"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

Since it is the smaller ones dying, imo, your pond has hit what I call
"critical mass".

My suggestion would be to get a large tub, 20 gallons and fill with clean
(before you stir it up) pond water. Catch 4 of the largest, nicest looking
goldfish and put in this tub.

Now catch the rest to take to the pond store (not to the local pond unless
you have permission). Being one of the volunteer workers at a similar
"local pond" I'm not happy with people that do that. Completely drain the
pond and muck it out as Kathy mentioned. A shop vac, if you have one, works
quite well. I will repeat, rinse sides, but don't scrub. Put plants back
in, refill with needed water treatments and place tub, with the 4 keeper
goldfish, in the pond *do not turn them loose yet* add some of the fresh
pond water to the tub. Let tub float around pond overnight, and release
them in the morning... or if the evening is warm add an airstone.

To prevent critical mass from happening again, don't feed these fish ever!
They will keep their own population down within the means of the pond
providing. I'd also figure out a way to cover the pond in the fall to keep
leaves and such out. You can see how I do that with my ponds on my website.
~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
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