Topic: Dying fish

[MacArthur Park]

My friend has a pond containing some goldfish that she just leaves to get on with it. This year they produced lots of young, but now both adults and young fish keep dying. She's not altered anything or introduced anything to the pond. I've only got a wildlife pond with tadpoles in so I'm no use to her! Any ideas on what's happening?

[tricia]

The pond may be overstocked. Check the Ph, nitrate and ammonia content - it may be too high values are causing the fish to die. Horrid thing to happen  :(.

Tricia

[shirlton]

If there are too many fish then the poor things will be swimming around in there own pee. All pools need filtration of some sort if they are going to stock fish.

[tricia]

Apparently heavy rainfall can alter the oxygen content of the water. If the fish are coming to the top of the water and appear to be gasping for air that could be the problem.

Do let us know how your friend is coping with the dying fish. Have more died?

Tricia

[MacArthur Park]

Thanks for your ideas. Sadly Liz thought some had survived as no more were floating, but it was because they were dead on the bottom. I checked with her and she does have a filter, so we both reckon it must have been the rain. At one point it was coming down so hard it hurt to be out in it, perhaps they were literally beaten to death by it.  :'( :'(
Anyway, she's decided not to bother with any more and just leave it to the frogs and newts. :'(