Hi everyone,

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Great to be on here, hoping I can get an ans re helium gas killing my fish also if there is any cure for them?.
I found a helium balloon in my pond, since then I’ve been loosing coy.
please can anyone give me some information as to wether I can do anything to save the rest of my fish.
Thank so much xxxx
 
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Great to be on here, hoping I can get an ans re helium gas killing my fish also if there is any cure for them?.
I found a helium balloon in my pond, since then I’ve been loosing coy.
please can anyone give me some information as to wether I can do anything to save the rest of my fish.
Thank so much xxxx
I doubt helium would have any effect unless you actually released the gas UNDER the water and even then it won't mix per se to be harmful, as helium is lighter than air and would naturally rise. Might have been something ON the balloon but I doubt if that would have an effect either. I'd do some water tests (current liquid test kit, not the strips) and make sure the issue isn't in the pond itself already.

Pics of the affected fish would help, as well as general info re size of pond, fish, filtration, anything you've added lately, etc.

Welcome to GPF!
 

j.w

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@Maggie moo
Not sure if this is a real question or not.
Excuse me for being a skeptic but this is far out!
 

TheFishGuy

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Brokensword couldn’t have said it better, so if this isn’t a troll then I would follow the advice they gave.
 

Mmathis

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Hello and welcome! I am a “Maggie,” as well.

My guess is that the helium balloon had nothing to do with it. Please tell us how big your pond is, how many and what type of fish you have (koi only?), and what is your filtration set up?
 
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Hello and welcome! I am a “Maggie,” as well.

My guess is that the helium balloon had nothing to do with it. Please tell us how big your pond is, how many and what type of fish you have (koi only?), and what is your filtration set up?
awwww c'mon Maggie#1--can't we keep this 'Helium Killed My Fish' thang going a bit longer???? sniff, sniff...I never gets no fun 'round here...;):oops:
 

Mmathis

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awwww c'mon Maggie#1--can't we keep this 'Helium Killed My Fish' thang going a bit longer???? sniff, sniff...I never gets no fun 'round here...;):oops:
Well, gotta give Maggie #2 benefit of the doubt. Yeah, sounds “fishy,” but she could be a real person with a real problem, and she needs us to help her figure it out…..just trying to be helpful:).

Let’s look at it from a scientific viewpoint: Helium is insoluble in water. End of experiment. (BTW, chemistry is not my forte, but Mr. Google is my friend ;))
 
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Well, gotta give Maggie #2 benefit of the doubt. Yeah, sounds “fishy,” but she could be a real person with a real problem, and she needs us to help her figure it out…..just trying to be helpful:).

Let’s look at it from a scientific viewpoint: Helium is insoluble in water. End of experiment. (BTW, chemistry is not my forte, but Mr. Google is my friend ;))

I think you're missing something, there Maggie#1; you know, the part where you post all that 'in a high chipmunk voice' cause you inhaled the balloon's innerds! heh heh :cool::p;)
 
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Hi to those that are sceptics. No I’m not trolling, it’s a genuine question. It’s a known fact that helium can and does kill fish, birds. The helium sits in their stomach preventing them from eating, I’ve googled it, where they then starve to death. I was thinking that the fish could have inhaled the helium whilst they were feeding as the helium does lay on the surface until it dissipates. It’s between my knowing the balloon was there to removing it from the pond as to wether the fish have swallowed/inhaled the helium. I’ve had fish for twenty years and never had anything like this happen.
To brokensword, thank you for your advice. My pond is ,5000lts, 3ft deep, no new items added, Constance flow of water from the water fall, filtering all the time through the pump to the filter back to the pond.
The fish are so lethargic to the point we’re I can touch them, no open wounds or sores, no fin rot or other signs of disease.
Hi Maggie nice to chat with you. I do have other fish in my pond, gold fish they are also dying, no signs of diseas either. So all you lovely people thanks for your advice I will test the water although I’m not sure what to look for?. I’ll keep you updated as to what I find.
I live in liverpool uk. Bye for now.
 
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Hi to those that are sceptics. No I’m not trolling, it’s a genuine question. It’s a known fact that helium can and does kill fish, birds. The helium sits in their stomach preventing them from eating, I’ve googled it, where they then starve to death. I was thinking that the fish could have inhaled the helium whilst they were feeding as the helium does lay on the surface until it dissipates. It’s between my knowing the balloon was there to removing it from the pond as to wether the fish have swallowed/inhaled the helium. I’ve had fish for twenty years and never had anything like this happen.
To brokensword, thank you for your advice. My pond is ,5000lts, 3ft deep, no new items added, Constance flow of water from the water fall, filtering all the time through the pump to the filter back to the pond.
The fish are so lethargic to the point we’re I can touch them, no open wounds or sores, no fin rot or other signs of disease.
Hi Maggie nice to chat with you. I do have other fish in my pond, gold fish they are also dying, no signs of diseas either. So all you lovely people thanks for your advice I will test the water although I’m not sure what to look for?. I’ll keep you updated as to what I find.
I live in liverpool uk. Bye for now.
most test kits are for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, KH, phosphorus. If any of these are out of whack, it will usually affect your fish. And depending on how much water movement+fish load+water temp, you may also have an O2 depletion but you'd know that if you see your fish at the surface gasping, which isn't a behaviour you're reporting. Remember; LIQUID test kit under a year new/unopened so you don't get false numbers. And if you do and report back, have the NUMBERS, not 'the params are all normal/within spec' as this doesn't tell us as much as the numbers. MOST people with problems with their fish are from water params that are out of whack or some chem got in by mistake (sometimes NOT by mistake ala algaecides--which we DON'T recommend you use--there's better ways!) Let us know and we'll see if anything is obvious or further testing. Include fish type/size/quantity and pond gallonage/dimensions incl depth, whether you have waterfall/aerator and basics of your filtration. A lot can be figured out by that info! And some indepth watching of the fish behavior; I'm a firm believer that if you watch your fish regularly, you'll know something's wrong well before bad stuff takes it's toll, though looks like that might be a bit late now, sorry to say!

edit; do you add dechlor when you add water? Do you need to (i.e. are you on a well?)?
 
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Hi to those that are sceptics. No I’m not trolling, it’s a genuine question. It’s a known fact that helium can and does kill fish, birds. The helium sits in their stomach preventing them from eating, I’ve googled it, where they then starve to death. I was thinking that the fish could have inhaled the helium whilst they were feeding as the helium does lay on the surface until it dissipates. It’s between my knowing the balloon was there to removing it from the pond as to wether the fish have swallowed/inhaled the helium. I’ve had fish for twenty years and never had anything like this happen.
To brokensword, thank you for your advice. My pond is ,5000lts, 3ft deep, no new items added, Constance flow of water from the water fall, filtering all the time through the pump to the filter back to the pond.
The fish are so lethargic to the point we’re I can touch them, no open wounds or sores, no fin rot or other signs of disease.
Hi Maggie nice to chat with you. I do have other fish in my pond, gold fish they are also dying, no signs of diseas either. So all you lovely people thanks for your advice I will test the water although I’m not sure what to look for?. I’ll keep you updated as to what I find.
I live in liverpool uk. Bye for now.
Helium is lighter then "the air" so cant stay on water surface and inhaled...
Like others said, check parameters and maybe we find out the problem ;)
 

Mmathis

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@Maggie moo Try to find a liquid test kit (most of us use API Master, but don’t know what’s available for you). Liquid tests tend to be more reliable than strips. Test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, and if you need to purchase this kit separately, test for KH. Also, what is your water temperature (not air temperature)? How long has the pond been up and running?
 

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