My goldfish swimming up side down. Please help!

[Olenka]

We have only 2 fantails in our well-cycled 650-gallon pond. They are about 6-7 inches long. We had them for almost a year. They were happy and healthy. Yesterday we started a pond improvement project. So, we moved our fish to a 25 gallons storage tote filled with pond water. Well, it was technically less than 25 gallons because we also put 2 waterlilies and a bunch of anacharis in there. Right after the move and till this morning our fish looked OK, but were kind of lethargic (not hiding, not swimming, not looking for food). The red one was tilting to one side a little bit. This afternoon the red one recovered. It is swimming and munching on something. The white fish turned upside down but is not dead. When I gently touch it with my finger, it moves. The water is definitely OK. It came from the pond.
Now we can move them back home, but the pond is drained - only 1/4 of the water left in there (we are planning to fill it slowly, adding about 30-40 gallons of conditioned water per day to let beneficial bacteria grow).
The question is - should we move the fish back to the pond? Or do something else to help them recover?
On the one hand, the pond is bigger. On the other hand, the water temperature is high, 77 degrees. Since the tote is located in the shade, it is only 72 degrees in that temporary residence. We moved waterlilies back to the pond (left some anacharis in). So, now the fish have 25 gallons of water.

 

[Tula]

I would put the fish back in the pond, it's probably got more than 25 gallons of water. If you've had the pond for awhile there is bound to be a nice bio film and beneficial bacteria , growing on the sides of the pond. I'd slowly add some of the cooler was to the tub till they are close in temperate and then return the fish to the pond.

You say 30- 40 gallons of conditioned water....are you referring to chlorine? If so, you could add water more quickly and add a de-chlorinator.

 

[Mmathis]

Filling it slowly isn’t how beneficial grow. Having water in the pond, with lots of physical surfaces is where the BB’s will colonize and grow. You can fill it us all at once, just add a dechlorinator if your water source contains either chlorine and/or chloramines.

Your fish in the tote, do you have an airstone in with them? If not, I would do that ASAP!

As @Tula said, I would get them back in the pond.

 

[Olenka]

Thank you, Tula, for your advice!
Yes, our pond has a thick biofilm and a lot of critters living in the water. But the temperature in the pond is warmer compared to the tub. This is why I am not so quick to move my babies back. Another reason would be that the move itself causes a lot of stress, even if the water temp, as well as other parameters, are the same. Am I right? Or am I missing something?

You say 30- 40 gallons of conditioned water....are you referring to chlorine? If so, you could add water more quickly and add a de-chlorinator.

Yes, I was referring to chlorine. We never used a de-chlorinator before. I would rather avoid adding chemicals to the water. I just put it aside for 3 days and wait until chlorine goes away.

 

[Olenka]

Thank you, TurtleMommy!
I was not aware that an air stone was a must. I have seen even more overpopulated goldfish tanks w/out airstones.
If you, guys, think that I have to move them back, I am doing so.

Thank you, everyone!

 

[mrsclem]

Dechlorinators are safe to use as long as you follow directions. It is the one chemical that most pond owners feel safe using. You can add some of the pond water to the tote to get the temperature as close as possible. Any time you have fish in a small container, an air stone is always a good idea.

 

[brokensword]

Dechlorinators are safe to use as long as you follow directions. It is the one chemical that most pond owners feel safe using. You can add some of the pond water to the tote to get the temperature as close as possible. Any time you have fish in a small container, an air stone is always a good idea.

not to mention that in this day and age, water often has chloramines and NOT chlorine. Chloramines can last over 30 days. The dechlor products will also counter the chloramines, if you have any.

 

[Olenka]

Thank you, @brokensword !
Running to a pet store to get de-chlorinator.