Rehoming Shubunkins

[Michael from Daytona]

Okay, thank you all for the advice....That is what I love about this forum...So many people with a lot of experience on here to help when you need it...First let me clarify that the only fish that would have been in a bucket overnight are the tiny ones (up to one inch) I never intended to keep the bigger fish in buckets overnight....I was going to catch the bigger ones right before he came for pick up...They are only going two blocks away so it shouldn't be for long....Maybe I will just forget about rehoming some of them...It is just too stressful on them and on me!!!

Just saw this post and the several responses. Yes, the forum is "great" but just as one responder cautioned you about trusting what you find on the internet, that advice should pertain to this forum as well. Having experience gives no one the authority to be preachy. I knew what you meant when you mentioned pailing fish with "no oxygen." For someone to reply, "fish can't survive without oxygen" and then sarcastically suggest that you might as well leave your fish on the side of the pond is nothing short of cruel and has no place in a public forum.

I imagine many of us grew up with a couple of generic goldfish in a 2-quart glass bowl. I know I did. There was no bubbler in that bowl, nor was there an ichthyologist on hand to tell me what and when to feed my fish, which somehow managed to survive YEARS despite all the horrible things I did - or failed to do - to it out of sheer youthful ignorance and irresponsibility. There was no internet then and hence no forums, I'm happy to say.

I think I told you about my koi, "Capt. Hook," who developed a sudden case of scoliosis while only 4" long and I isolated him in a 5 gal bucket for 24 hours, convinced he was going to die imminently. I didn't think to put an air stone in the bucket. I don't know if I would have anyway. Yet Capt. Hook was not ready to croak, despite having "no oxygen" and barely enough room to turn around in there. Today, Hook is nearly ten inches long and his spine has straightened out to the point where only I could tell there had been a problem. He frolics with six other koi ranging in size from six inches to a foot in a 600 gallon, 2 foot deep concrete pond - despite another forum member's insistence that 600 gals is barely large enough to support ONE such fish. I have double-waterfall and triple-spitter aeration. Ammonium and phosphate levels are negligible, as the pond surface is 50% covered with water lettuce. I also have two plecos that have gotten FAT off algae and organics.

My point is that we all have our own versions of what ponding and fish handling should be. For me, a good rule about advice is to take the most conservative as well as the most radical opinions and find a median between them for consideration - and then follow your gut instincts.

 

[WaterGardener]

I admit that I tend to be harsh and blunt at times. Sorry if you, or anyone else, were offended. I was trying to make a point.

I have seen studies of frogs that were able to convert to alcohol in their bodies and survive even being frozen. But it is rare and most of them, like 70%, die anyway.

I just can't see fish surviving without oxygen. And as was pointed out, the ones in that article were in very cold water where their metabolism was seriously reduced. It was not early spring when the temperatures are heating up.

Even those fish living in bowls gasp for air at the surface, so they get oxygen. They aren't in a vacuum that has none. Neither was your fish in that bucket. There was oxygen available at the surface. But it probably was not the ideal situation for the fish.

I was unaware at the time of how big and how many fish the OP was planning to put in that small bucket. Since I now know, my answer would be different. But still I would have recommended an air stone. Why stress the fish like that if you don't have to? What they can survive and what is humane can be two very different things.

I'm glad that you fish are doing well and I hope they continue to do so.

That's my opinion. Yours may differ.

 

[rubyduby]

Thank you for chiming in also SarahT...I think of your move here with that HUGE koi all the time and I can't imagine how stressful that was for you...What I keep will depend on what I can catch. I have a lot of plants in my pond so it won't be easy...I have been putting the long handled net in the pond next to them whenever I feed to try and get them used to it...Now, however, I am going to refrain from feeding until the big day (Monday) k

Just saw this post and the several responses. Yes, the forum is "great" but just as one responder cautioned you about trusting what you find on the internet, that advice should pertain to this forum as well. Having experience gives no one the authority to be preachy. I knew what you meant when you mentioned pailing fish with "no oxygen." For someone to reply, "fish can't survive without oxygen" and then sarcastically suggest that you might as well leave your fish on the side of the pond is nothing short of cruel and has no place in a public forum.

I imagine many of us grew up with a couple of generic goldfish in a 2-quart glass bowl. I know I did. There was no bubbler in that bowl, nor was there an ichthyologist on hand to tell me what and when to feed my fish, which somehow managed to survive YEARS despite all the horrible things I did - or failed to do - to it out of sheer youthful ignorance and irresponsibility. There was no internet then and hence no forums, I'm happy to say.

I think I told you about my koi, "Capt. Hook," who developed a sudden case of scoliosis while only 4" long and I isolated him in a 5 gal bucket for 24 hours, convinced he was going to die imminently. I didn't think to put an air stone in the bucket. I don't know if I would have anyway. Yet Capt. Hook was not ready to croak, despite having "no oxygen" and barely enough room to turn around in there. Today, Hook is nearly ten inches long and his spine has straightened out to the point where only I could tell there had been a problem. He frolics with six other koi ranging in size from six inches to a foot in a 600 gallon, 2 foot deep concrete pond - despite another forum member's insistence that 600 gals is barely large enough to support ONE such fish. I have double-waterfall and triple-spitter aeration. Ammonium and phosphate levels are negligible, as the pond surface is 50% covered with water lettuce. I also have two plecos that have gotten FAT off algae and organics.

My point is that we all have our own versions of what ponding and fish handling should be. For me, a good rule about advice is to take the most conservative as well as the most radical opinions and find a median between them for consideration - and then follow your gut instincts.

Thank you Michael...I felt bad after reading some of the replies...I understand that we all want the best for our fish and I am especially sensitive to their needs which is why I posted in the first place...

 

[WaterGardener]

I was actually surprised and a bit disappointed that you posted what you did. I thought I had misjudged your experience and knowledge. Now I know that it was just some miscommunication and lack of complete information.

I didn't mean to upset anyone and apologize for doing so.

I hope the rehoming goes very smoothly and your little ones get great homes.

 

[rubyduby]

@rubyduby I think your plan is fine for the little goldfish, the bigger ones might need a little more space if overnight. Don't feed them for a couple of days before they're moving. I used a kiddie pool with an aquarium airstone for my 20" koi and several large goldfish for 2 weeks, with netting from JoAnn Fabrics over the pool in case they wanted to go explore. The pond was on a covered lanai, so no sun. They were all fine (still are, 18 months later).
You're keeping a few shubies more than your two favorites?!

Thanks SarahT...I went to JoAnns today and bought netting and elastic for the top of the 17 gallon tub that I bought from Ace Hardware today for the bigger fish...I also bought a 5 Gallon bucket for the babies..Oh yeah, and two air pumps and two air stones...All of this and I don't even know if I will be able to catch them!!!

 

[TheFishGuy]

Thanks SarahT...I went to JoAnns today and bought netting and elastic for the top of the 17 gallon tub that I bought from Ace Hardware today for the bigger fish...I also bought a 5 Gallon bucket for the babies..Oh yeah, and two air pumps and two air stones...All of this and I don't even know if I will be able to catch them!!!

They are difficult to catch! I hope everything goes well.

 

[SarahT]

Thanks SarahT...I went to JoAnns today and bought netting and elastic for the top of the 17 gallon tub that I bought from Ace Hardware today for the bigger fish...I also bought a 5 Gallon bucket for the babies..Oh yeah, and two air pumps and two air stones...All of this and I don't even know if I will be able to catch them!!!

The Kentucky Derby is next weekend, so we'll know by then to put our $ on @rubyduby to win versus the Shubie-do's, ok?

 

[rubyduby]

I was actually surprised and a bit disappointed that you posted what you did. I thought I had misjudged your experience and knowledge. Now I know that it was just some miscommunication and lack of complete information.

I didn't mean to upset anyone and apologize for doing so.

I hope the rehoming goes very smoothly and your little ones get great homes.

That's what I don't like about e-mails, ect...So much is not explained...I have only rehomed fish once a couple of months ago. I netted about 25 one inch fry at night (that is when I can see them easily with the pond lights) and put them in one of my 3 gallon buckets with an aerator over night and drove them to the pet store the next morning (I couldn't sleep that night I was so worried about them). They were fine...I never would keep any of my fish in a container without an aerator but when I googled "how long can fish go without an aerator" (I was curious because of the car trip which is only a few blocks but there is the acclimation time to consider) I was surprised at the info on goldfish and oxygen so I thought I would throw the question out to the forum and see what others have read in hopes that someone more experienced and knowledgeable could enlighten me on the subject and you sure did that! I did wind up taking some advice from the replies...I bought a bigger container today (17 gallon) for the bigger fish (I thought 3 Gallons was big at my age and a 5 gallon bucket for the small fry...all will be aerated and the water Primed...Now if I can just catch the fish!

 

[rubyduby]

They are difficult to catch! I hope everything goes well.

Thanks! I need all of the positive energy (any energy actually, I am too old for this

 

[SarahT]

Thanks! I need all of the positive energy (any energy actually, I am too old for this

I am waiting to hear their splashes of joy in their new home and slightly tearful goodbyes to and from GrandMa.

 

[rubyduby]

NIGHTMARE!!! My pond guy never came to pick up the fish...Never called....I left text after text and nothing.....This is a man and his Dad that are always SUPER reliable so something terrible must have happened...I was unable to catch the adult fish so I have had about 15 small ones in an aerated bucket for 30 hours now (I did one water change)...I am acclimating them back to the pond where they will go and NEVER be bothered again...I don't need this kind of stress and either do they! I will just have to cut back on feeding in hopes that they eat any future eggs...

 

[j.w]

Oh no that is awful @rubyduby and I hope the guys are ok. Wonder what happened?

 

[TheFishGuy]

At least you were prepared to hold them for a while! Is there a local pond store that would like some goldfish?

 

[Tula]

I've kept small fish in my deck pond for months with a small pump circulating water and lots of pond plants.

 

[SarahT]

NIGHTMARE!!! My pond guy never came to pick up the fish...Never called....I left text after text and nothing.....This is a man and his Dad that are always SUPER reliable so something terrible must have happened...I was unable to catch the adult fish so I have had about 15 small ones in an aerated bucket for 30 hours now (I did one water change)...I am acclimating them back to the pond where they will go and NEVER be bothered again...I don't need this kind of stress and either do they! I will just have to cut back on feeding in hopes that they eat any future eggs...

oh, @rubyduby , I was so hoping you'd found a happy home. I am sure they'll be fine back in your pond. I'm sending stress-reducing thoughts for you and fishes, as they swim around reuniting with their kin, and you watch them swim peacefully around the pond. And all is well ... well... they're all well, we're all well...