Help! 5 fish already dead in just hours!

[zna2212]

New to forum and would appreciate some help as we are quickly losing young goldfish from a pair of goldfish we've had for several years (10 babies total born this spring - have lost 5 as of this hour. Starting dying yesterday). We don't have any water quality information.

Other useful information that I know:
* Water temperature? 98 degrees
* Pond size and how long has it been running? Approx 55x55 square-ish - 5 1/2 years
* What is the name and size of the filter(s)?
* How often do you change the water and how much? Depends on rain, heat. Don't change large amounts at any one time. Pond gets full sun. Live on Southern East Coast USA. Algae started appearing about month ago and we have been scooping it out.
* How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? Don't remember.
* How many fish in the pond and their type? There are 2 goldfish we got 3 years ago. They have turned almost completely white since we've had them. They had babies this spring (10 babies).
* What kind of water additives or conditioners have you used?
* What do you feed your fish and how often? Feed them 2x/day. Goldfish food flakes from Walmart.
* Any new fish added to the pond recently? No
* Any medications added to the pond? Smart ponds Naturals Beneficial Bacteria added yesterday.
* List entire medication/treatment history for fish and pond
* Any unusual findings on the fish?
* Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? They started swimming at the top yesterday. We originally had one pump for the pond. Yesterday we added another small pump and an aerator.

So sorry for incomplete answers. We hope this is enough information to help us save our fish!

NOTE: PHOTOS ATTACHED.

If you do not have a test kit, you may be able to take samples of your pond and tap water to your local fish store for testing (which is often free). Please request [provide] numerical results rather than generalizations like "OK", "fine", "safe", "acceptable", etc.However since knowing your water quality is important, we suggest you get your own test kit. A drop kit is both more accurate and much less expensive per test than the test strips.

Photos can also be a big help!"

 

[addy1]

Is your water temperature really 98 degrees? if so that is what is killing them, get shade, ice air running get that water temperature down ASAP

 

[morewater]

Water is way too warm. You're making a fish soup at that temperature. You didn't state the depth of the pond, so I suspect that it's fairly shallow allowing for that great a temperature.

I would suspect that one of your parameters is way out of whack with that high a temperature (most likely ammonia). You need a water test kit ASAP.

If you don't have one, then I would suggest adding AmmoLock (or a similar ammonia-binding agent) right away. It's not going to get better all by itself. Get your water tested at a local fish emporium, pond place, water garden centre, whatever.............or, lose the remainder of the fish.

 

[MitchM]

The quickest way to cool your pond down is to place a fan blowing across it's surface, but how effective that is depends on what the humidity is.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Did you test the water temperature at the surface? Mid-level? Or Bottom of pond? Depending on pond, surface temperature can be misleading.
You do not mention any bio-filtration. Without it you could have an Ammonia issue.

 

[Faebinder]

Wow 98 degrees? No wonder they are coming to the surface. Are you sure it's 98... what about the bottom of the pond? How deep is your pond, you only gave us the surface area.

As Meyer asked, any filters?

 

[sissy]

I use shade hoop houses over my pond and that warm also means a lack of oxygen .The fish are cooking

 

[zna2212]

Is your water temperature really 98 degrees? if so that is what is killing them, get shade, ice air running get that water temperature down ASAP

Thanks to all for quick replies. To answer a few more questions, we have a smartpond pond aerator with filter and pump, Illumination series with 250-GPH filter and pump we purchased from Lowe's hardware. The other pump is about the same - so 2 pumps&filters going.

Re: temperature, the thermometer is reading 82 degrees.... at 3" below surface. Humidity is 55% and outdoor temp is 90 degrees at 5pm EST. Pond depth at its deepest point reads 18".

We put a lot of ice in the water as well as an umbrella over the bulk of the pond. We are down to mom, dad, and one baby. I cannot tell you how heartsick I am. I greatly appreciate your quick responses. Hopefully we will have learned some valuable lessons that we can apply to our next setup with new fishes.

 

[Tula]

Sail cloths are pretty inexpensive and easy to set up, providing shade for the pond. I'm so sorry about your losses.

 

[morewater]

18" is too shallow.

If you're going to put in a new pond, shoot for a minimum 3.5' depth.

You didn't show your zone, northern climes may require deeper. Southern climes will benefit from the "cooling" effect of the depth.

Believe it or not, the larger the volume, the easier it is to "balance" the pond and the less maintenance required.

 

[sissy]

putting ice in the water will shock the fish also .

 

[Faebinder]

Start with putting a shade... any sort of shade.. sail cloth or trampoline mesh raised by poles.... that will reduce the light...

Second, its time to buy floating plants to reduce the shade.... Go on ebay and buy some hyacinths. Consider putting a lily plant in the pond.

Third, you may need a better aerator if all the above is not enough but I bet the shade alone will fix this. Shade is a must in the southern states. These are goldfish, not tropical fish.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Re: temperature, the thermometer is reading 82 degrees.... at 3" below surface.

Was this before or after the ice and umbrella?

 

[Magzire]

Always curious how ponders could not have water kits and do it blind. Not knowing the waters conditions would drive me nuts and it's not expensive.

 

[Mmathis]

An example of a shade sail.....per Google.