Fish Dying In Pond?

[meehan09]

My pond kois keep dying due to the snow/cold weather, they have been fine every other winter and ive had them 3 years now, but this winter they have started to die, all kois have died ( 4 ) but goldfish and orfs are fine, can anyone help me here and stop my fish dying please?


They have been fine up till now and all seem to have started to die, no signs off illness just appear dead in mornings, after a cold/snowy night's


All was ok for 3 years and last winter, just seem be this winter, what can i do to stop this happening again and stop them from dying please?


any help will be very, very great full, has Ive lost my high grades kois and really upset, thanks

 

[Ryefish]

how deep is your pond? is it outside or is it in a shed/out building?

 

[Haych]

are you feeding them or starving them?

 

[meehan09]

feeding but much much less, and its 1.5 foot deep if iam correct.


It only seems to have started since the icey weather and snow, but was fine last year, and had them all 3 years, they just seemed to be dying on bottom them few hours later had to net some kois out.

Could they need more airation ( air pump ), has its colder weather?, what would everyone suggest?

thanks

feeding but much much less, and its 1.5 foot deep if iam correct.


It only seems to have started since the icey weather and snow, but was fine last year, and had them all 3 years, they just seemed to be dying on bottom them few hours later had to net some kois out.

Could they need more airation ( air pump ), has its colder weather?, what would everyone suggest?

thanks

yes its outdoors, un sheltered? i heard putting covers over is bad in these conditions?

please help, thanks

 

[Haych]

i'm gonna hazard a guess at feeding them is killing them.

youre not supposed to feed koi's (dont know about goldfish) in winter. My sisters are currently being starved for the winter and are all surviving.

if you feed koi's in winter it kills them.

 

[meehan09]

Iam using weat germ pellets and are only having very few once a week, and they have all survied for 3 years and this winter seem to have started dying?


What would you suggest?, adding a bigger air pump? and starving them?


thanks

 

[Haych]

definately starve them, a bigger air pump wouldnt hurt i suppose.

can you get heaters for ponds? just to stop the level getting too low?

 

[meehan09]

I have a heater but doesnt have any settings, was given me free, witch i could put on but wouldnt know if its getting too hot at night time?, maybe need one with a setting on witch iam sure they do for ponds, its been ok for last few years just seems to be this winter, the air pump has stopped working has good.

and it could be that what is the problem? needs more air has its freezing temps? the gold fish and orfe are fine. but all kois have passed away, first by lying on bottom for a bit them just dying?

It could be the air, but iam not sure?, hope you can guide me what to do to stop this happening when i re stock in summer? so it doesn't happen next winter?


hope you can help,thanks

 

[Ryefish]

We reduce the feeding on our goldfish mid-autumn, early winter, and stop feeding competely in winter. The pond has about four inches of ice on it at the minute though, so we couldn't feed them anyways

 

[meehan09]

Ok thankyou, would more airation be a good idea has the one we have now has stopped working as good?

And will that be a prob if not enough airs being pumped in has its freezing temps/snowy conditions?


It only seem to have happend this winter?, do you think the air is the problem?

Or should i do any water changes? theres some decaying leaves in there but not much really?, please help, thanks

 

[chesterscot]

hi if your fish are trying to feed, feed on mild days i feed mine wheatgerm but only if the water temp is around 10 as if its lower they cant digest the food and it goes manky inside them
not sure but your pond might not be deep enough for big koi

 

[meehan09]

ok thankyou, they have been fine for 3 years over winter just this winter?

will increasing oxygen by adding a bigger air pump help? and would cover with a plastic sheet help at all?


thanks

 

[Davo86]

A pond heater will simply prevent the surface from freezing and doesn't warm the water a great deal,

My guess in this instance the depth of the pond is the cause, Koi should have an area of at least 3 foot where they can retreat to in harsh weather,
whilst they are in their current hibernatory state, they can spent too much trying to keep warm , which often proves fatal

 

[chesterscot]

there should be no need to increase oxygen cold water hold far more than warm
what i would say is that if you pond is frozen solid harmfull gases can build up so keep a small area clear
do not break the ice though, sit a hot pan on it to melt it as smashing it can kill the fish through the shock waves a good idea is to sit a football in it then remove in the day
as i said before though and the above poster seems to think the same your pond isnt deep enough for big fish like koi
regards scot

 

[scotty]

my next door neighbour has just lost all her fish,she just bought the house last year,the pond had been established for 3 years as the previous tenant had made the pond,the pond ice has just started to melt,think the pond was only about 18inches deep,seen her husband out everyday,trying to put holes in the ice but no avail,fish all dead,looks like with the size of chunks of ice,it was frozen right to the bottom.