Dying fish

[alison]

This morning I found three of my large fish dead in the pond. 1 goldfish (my biggest) and 2 shubunkins. Last week I also lost a couple of fish. This is the first time that this has happened to me since I introduced fish into the ponds over 6 years ago. Usually they come through winter okay. I just wondered if there was anything I could do to help any other fish. The goldfish and one of the shubunkins looked fine. No external injuries etc that I could see. On the other shubunkins face there were tiny white spots.Just like fullstops (they look like what we mothers used to call milkspots on our newborn babies.) Has anyone got an idea about this and is there anything I can do?
The goldfish I can say might not have gone through the winter because he did seem under the weather last autumn, having some white waxy spots on his sides. I couldn't see any sign of them now though, like I say he looked fine. I just wondered if it was worth dosing the pond with some eradik or something. I didn't know if it will work well in such cold weather.

[seanmckinney]

Are they thin, does the water small bad as if something large had fallen in and drowned and is rotting? Have you checked parameters?
The white spot sounds like white spot, ich, but normally there is mopore than one white spot. Try looking on http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/

[Tricia]

Oh Alison, I am so sorry. I haven't a clue what could have been the matter with them, but I used Medifin every six weeks after the trauma of last June and my fish have, touch wood, been fine ever since. I stopped using the Medifin when I stopped feeding them and will start again when the water warms up again. You can find out more about this product on http://www.tetra.net. Apparently it will treat white spot - if that's what it was - and fungus diseases too, so maybe it could be the answer to saving the other fish.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Tricia

[Scotty24]

Am so sorry you are losing fish Alison.
Fish fall prey to diseases/parasites etc., at this time of year because they are stressed, poor water quality usually being the main problem.
I don't think medicating the pond at these temperatures would do much good and can only suggest that small water changes on a regular basis might help.
I agree with Sean about checking your pond to see if something had died in there. Any dead frogs, sticklebacks etc.?
Frogs can also kill fish at this time of year if they grasp hold of them around the gills.
Hope your remaining fish stay OK.

[alison]

Thanks eveyone for your concern and help. No it doesn't look like anything has died or fallen in the pond. No smells or anything like that either. I just wondered if they were old fish now. I don't know how long they are supposed to live. I did introduce quite a lot of fish last september as someone was 'throwing them out' and I am not sure if they are the shubunkins from them or my own ones. The goldfish was definitely my one. Do you remember how fat he always was. It might be something to do with that as he then got those bulging eyes etc and yet lived like that for such a long time.
I know to expect some fatalities after the winter as like you say, once the weather warmed up a little the bacteria and parasites can start attacking the fish who are not at their best after a long winter haul without nourishment. I was concerned about that when I got so many fish in september, that I might not be able to give them enough nourishment before the feeding stopped. Anyway lets hope that they are the only ones I lose. The pond isn't overstocked so I don't think it's anything to do with that either. Thanks once again. It is really nice that people respond even if they don't know the answers but just like to sympathize.

[Kristin F.]

Alison, I'm so sorry to hear that you're loosing your fish.
This is indeed the most critical time for them, but knowing you have had them for several years makes me wonder too - I can understand your worries, really.

I wish I could help, but I can't. It must be especially devastating to loose your favorite - 'fattie' the Goldfish ..

Maybe this link will help you? It is a very informative site:

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/disease.html

EDIT: Alison, this following site is even better!

http://www.goldfishinfo.com/diagram.htm

This is the main page with lots of info, here it says that Goldfish can live for 20 years or longer...

http://members.aol.com/sirchin/goldfish.htm

Good luck Alison...