Fish Stopped Eating
 

Fish had been doing fine (2 sarasa comets, 2 shubunkin, 3 koi), all
about 4 inches and healthy looking (at least to my eyes). They were
eating like little piggies, practically out of my hand,until about three
days ago. Now they seem very shy, swimming very quickly to hide under
the plants from one side of the pond to the other. Water quality:
ammonia=0, nitrites=0, nitrates=0, pH=8.5 and pretty stable, GH =5, KH =
5. Water is clear although somewhat tinted brown. Water temp = 70.
I've been doing about 10% water changes once a week. I know the pH is
on the high side but my tap water is pH=8.4 and the fish have been at
this pH for about 6-7 weeks now and had been eating fine.
Pond is 500 gallons, with waterfall, trickle biofilter with UV and
biofilter media in waterfall.
Any ideas on why my fish have stopped eating? I haven't changed
anything in the pond.

Possible heron visit?
"jrio" wrote in message
et...
Fish had been doing fine (2 sarasa comets, 2 shubunkin, 3 koi), all
about 4 inches and healthy looking (at least to my eyes). They were
eating like little piggies, practically out of my hand,until about three
days ago. Now they seem very shy, swimming very quickly to hide under
the plants from one side of the pond to the other. Water quality:
ammonia=0, nitrites=0, nitrates=0, pH=8.5 and pretty stable, GH =5, KH =
5. Water is clear although somewhat tinted brown. Water temp = 70.
I've been doing about 10% water changes once a week. I know the pH is
on the high side but my tap water is pH=8.4 and the fish have been at
this pH for about 6-7 weeks now and had been eating fine.
Pond is 500 gallons, with waterfall, trickle biofilter with UV and
biofilter media in waterfall.
Any ideas on why my fish have stopped eating? I haven't changed
anything in the pond.

Usually means a predator has visited your pond.
Raccoons leave a bit of a mess behind.
Kingfishers will leave a bit of an oil slick and maybe a feather or two, herons
seldom leave any trace except for spooked fish.

General overall predator deterrents:

Heron, kingfisher bird tips:
- netting over the pond
- chimney flue in the bottom of the pond, for fish to hide after the intial
strike
- electric shock pond fence (lays over the water) or electric shock fido fence
- motion activated sprinkler
- plastic fish decoy, called a heron scarer
- (P.S. Migratory Bird Act and Birds of Prey Act forbids lethal methods,
heavy fines and jail time take away from pond
dollars and pond time ;-)

Raccoon tips:
~ electric fido shock fence or pond fence.
~ motion activated sprinkler
~ Call animal control and ask if they have a Hav-a-Hart
humane animal trap to borrow or rent

Go to froggle.com to find these products
good luck!




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

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 20:34:59 GMT, jrio wrote:

===Fish had been doing fine (2 sarasa comets, 2 shubunkin, 3 koi), all
===about 4 inches and healthy looking (at least to my eyes). They were
===eating like little piggies, practically out of my hand,until about three
===days ago. Now they seem very shy, swimming very quickly to hide under
===the plants from one side of the pond to the other. Water quality:
===ammonia=0, nitrites=0, nitrates=0, pH=8.5 and pretty stable, GH =5, KH =
===5. Water is clear although somewhat tinted brown. Water temp = 70.
===I've been doing about 10% water changes once a week. I know the pH is
===on the high side but my tap water is pH=8.4 and the fish have been at
===this pH for about 6-7 weeks now and had been eating fine.
===Pond is 500 gallons, with waterfall, trickle biofilter with UV and
===biofilter media in waterfall.
===Any ideas on why my fish have stopped eating? I haven't changed
===anything in the pond.


Sounds like something spooked them like a king fisher, heron or other
predator.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

I'm beginning to get the feeling that you may all be correct. If I
sneak up on the pond so they can't see me and toss them some food
they'll rapidly dart to the surface, snatch a pellet or two and dive for
cover. I'll have to figure out what's spooked them. Racoons come to
mind first. Had some trouble with them in my yard a couple of years
ago. No droppings though like then.

Roy wrote:
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 20:34:59 GMT, jrio wrote:


===Fish had been doing fine (2 sarasa comets, 2 shubunkin, 3 koi), all
===about 4 inches and healthy looking (at least to my eyes). They were
===eating like little piggies, practically out of my hand,until about three
===days ago. Now they seem very shy, swimming very quickly to hide under
===the plants from one side of the pond to the other. ........
===Any ideas on why my fish have stopped eating? I haven't changed
===anything in the pond.



Sounds like something spooked them like a king fisher, heron or other
predator.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:10:02 GMT, jrio wrote:

I'm beginning to get the feeling that you may all be correct. If I
sneak up on the pond so they can't see me and toss them some food
they'll rapidly dart to the surface, snatch a pellet or two and dive for
cover. I'll have to figure out what's spooked them. Racoons come to
mind first. Had some trouble with them in my yard a couple of years
ago. No droppings though like then.

Hard to mistake a racoon visit, they dump over and/or beat up plants, pull
rocks in, etc. If all heads are accounted for an predators didn't get
rewarded. I highly recommend the motion sprinkler (Scarecrow):
http://www.km01.com/index.html and a fake orange plastic fish called a
heron scarer. www.aqua-mart.com ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
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