PLEASE! HELP!

[jkgvharden]

We have a small backyard pond. It has a few goldfish, 2 koi, 3 bullfrogs, and 3 catfish. This morning the largest catfish was dead, and this afternoon the next largest catfish is gone also, or almost, (it moves it's mouth once in a very long while as I prod/massage it). Everyone else is fine and acting normal. I don't know what it could be!

 

[bagsmom]

Oh no! I'm sorry! Are you in a part of the country where it is very hot right now? I know people sometimes talk about super hot summers making a low oxygen environment in the pond - and that oftentimes, it gets the biggest fish first. I'm hoping someone with more knowledge will chime in. But I know they will ask for every bit of info you can give about the pond. Size, depth, any filtration and what kind. Any aeration. Did you do a water test? Is it in full sun or shade. All that stuff... I hope your pond residents survive!!!

 

[jkgvharden]

Size: 5' x 10' x 2'
lots of shade
pondmax filter with a pump rated for twice as big as the pond. The water goes through the filter system and then out to a waterfall. I haven't tested the water yet.

 

[j.w]

@jkgvharden
Better do tests and kinda sounds like an oxygen problem.

 

[mrsclem]

Where are you located? Temps?

 

[jkgvharden]

In los angeles. It's hot out, but the water feels cool to the touch. We had to add more water yesterday, would chlorine only harm the catfish and not the koi? or the goldfish?

 

[j.w]

Chlorine will hurt them all. Add dechlor every time you add city chlorinated water. Maybe certain types of fish will be more sensitive like the catfish. I really am not sure.

 

[Mmathis]

@jkgvharden Hello and welcome! So sorry about your fish! Have you checked the temperature of the water?

How many gallons is your pond (the dimensions you gave say about 800 gallons)? How big are your fish? Do you use a dechlorinator when you add water? And how long has your pond been up and running?

Yes, test your water and get back to us with the results. Please give the number results, rather than “OK,” or “normal.”

 

[Tula]

LA is having record breaking heat this week end. What is the temperature of the pond water? Warm water holds less O2 than cooler water.

 

[jkgvharden]

Ok, I got the water tested:and checked the temperature, it is 77.7 degrees.

 

[Tula]

Is there a test for ammonia on your test chart? Nothing jumps out at me from your test results. Also the water temp isn't what I would consider dangerously hot , especially as you said the pond is shaded.

Do you run an aerator? Low O2 is still what I suspect. Did either of the deceased fish have any sign of sickness or injury on them?

 

[jkgvharden]

There were no signs of illness or injuries ever. With the water fall I can't imagine low 02. It's been the same system for a few years. We've had worse heat waves, so I agree that doesn't seem like the issue. I found out that the pond water level was low yesterday evening, so my husband put a hose in the pond and forgot about it till this morning. (It overflowed.) He is convinced that it was the chlorine -which would have dissipated by the time I did the test. We are heartbroken. Bonnie and Clyde have been with us since they were tiny, and now they were as big as a man's thigh with great personalities.
I feel if was the chlorine that the Koi and Goldfish would have acted sick but they seem normal, but

 

[Tula]

Oh, I'm so sorry about Bonnie and Clyde If the hose ran overnight, chlorine would definitely be an issue.....but I'm surprised it didn't affect the koi and goldfish.

 

[j.w]

Found article in MI Gardner thought you might like to read. Regarding chlorine and chloramine.

By Rick Bartel http://pondplace.com/dangersofchlorine.aspx

​

Concentrated levels of chlorine kill fish and other aquatic life-forms.

Pond owners and service providers have argued the validity of watching the level of
chlorine in ponds and whether those chlorine levels are harmful to the aquatic life in
a pond.
Some report performing partial water changes without treating the tap water to remove chlorine. This devastating error can create untold issues.


Even when koi and other pond fish show no apparent ill effects from untreated water, it doesn't
mean the chlorine isn't stressing or harming them. The amount of harmful damage
depends on many factors.
To clear the air a bit, here are some fundamental scientific facts about chlorine and
pond fish, dragonfly larvae, frogs, tadpoles and other aquatic life often present in pond systems:

• Concentrated levels of chlorine kill fish and other aquatic life-forms.
• Chlorine is an oxidizer, which removes the necessary slime coat from koi and other pond fish, causing stress and stress-related illnesses.
• Chlorine damages the gill structure in koi and other pond fish, causing serious long-term issues and making it difficult for the fish to breath.
• As the pond's pH levels go down, chlorine becomes more toxic.
• The presence of phenols, a toxic organic chemical found in some types of organic wastes, can combine with chlorine to become extremely toxic.
• Chlorine is relatively unstable in water, escaping to the atmosphere on its own. Water left sitting with adequate water circulation will be chlorine-free 24 hours or less.
• Sodium thiosulfate easily neutralizes chlorine.
• When exposed to high levels of chlorine, koi and other pond fish show signs of irritation, such as swimming erratically or attempting to leave the water.

At lower levels, chlorine is not necessarily life-threatening to koi and other pond fish, but it still can harm them. Affected fish might exhibit fast gill beats and gasp at the water surface to get enough oxygen into their tissues. These symptoms easily can be mistaken for low-oxygen problems, gill parasites or another gill disease, when raw tap water might be to blame.

Here are example chlorine levels and what they can do to pond fish:

.006 mg/L will kill fish fry in about two days.
.003 mg/L will kill insect larvae, such as dragonflies.
.002 mg/L will fatally damage the sensitive skin on tadpoles, frogs, salamanders and other amphibians.
.01 mg/L is the maximum level that experts say adult fish can tolerate.
.25 mg/L is the level at which only the hardiest koi or other pond fish can survive.
.37 mg/L is the level at which all pond fish will die.

If you suspect chlorine damage to pond fish, increase aeration in the pond for a few days. This improves their chances of recovery.

The answer and proper solution to this issue is to use a water treatment chemical. They typically cost pennies per use and safely remove chlorine and chloramines. Read the label to ensure you purchase and use the right product for your needs.

Note:
One problem with water treatment facilities using chlorine to treat water is that it breaks down relatively quickly. Another concern with the use of chlorine is that it can combine with certain organics (that might be present in your water) forming trihalomethanes, a family of carcinogens.

Consequently, many water companies have switched from using chlorine to using chloramine. Chloramine is a compound containing both chlorine and ammonia. It is much more stable than chlorine, but it poses a significant headache for pond enthusiasts. Chlorine-neutralizing chemicals, such as sodium thiosulfate, only neutralize the chlorine portion of the chloramine, neglecting an even bigger problem: deadly ammonia. The consequences can be devastating to koi and other pond fish. A pond's biological filter eventually will convert the ammonia to nitrate, but the time it takes might be longer than the fish can tolerate. Also, the initial presence of the chlorine might have irreparably damaged to the biological filter, rendering it useless

 

[jkgvharden]

Thank you for this info, it is so helpful. I wonder if a hose end filter is a good thing?