Our Pond #3: New Fish and...

You should be able to swim through that like a pro!!!
:-)

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

haha yah I can throw out a life preserver or two

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

(( Demands pictures ))

;)

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

doh

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Ok. here you go. Mind you, it’s about 6:30 at night so the light isn’t the greatest.

We have the family of 4 (I think Blue is hiding under #1 actually)- notice Spot is missing. I saw him briefly so I know he is still alive and in the pond but he’s definitely anti-social at this point.

Here is #1 and Top Hat going head to head.

And there’s “Blue” to the lower left of #1 and Goldie.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

#1 looks like a Koi to me, if that’s the one on top. Don’t think I’ve seen a goldfish with such a large scale pattern.. Regardless, really pretty fish. :)

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

Great “gets” MsDeb!! Hey who said life around the “pond” would be boring … :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

Pretty typical for some to chase each other, some to hide, some to be friendly(if you can call it that) kind of like people. #1 is definitely a koi, goldie is a comet, and nice shubunkins you got there…:)

-- Bob, Carver MA USA, Zone 6b, Annual Rainfall 48" http://capecodbaychallenge.org

I have Koi and didn’t even know it.
Last year when I bought this guy the sign said that they didn’t have any koi so I just assumed that he wasn’t.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

yes they are Koi. and looks like a great big size.

-- Karson retired in DE e-mail karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

I saw “Spot” today… not sure if he’s getting anything to eat though. So far I’ve only seen him go from one hiding spot to another. Meanwhile the other 4 are like a “tight” family already

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

we saw Spot yesterday afternoon… he was swimming around the edge of the pond and seemed quite lethargic compared to other sightings. My worries about food for him were becoming real.

As he swam around the edge, I grabbed some fish pellets and tossed them in his path.
My plan worked and he started nibbling. Before long he had eaten an entire pellet all by himself – it was almost as big as him! (ok, I’m exaggerating but it had to have filled his belly completely). He should be good for a couple more days after that feast.

Now, I’ll be sure to place a few pellets strategically around the edge where the bigger fish may not be able to get to.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I had three Koi in a 75 gallon aquarium. They’d grown to around 16” or so and given their size and style were worth around $150/ea. Rather loved those fish..

Gave them to someone who had a pond so they’d be happier.. The guys dog ate them.. I wasn’t a happy camper.

I’ll have Koi again some time, just a few.. This time, in my own pond.. One of these years.

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

sad story :(

I’m glad Gabby isn’t interested and although the cats have watched the fish they haven’t tried to catch them.
Now, because the fish have the big hole in the pond, they quickly hide down in the deep and and are pretty safe from most things I think.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

My cats sit at the edge of the pond and watch the fish. Guinness…black cat with a brown tinge, uses his paw to drink and the fisk come over because they seem to think he is going to feed them…so far no issues

-- Bob, Carver MA USA, Zone 6b, Annual Rainfall 48" http://capecodbaychallenge.org

that’s funny

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

just an update. It’s been a couple of weeks and the fish are still alive – and Spot is STILL anti-social. I’ve yet to see him near another fish.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Well at least Spot is still alive!!!! Glad your fish are thriving in their new home!!! :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

May 14—guess what! I saw Spot hanging out with the other fish today!!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

WOOHOO!!!!! Glad to hear it, cuz I know that was worrying you.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

haha not worrying really—entertaining for sure! :)

He’s a pretty little thing.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

yes, your little guys are really pretty. I’m glad you got your pond “done” this year … gonna be a nice summer on that patio of yours!!!

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

today I sat for quite a while at my pond after lunch, watching all my fishies swim around together. I even got a picture of “Spot”.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

The pics turned out really good MsD
Nice to relax and gaze at them for awhile eh?

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

sure is.. after I posted the pix I went back out and watched them again.
I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to invest in the pond or not. Glad I did.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Great photos MsDeb!!! Hey forget the “other chores” ... You have a relaxing patio to sit on, sip coffee and watch the “pond” ... It’s all good!!!! :-)

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

what dishes? where?

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Hehe…I know how you feel Deb. My water garden is completely enclosed, my daughters idea, by fence and/or trees. With the waterfall running the rest of the world disappears. Especially this time of year with the trees and shrubs blooming. I can go in just to feed the fish and end up sitting for 1/2 and hour just watching the fish and all the birds that come in to drink. The heavy fragrance of lilacs and wisteria can almost put you to sleep. You can usually find our oldest cat in there napping in the sun and she’ll always come over to sit get scratched between the ears.

-- Bob, Carver MA USA, Zone 6b, Annual Rainfall 48" http://capecodbaychallenge.org

we spend lots of hours by the pond…

The pond went green after the first big rainstorm and we are having difficulties cleaning it up. I need more plants in it I think.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Spot didn’t make it
Funeral at 10

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Oh … :-(

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

:( My condolences.

-- the day you quit learning is the day you quit living.

I had a pair of the ones I got recently from Wally*World die off in the top pond. They were just little buggers though, and expected loss from that store.

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

Better get started on that fish cemetary MsD. (lol)

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

lol he’s laying to rest under a bush… providing additional fertilizer :)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

“top hat” died last night, as expected. The other little guy, we think, is showing the same signs and will probably die as well.
Only thing we can think of is that I changed the food a while ago from “regular” to “vibrant colour”. Perhaps there was something in this that the little guys couldn’t handle—or they just died.

re: our “green pond”. When my son came to visit I wanted to have the water cleared up and able to see the fish. We bought a $70 UV light. The water comes up to the top pond, goes through the UV light and down through our little aquarium filter that I added to the sequence and within 2 days we had clear water. It was a “miracle”. (this was another change in the environment and also may have affected our little fish somehow.)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Sorry you are losing all your fish MsD.The clear water shouldn’t have affected them because you have plants in there for them to keep out of the direct sunlight.Hope you figure out what happened. :-(

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

MsD, sorry to hear about the fish!
Hope you can figure out what is going on!

-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a

Arn’t they adorable…not to self…Don’t get fish, you may end up getting attached. I can see me naming all of them :D…Oh and a fishie memorial garden…So sorry about your fishies. Could any chemicals have leached into their pond?

-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20

thanks re: my fish. I’m pretty sure the other new one died last night. We’ll see tomorrow if he’s floating.

I’m convinced that it was the “vibrant colour” food. We’ve had the fish for about 3 months and they were healthy right up until about 2 days after I started using the new fish food. I’m going to write the company and see if the contents could be hard on a younger fish’s system. (they will probably say “no” but at least I’ll be letting them know that maybe some research is needed in this area).

My two original fish (Goldie & #1) are doing just fine. Of course I’ve changed back to my original type of food and since the other fish are gone I’ll probably mix the old food and the new food 1/2 & 1/2 until the “vibrant colour” food is gone and I won’t buy it again.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

That way they will only be half dead MsD ?

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

exactly!! :0 Only half dead lol

the food didn’t seem to have a negative effect on the bigger fish… I’m thinking that the immature digestive system couldn’t handle what was added to the food pellets. I could be all wrong but that’s what I’m thinking. So if I only give the big fish a little at a time they should continue to have no problems. If I notice any change in their behaviour I’ll toss the food.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Good Luck. :-)

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

If you failed to clean the filter of the dead algae, it would have raised the nitrate and nitrite levels in the pond high enough to burn the younger fishes gills.

It’s be worth it to pick up one of those 5-in-1 test kits with the strips you dip into the water.

Food will kill a fish if it’s gone bad. There should be expiration dates on the container somewhere. I was having issues with die off and finally realized the food had gone bad (big container from when I had Koi)..

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b

I’ll take a look at that Scott.
We did clean the filters out but hey.. might have been too late. Who knows.

Never thought about expiry date! Thanks

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)