Slowing Down Already?

[Cynthia Shelton]

Well - I'm embarrassed to say, but yes. I guess after so many years without a fatality I was feeling a little bit invincible. My friend with the pond was having water issues and she only had one fish left so I told her I would house it until she got it together. Because of the size of my pond, everything seemed great for almost a month, then the illness must have set in. So - not only did her fish die, but I ultimately ended up losing 4 of mine and there is still one who is very lethargic and I am afraid he is not going to pull out of it. The water change really seemed to help because the rest are swimming and very active - like they should be. Word to the wise - QUARANTINE - better yet - don't take in fish from anyone but a reputable dealer. I guess there is no way to say for SURE that is what happened, but my fish were totally healthy until the newcomer. Live and learn I guess. Still hard to take.

 

[IPA]

Well - I'm embarrassed to say, but yes. I guess after so many years without a fatality I was feeling a little bit invincible. My friend with the pond was having water issues and she only had one fish left so I told her I would house it until she got it together. Because of the size of my pond, everything seemed great for almost a month, then the illness must have set in. So - not only did her fish die, but I ultimately ended up losing 4 of mine and there is still one who is very lethargic and I am afraid he is not going to pull out of it. The water change really seemed to help because the rest are swimming and very active - like they should be. Word to the wise - QUARANTINE - better yet - don't take in fish from anyone but a reputable dealer. I guess there is no way to say for SURE that is what happened, but my fish were totally healthy until the newcomer. Live and learn I guess. Still hard to take.

Did you get a new test kit? The API Pond Master between $25 and $35 is a very good value and available at most online stores that carry pond equipment as well as the big box pet stores and local B&M's. You may have heard that fish grow to the size of the pond, but really they grow to the amount and quality of the filtration. It's possible your friend's fish was sick already or just it was too much for your filtration though it doesn't sound like you had a lot of fish for that size pond, how big were they? At 2,500 gallons your pond could just about sustain a few small fish with not much (Not Zero) need for filtration but it will really depend on the bio-load you are putting on the available nitrifying and other beneficial bacteria. Something is wrong with the water, be it chemicals from environmental exposure, something that may have killed off the bacteria, or possibly illness in fish. In the case of the later however, it is usually poor water quality that allows the illness to overcome the fish's ability to fight it. Many people post about dying fish here only to discover that they or someone else used a chemical that somehow found its way into the water, so think hard if you used anything, or possibly your neighbors, around the time you first noticed a problem. That said, without knowing the quality of the water by way of testing with a proper kit, it's difficult for others to guide you in the right direction.
Paul

 

[Cynthia Shelton]

Paul - I tested my water today with that exact kit, plus an additional test for copper. All tests came out good. The phosphate level was high, but it is not toxic. I took a jar of the water to a man who runs a koi store, Plus, I took him one of two MORE fatalities from my pond. The total now at 7. I told him the whole ugly story, and as soon as I mentioned the added fish he knew that was the culprit. He looked at the water and said not to even bother testing it - it looked great. He put on gloves and we went outside to look at the fish. He said the body looked okay and then looked in the gill. Ugh. I could not even look. He told me they should be a healthy red, but this fish's were grey. They were all "stuck together" - in short, I think he suffocated. He told me the name of several parasites that would probably be visible with a scrape of the fish under a microscope. I blame myself 100%. I know better than to dump a new fish in - where was my brain? He said it was not a matter of "if" the rest will perish, but "when." The parasite that was introduced is probably in all of them by now, and only the strongest have survived. The only hope I have is a product called MinFin. It is approved by the FDA for use with ornamental fish. It is applied by dosing according to gallons in the pond, so you have to be pretty darn exact or you will kill the fish. It contains an acid, so gloves and goggles are essential. You mix it in water in a bucket, then pour it into an area with high aeration. After ONE HOUR you pour in the neutralizer that you have ready, and that should be it. No water change is needed, and the chemical turns to, or produces dissolved oxygen. A win-win. If you don't know about this stuff, look it up. It's a little pricey, but to save the rest of my fish, I think I am going to give it a go. I feel so rotten about this. I feel bad for my fish.

 

[IPA]

@Cynthia Shelton . I am so sorry about the loss of your fish and am glad you are treating the remaining ones.

 

[Gemma]

@Cynthia Shelton , So sorry for your loss!