Goldfish "parking" under the waterfall?

[Sean R. Kerns]

Hi all,

Approx. 750 gallon (US) pond with plain old pet store goldfish that have
been in the pond around four years, at least the original generation, and a
waterfall about 1-1/2 feet high that drops into the back of the pond.
I have noticed lately that the goldfish will "queue up" like buses in a
station righ under the waterfall. This only seems to happen in the early
evening, when the direct sun is gone - during the day, they're usually
hiding under the lillies.
They don't seem unhappy, and they frolic, play, spawn, and eat - but they
seem to like to do this "parking" thing. Any idea what this is?

Sean

[steve]

"Sean R. Kerns" > wrote in message >...
> Hi all,
>
> Approx. 750 gallon (US) pond with plain old pet store goldfish that have
> been in the pond around four years, at least the original generation, and a
> waterfall about 1-1/2 feet high that drops into the back of the pond.
> I have noticed lately that the goldfish will "queue up" like buses in a
> station righ under the waterfall. This only seems to happen in the early
> evening, when the direct sun is gone - during the day, they're usually
> hiding under the lillies.
> They don't seem unhappy, and they frolic, play, spawn, and eat - but they
> seem to like to do this "parking" thing. Any idea what this is?
>
> Sean

Maybe you have just one oddball fish with a strange habit. He goes to
the fountain at a certain time and since they are schooling fish, one
more follows him over and then boom they are all there. Next thing you
know it becomes a habit. I have netting up on my pond now because a
heron was visiting in mid-day when full sun was hitting the pond. Even
now the fish go to the bottom around 1 p.m.

[George]

"steve" > wrote in message
m...
> "Sean R. Kerns" > wrote in message
> >...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Approx. 750 gallon (US) pond with plain old pet store goldfish that have
>> been in the pond around four years, at least the original generation, and a
>> waterfall about 1-1/2 feet high that drops into the back of the pond.
>> I have noticed lately that the goldfish will "queue up" like buses in a
>> station righ under the waterfall. This only seems to happen in the early
>> evening, when the direct sun is gone - during the day, they're usually
>> hiding under the lillies.
>> They don't seem unhappy, and they frolic, play, spawn, and eat - but they
>> seem to like to do this "parking" thing. Any idea what this is?
>>
>> Sean
>
> Maybe you have just one oddball fish with a strange habit. He goes to
> the fountain at a certain time and since they are schooling fish, one
> more follows him over and then boom they are all there. Next thing you
> know it becomes a habit. I have netting up on my pond now because a
> heron was visiting in mid-day when full sun was hitting the pond. Even
> now the fish go to the bottom around 1 p.m.

Sharks off the coast of Mexico are known to "park" beneath freshwater waterfalls
spilling into the ocean. It is known that the O2 content of the freshwater is
higher than the seawater. It is believed that the higher O2 content actually
gives the Sharks a "buzz". Local children have been filmed playing with these
normally very aggressive sharks. Who knows, maybe your goldfish are high.

[Ka30P]

Sean wrote >>This only seems to happen in the early
>> evening, when the direct sun is gone -<<

After the sun goes down plants stop making oxygen and start using it up. The
waterfall may be providing the extra oxygen the fish need to get through the
night.
Your fish have grown and probably mulitiplied so it may be that this particular
fish load needs to use the oxygen provided by the waterfall where they didn't
in previous years.

I saw this happen in one of my ponds when I added a load of azolla which spread
over the pond. By morning, before sunrise, all the fish were at the spitter and
also gasping at the surface. As soon as the sun came up they took off. I
removed a lot of the fish and the behavior stopped.




kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

[Susan H. Simko]

My shubunkin and rosie reds do this all the time. I've always had the
impression that they enjoyed the sensation. I don't think they're
oxygen deprived as I have never seen any of them gasping at the surface.
I've also noticed similar behaviour in my aquarium with the outflo
from the filter. Certain fish just like to park under it. Again, I
know it's not oxygen deprivation as the tank is *well* oxygenated.

Susan
shsimko[@]duke[.]edu

[Ka30P]

Susan wrote >>I don't think they're
oxygen deprived as I have never seen any of them gasping at the surface. <<

The thing that stood out from the OP was that they moved to the waterfall right
after sunset
which makes me think they are needing the oxygen.
If the OP is an early bird he/she could crawl out of bed just before dawn and
see where they are and what they do after the sun comes up.
Of course that's easier typed than done ;-)


kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

[Steven E. Eyrse]

They just get a kick out of it . The goldfish I have some of which
are around 5 to 6 years not only will hang under the waterfall but
swim thru the bubler fountain that I have just left the up pipe to.
It is a y off the pump and at one time ran one of those bell
fountains. It kept getting clogged so I took it off and just left the
pipe. This shoots a stream of water up but as it well under the
surface just creates a mound of water on the topl but these guys love
to swim thru it. Sometimes getting spun over as the do. It is a fish
toy.

Steve E.