Totally Disheartened & Ready To Give Up!

[Ludwig Venter]

After a 50% water change on Saturday afternoon, I scooped out 87 dead BN fry (around 3/4 inch) from my outside pond on Sunday morning..... This is enough to discourage me to continue with fish in any form..... I did not even enter the fish room for the whole of yesterday and feel very reluctant and unmotivated to do so today......

I've done up to 90% water changes in the past with no incidents, but this time, I fed them cooked baby marrow and cabbage directly after the water change..... (never fed cabbage before) so, I'm just wondering..... could it be the water change, or the cabbage??

All the adults survived (fortunately).... and I still have the 30 fry which inside the fish room......

 

[ZoddyZod]

Ludwig, I remember reading that you do not dechlorinate your water? Could it be that your water company had introduced higher than normal levels into the system prior to the water change? Maybe this had the adverse effect on the babies?

I doubt the fresh veg would be the cause.

 

[micko]

I can't imagine how cabbage would do that.

Sorry for the loss of your fry. Its hard when things go wrong.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Ludwig, I remember reading that you do not dechlorinate your water? Could it be that your water company had introduced higher than normal levels into the system prior to the water change? Maybe this had the adverse effect on the babies?

I doubt the fresh veg would be the cause.

Well... I did an even bigger water change (80%) in the Bronze corry (also with fry in) and the Black Moore ponds about 30 minutes after the BN tank with no losses.... Just a mystery....

 

[Squidward]

Ludwig, being winter there in SA, have you had a cold snap recently? Possibly there adult fish are more resistant to a temp change than the youngsters?

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Ludwig, being winter there in SA, have you had a cold snap recently? Possibly there adult fish are more resistant to a temp change than the youngsters?

Well we're nearing the end of our winter just now, and if you asked me that question at the weekend I would've said no..... as of today though..... yes! the cold spell has arrived... (actually so cold today, when I opened my wardrobe this morning,.... I found my jersey wearing my jacket)!!.....

It is actually snowing all over the country right now (except here), but we are getting the cold at the receiving end..... I chucked a couple of heaters into the outside ponds and hope for the best... (Outside I have BN's, Corries, Black Moores and Convicts)....

A few of the remaining 30 fry......

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry for your loss, Ludwig

BN fry of that size are actually pretty delicate; they can drop dead from the slightest upset

 

[Inchworm]

Sorry to hear about this, LV.

If you filled your pond with a hose, could the water pressure have caused too much agitation for the little ones?

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Sorry to hear about this, LV.

If you filled your pond with a hose, could the water pressure have caused too much agitation for the little ones?

I have trickle feed Inch (and at the risk of anyone trying to picture this) I have to move around quite some in the shower to get completely wet, so water pressure is ruled out. I'm still wondering about that cooked cabbage I fed them after the WC?