On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 03:00:12 GMT, southernbc
wrote:


Anthropy wrote:
Please help.
We have a pond, about 3 x 4 x 4 (feet). We've had it for about 5 years
and everything was great. It contains about 40 goldfish but recently
they have begun dying. The dead ones are small and appear to be a
silvery \gold type colour.
We don't do anything to the pond other than feed the fish and clear
off the leaves and stuff off the surface and until now all has been
fine. We haven't changed the food nor put anything in the water. The
bigger fish seem to be OK but 5 have died in the last week.
There is no residue or anything usual about the pond. The fish are a
bit slow but that is just the cold (It's winter here England,
Brighton)
Could it be something to do with the fluctuating temperature we're
experiencing this winter?
Please, if you can help or recommend anything we'd be most grateful.
Thanks.

When you say the temperature was over 55 deg. did you mean the air or
the water? The water temp is the one that matters to fish.

Don

Firstly thanks to everyone for your help.
Another fish was dead this morning. I noticed it looking poorly
yesterday. When I took it out the pond it's eyes were white and it
had a red patch on its underside. Once again, one of the small ones.
The other fish look fine.
I'm afraid to say the 55f I was referring to was the air. It seems
obvious now you've mentioned it that I should have been measuring the
water temperature.
I've stopped feeding them completely now even though they were quite
lively this morning and obviously wanting food.
We're also going to remove some and take them to the pond in the local
park. Would it be better to remove the big ones or the smaller ones?
I shall get the water testing kit tomorrow and post the results.
Once again, thanks for your help.