Stupid mistake, Totally Devastated, Huge loss

[Nepen]

I'm so sorry this happened. this is very very sad.
Anya

 

[VanDiesil]

I had a similar thing happen to me last week, but didn't lose any fish thankfully! One of my hoses sprung a leak overnight and woke up in the morning to find 6" or so of water in the deepest part of the pond. I really do feel for you as although the fish can be replaced with others, it is not the same, especially if you have had them a while.

 

[crsublette]

Oh man... Ugh... Don't know what to say... Sick and sadness I became when reading what you wrote. Just terrible terrible.

I know you are, or were, a big avid collector whom truly enjoyed the fish as if they were a family pet and I can't imagine how much this has hit you financially and emotionally.

Just pull through it man... Approach it as the Irish would... Have an Irish Wake with a few Guinness, call in a few folk, and celebrate the good times you had so to keep the good memories.

And then start again...

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I'm so sorry to hear of this.......

 

[koiguy1969]

larkin... that's messed up for sure. and it's worse when its our own fault. i have started the pump back up on my basement pond acouple times forgetting to close the filter's flush valve. luckily still downstairs and caught it before more than a few inches were lost. left the hose running for hours on refills too. basement and outside. luckily the basement pond, i always trickled the refills. so just has to clean up alittle water. now i have a barrel that i use. refill it immediately after pumping the water into pond.dechlor and let it sit for 4 days til next change...water acclimates to temp as well while sitting. "live and learn." It's always the same causes..in a hurry or getting sidetracked.

 

[Dave 54]

I got home this evening to every Koi keepers nightmare. All my water was gone and all my Prized Koi were laying on the bottom, most dead, a very few in really bad shape, three survivors so far but two of them got seriously sun burnt. For the third time I was in a hurry, doing all the feeding and filter cleaning before going to work and I left the vortex clean out valve open. Only this time the pump never shut down and never lost suction and it pumped all but maybe 25-30 gallons of water out of 10,500 gallons. I'm just in total shock. I lost every female I had, all but one of my high end fish, even lost our Shamu, the fish everyone comes to see. I really don't know right now what I am going to do. No possible way I can ever replace this collection. and I'm not talking replace ones like them, I'm talking financially I can't replace what I had invested in my collection. Trying to decide right now if I even want to crank the pond back up.View attachment 69150 View attachment 69150 View attachment 69151 View attachment 69152 View attachment 69153

Oh Larkin we are gutted for your loss my friend mistakes happen especially when your rushing about like that its so very easy to do , thankfully with me it was the bio filter that drained and not the whole pond like yours.
Water if given the chance will always try to get out from where it is held mistake or not my friend
I've had exeriance with sun burned koi before and if the side dried out I'm affraid you may have to think the worst , you could try something like vaseline but I dont know if it would help.
We recieved one in a bucket one day and we tried for 6 months to help that koi, we think that muscles had died on one side of the koi most probably due to it getting the sun and drying out.
In the end though we had to admit defeat and euthanize the koi as a kindness
Dont go blaming yourself about this accidents do happen and we learn from them pick ourselves up and start again .
It's ever so sad that you lost all your females but you can look to the future here remember those koi you'd loved but couldnt have!!!!!....... Through this sad event you can get them and perhaps thnk about a breeding program.......
Sod's or Murphys happens all the time its just a shame its happened to someone we have grown to like and respect .

Dave

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Sorry Larkin. Try not to beat yourself up too bad.
If it's any consolation, they all look very peaceful lying there.

 

[mrsclem]

Speechless but agree with all posts- such a huge loss. Give it some time and don't give up! You are too good at this and there are fish out there that need you!
Hopefully something like this happening will make everyone a little more aware when working on ponds. I've left my filter drains open too many times to count!

 

[shakaho]

This is just heartbreaking.

 

[sissy]

Oh my gosh larkin really sorry to hear this,I cannot even fathom what you are going through considering all your really pretty fish .I would not even know what to say ,sorry does not even cover it .

 

[dieselplower]

Wow Larkin, my condolences. I was upset when my favorite fish, worth maybe $20, died due to my mistake. I couldn't imagine losing so many at once. Rest assured in knowing it was a mistake and that we all hope for your continued participation in the hobby and forum.

 

[koiguy1969]

HE'S STILL GOT ANOTHER POND FULL NEXT TO THAT ONE, DONT YA LARKIN?

 

[j.w]

How horrible for you Larkin! The sight of all those beautiful fish laying there motionless in perfect condition just makes me feel so helpless. There is nothing we can say or do to take away your pain. I know how much you cared for them and put into that pond. I hope you can somehow get through this and still maybe feel like starting over down the road aways. Gosh it just makes me want to cry.

 

[haver79]

So, so sorry for your loss Larkin. I feel so bad for you. We all make mistakes which makes a situation like this even tougher to take.
I agree it will take some time to get over the devastation. Hopefully you will move forward and put the loss behind you and enjoy your beautiful pond again.

 

[ashirley]

I am so sorry! I know you are devastated but you are a tremendous source of knowledge for everyone here and you obviously love your pond. Give it some time.