont have an answer but about 30 minutes ago I was filling my tiki torches and was wondering if or how bad it would be.

 

[ComputerGuy]

Oil of citronella is a biopesticide (biochemical) with a non-toxic mode
of action. It is registered as an insect repellent/feeding depressant and as an
animal repellent. Oil of citronella is the volatile oil obtained from the steam
distillation of freshly cut or partially dried grasses, (Cymbopogon nardus
(Rendal) and Cymbopogon winterianus (Jowitt). Two varieties of citronella
oil exist commercially -- "Ceylon type" (derived from C. nardus) and "Java
type" (derived from C. winterianus).


FROM THE EPA WEBSITE
Toxicity
In studies using laboratory animals, oil of citronella generally has
been shown to be of low acute toxicity. The acute oral toxicity for oil of
citronella derived from "Ceylon type" (LD50 > 5000 mg/kg) places it in
Toxicity Category IV, while the acute oral toxicity for oil of citronella
derived from "Java type" (LD > 4380 mg/kg) is in Toxicity Category III.
50
The dermal toxicity for oil of citronella (LD50 > 2000mg/kg -- both "Ceylon
type" and "Java type") is in Toxicity Category III. Acute inhalation (LC50 >
5000mg/kg -- "Ceylon type" and LC50 > 3.1 mg/l -- "Java type") is in
Toxicity Category IV. Eye irritation ("Ceylon type" - irritation cleared in 72
hrs. and "Java type" - irritation cleared within 7 days or less) is in Toxicity
Category III. Dermal irritation is in Toxicity Category III (Refer to Section
III for additional information). Oil of citronella derived from "Ceylon type"
oil is a weak dermal sensitizer while citronella oil derived from "Java type"
is a non-sensitizer.
[NOTE: For acute oral, dietary, mammalian/avian/aquatic toxicity:
Category I = very highly or highly toxic
Category II = moderately toxic
Category III = slightly toxic
Category IV = practically non-toxic]

 

[addy1]

good post computer guy

 

[ComputerGuy]

Just got finished talking to a friend for some first hand info. His dad has a pond in CA and his niece knocked a citronella candle in the pond and they found it the next morning. No damage to the fish at all.

 

[addy1]

good

 

[j.w]

Very good to know in case this ever happens again and thanks :lol:

 

[airxsteel]

Definately good info. Based on the toxic levels they are stating there, it doesn't appear to be too harmful. Good to know.

We got them out of the water almost immediately so that is good.

Only issue we saw is that one of the new fish jumped out of the new pond and died overnight. Found him the next morning covered in ants. One of my favorites too.

Oh well, live and learn.

Again thanks for the information.

 

[addy1]

darn sorry airxsteel, they can be jumpers when they have been disturbed. Mine can't really jump out, due to the slope the pond has high walls around it, well high to a fish.