have three quite large golfish in a large plastic tank. they are normally
shy, but in this hot weather they are sunning themselves very near to the
surface. why would they do this, and why are they not frightened as they
normally are? they are not gasping for air or anything like that.

"JWH" wrote in message
...
have three quite large golfish in a large plastic tank. they are normally
shy, but in this hot weather they are sunning themselves very near to the
surface. why would they do this, and why are they not frightened as they
normally are? they are not gasping for air or anything like that.
===============================
What is the water temperature and do you have some kind of filter and
aeration in this tank? When they come up to the top that usually means lack
of oxygen in the water. Warm water hold less than cooler water.
--
KL....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

"JWH" wrote in message
...
have three quite large golfish in a large plastic tank. they are normally
shy, but in this hot weather they are sunning themselves very near to the
surface. why would they do this, and why are they not frightened as they
normally are? they are not gasping for air or anything like that.

They might not be visibly gasping for air, but I'm
guessing the warm/hot water has less oxygen than
is comfortable for them.

If you could cover the pond, e.g. construct a kind
of canopy with shade cloth, that might help.
My ponds have that kind of cover and in addition
I run a fountain in one pond, a bubbler in another.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8 USA

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 16:30:49 GMT, "JWH"
wrote:

have three quite large golfish in a large plastic tank. they are normally
shy, but in this hot weather they are sunning themselves very near to the
surface. why would they do this, and why are they not frightened as they
normally are? they are not gasping for air or anything like that.

They may not be gasping, but there could be low O2 that has made them come
to the surface.... or they've gotten over their shyness. Is there a
fountain, filter, aeration going on in the tub, or is it still water?
~ jan www.jjspond.us
-----------------

Also ponding troll free at:
http://groups.google.com/group/The-Freshwater-Aquarium

My goldfish also "sun themselves" and will lean which ever way presents the top of their backs most squarely to the sun. If you water is warm then oxygen levels may be a factor but I dont know about that, I mention it simple to clarify that I am not contradicting what has been said before. My water is not warm and is well oxygenated so in my case that is not the case