wrote in message
ups.com...
We had a small 85 gallon pond for the past few years and it did well.
We lost a few fish at the start, but once we learned a few things and
got our bio filter going, the fish thrived very well.
Now we have a 220 gallong pond and due to some birds, had to start over
with most of our fish. We have a couple of koi, some comet's, fantails,
and black Moors.
It sounds like your pond is overcrowded. Koi alone grow to 2 1/2 to 3'
long - yes, that is FEET, not inches. Goldfish can reach 12" as they are
not small fish as adults.
The fish have been dieing one by one. Sometimes a
week or two apart, sometimes a few days apart. one black moor died, one
small fantail, and a few comets. The biggest fantail and the koi all
look well, but then, so did the ones that eventually died.
Can you tell us more such as what the PH and hardness are? What about
ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? How often do you so partial water changes?
Is there a lot of crud on the bottom such as rotting leaves, small twigs,
grass clippings and perhaps a dead frog or some newts?
When I look at the dead fish, they are floating in a plant. the yhave
nothing I can identify such as ick. One of the goldfish that died today
had a pointy tail, not a fishlike tail like you expect to see on a
goldfish. Maybe this is a clue?
I have seen this - it was caused by parasites. I think you need to use a
good parasite killer in your pond. Remove any debris on the bottom first
and do a 25% water change - then use the parasite killer.
I have a UV (9w) Bio Fishmate filter, and I am stil running on old in
water bio, pump driven filter. I was running them both until the new UV
filter kicked in. I have a lot of geen algea on the pond walls and
pebble bottom. I removed some of it from one section of rocks, and it
remained mostly clean fo about 4 days. i think there might be a little
green forming,
Algae wont kill your fish. I believe you have a parasite problem. This is
the time of year they wake up and start to multiply.
but i can't be sure. is the 9w UV big enough for my
pond? The Fishmate is rated to 1000 gallons and i think it is the
perfect size for my 220 gallon pond in Florida. The pond only gets
partial sunlight on one side, and only for a small portion of the day.
the rest of the pond stays in the shade. I will send a picture to
anyone that wants to help. I can also examine the dead fish, when I get
the next one, but only if i know what to look for. The water was not
toxic the last time i checked,
Do it again as things can change in a pond that small rather quickly.
and I will check it again this weekend.
There are about 20 tiny fish in this 220 gallon pond. The biggest ones
are the bottom feeders, and they are growing at a rate that defies
logic.
Bottom feeders?
the fish eat better at night when i turn the pond light on,
othewise they do little to come up for food during the morning hours.
MAybe it is the cool nights that turn them off to food by morning, and
the afternoon sun that brings them back to life. We have been having
cool evenings this past week, 48 to 52 F. Days are up around 80, or
lower. Thanks to all that try to help. Try to Cc: me if you can. Joe
and Stacy, Jensen Beach
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
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